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Home / Community / Tiginaagan (Cradleboards) - Part One

The following lesson was written by Howard Kimewon and Margaret Noori to enrich a cradleboard making workshop at the 15th Annual Language and Culture Camp in Manistee, Michigan being led by Judy Pamp.

Due to the amount of audio files this lesson has been split into two parts. Continue to Part Two

1. Pane gwa gii bi objikaaznaa'an tiginaaganan Anishinaabeg.
Always (past) used wooden constructed things Anishinaabe people.
The people have always used cradleboards.

2. Bebkaan igo gonemaa daa ezhi naagaadoon nindan tiginaaganan.
They are different really maybe was how they are built these cradleboards.
The cradleboards are all unique.

3. Mii maanda gaa ezhichigeyaad Anishinaabeg gii bi kooganaawaad binoojiins.
So then this was did Anishinaabeg did they raised babies.
This is what the native people did when they raised a baby.

4. Tiginaaganing maaba binoojiins gii moowejigaazo.
In the wooden constructed this baby did get carried around by someone.
In the cradle they carried the baby around.

5. Mii geye wii noondaan waaamdaan miinwaa geye wii gikendaan aapichi zaagikchigaazod.
And then to hear things, to see things and to know it very to be loved.
This also was done so babies would see things, hear things and learn while being loved by someone.

6. Mii maanda gaa bi ezhi ayaawaad gii bi bimaadiziwaad.
Then this how they were here they lived.
This is the way they lived.

7. Niibinaa mshkwiiziwin binoojiins giindenaan tiganaaganing enji gaanawenjigaazod.
Lots of strength baby received in the wooden constructed while in a place being cared for by them.
The baby grew strong in the cradle while being cared for in the cradle.

8. Kina goya gii giikamegwaan neyen shkiniigishan.
Everyone (pst) they are all advising this young man.
Everyone advised the young man.

9. Tigoonsan gii zhoobadibenaan.
Sticks were bent by them.
They bent sticks.

10. Wii zhitoowaad tiganaagan.
To make it wooden constructed thing.
To make a cradleboard.

11. Naanagoodinong geye wiigwas gii objikaaznaa'aa ni boon.
Sometimes also birchbark did they use there in winter.
We sometimes used birchbark to make the cradleboard especially in the winter.

12. Wiigobiish gii objikaaznaa'aa maanda tiginaagan wii shkiwaadamowaad.
Bass wood did they use this wooden constructed thing to sew it.
They used bass wood to sew the cradleboard.

Continue to Part Two

Bimaadzijig Naadamajig (Community)
Christy Bieber

Read by Christy Bieber

University of Michigan Ojibwe language student

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Giishpin gwa pane anishinaabemoying...Ingoding gwa giishigag kina kaa Anishinaabemowin. If we all speak Anishinaabemowin...one day everyone will speak Anishinaabemowin
LSA School of Information