Namebini-giizis (Suckerfish Moon)/Makwa-giizis (Bear Moon), February 12, 2024
"I grew up listening to the old people. They addressed the Great Spirit, explained why they were conversing with the deceased or the wind as mediator for people. Words were said like these things were alive. References seemed to be subjects and certain references were said to be alive. They didn't care about English grammar because they didn't know it. My questions are: Why don't they write the words as they appear in the sentences word-for-word? And why don't they teach the actual sentence formation? Even if we are accustomed to read from left-to- right, why don't they teach the actual way it is spoken rather than teaching from translations? Why don't they teach it the way it's spoken rather than using the English language as the original base structure - which it is not? It seems that we are just reiterating the English language word-for-word...In that case it would seem like we are talking Ojibwe backwards..."
- Jessie Cree, Turtle Mountain Elder, Spiritual leader"The Ojibwe language has given English the words “moccasin,” “toboggan,” “wigwam,” “moose,” “totem,” and “muskeg.” We’ve even met on the middle ground. We provided “musk” from “mashkiig,” or swamp, English provided “rat” and together we built a word for a swamp dwelling rodent that looks an awful lot like a rat—muskrat. If that’s not a fine example of cultural exchange I don’t know what is.
- David Treuer, Ojibwe writer, in Rez Life: An Indian's Journey Through Reservation Life."It is only through learning the language as our ancestors spoke it that a clear line between Anishinaabe worldview and English can be maintained. The key to understanding our spiritual, cyclical relationship with nature and the world we live in is therefore to be found in learning the Anishinaabe language, untainted by linear English grammar rules."
- Zhaawano Giizhik, visual artist, jeweler, writerBoozhoo!
I hear some people say that looking for (and constructing) new Anishinaabe words to describe items that in the old days did not exist in Anishinaabe izhitwaawin (Indigenous way of life) is a form of cultural appropriation. Incorporating Western concepts into our language is a bad thing, they say. It creates a barrier between us and the world of our ancestors. It kills the spirit of our language and our culture. Keep our language real, they say.
Yet, is it truly a form of appropriation, and is it genuinely negative when neologisms enter our language?
Here's my two cents for today.
Anishinaabemowin, the Ojibwe language,is incredibly dynamic and descriptive. Utilizing this remarkable descriptive nature to create new words enriches our language rather than diminishing it.
Firstly, I believe that "cultural appropriation" is a contemporary buzzword that is used both correctly and (quite frequently) incorrectly. Appropriation usually occurs when a dominant group adopts something from a minority group and makes it their own. Therefore, I'm uncertain if it can be considered cultural appropriation when a minority group creates new words in their language to describe "foreign" concepts from the dominant society. Maybe it's reversed appropriation?
In my opinion, for a language to thrive and remain viable, it must include names for everyday items. Anishinaabemowin, the Ojibwe language, is incredibly dynamic and descriptive. Utilizing this remarkable descriptive nature to create new words enriches our language rather than diminishing it.
"To know the language is to fully grasp its intricate nature and the messages it seeks to convey. Only by speaking the language correctly can we mentally embrace the worldview and spiritual depth it embodies."
Purism, a strict commitment to linguistic purity, is not always a good thing. However, an etymologic/semantic approach* to Anishinaabemowin is essential for genuinely understanding the language. To know the language is to fully grasp its intricate nature and the messages it seeks to convey. Only by speaking the language correctly can we mentally embrace the worldview and spiritual depth it embodies.
Throughout their migration journeys and over the centuries, the Anishinaabeg have consistently adopted cultural practices, concepts, ceremonial items, people, and clans from other tribes, as well as from Europeans and Americans. This adaptability has contributed to the cultural, demographic, and historically military strength of the Anishinaabeg. They have always been open to adopting new elements, so neologisms are not seen as a negative. Particularly since their language revitalizes and renews itself without borrowing foreign vocabulary. It is entirely acceptable to have Ojibwe words for mars, elephant, monkey, bicycle, television, computer, projector, telephone, and other such terms.
What concerns me more, however, is how Anishinaabemowin teachers are undermining the spiritual essence of the language by introducing a grammar rooted in the Western concept of animate/inanimate,** along with a syntax that mirrors the English sentence structure. THAT is the true issue. Today, people are learning the language in reverse, leading to the near-permanent loss of the spiritual depth and richness of our language and, by extension, our culture. ***
The way new learners today speak the language reminds me of Dunglish (Dutch English). The Dutch often speak a version of English that is very un-English, directly translated from Dutch, and it sounds quite amusing to native English speakers. While it's true that languages are primarily tools for communication, this doesn't imply that all languages are the same, just as not all cultures are the same! We must remember that a different language represents a completely different method of encoding thoughts for communication, and in many ways, it literally shapes our thinking. A language defines our identity, reflects our cultural identity and worldview, and losing a language means losing an entire way of thinking from human knowledge. The words and grammar are invaluable, offering insights into ourselves, the world, and our relationship with it.
"Today, people are learning the language in reverse, and the spiritual depth and richness of our language (and, by extension, our culture) have been (almost) lost forever."
Trying to return to the old ways is pointless, as they are gone for good. Yet, we owe it to ourselves to keep the language alive by adopting new words and ideas, while also maintaining its vibrancy by acknowledging the spiritual depth it had when our great-grandparents were alive, when everyone in Anishinaabe Aki lived off the land, followed the seasons, and spoke the language fluently. Although returning to the old ways is impossible, we must aim to understand and honor our ancestors' perspectives and worldview. If we are unable or unwilling to do this, to keep it from becoming stagnant, Anishinaabe izhinamowin, the incredibly rich and dynamic worldview we inherited from our predecessors, will be lost forever to future generations.
Miigwech gibizindaw, thank you for listening.
NOTES:
*Etymology explores the origins of words and the evolution of their meanings over time. (Lexical) semantics is concerned with examining word meanings and the relationships between them.
**Animate/inanimate is a Zhaaganash (Western)-oriented concept expressed through formal grammar rules that (misleadingly) structure Anishinaabe languages by describing things as alive (possessing spirit) and dead (not possessing spirit). This approach is not a good thing for Anishinaabemowin as it uses a linear system that is the opposite to the healing, storytelling, and circular flow of the language and all things alive. It is only through learning Anishinaabemowin the way our ancestors spoke it that a clear line between Anishinaabe worldview and Zhaagaanash can be maintained. The key to understanding our spiritual, cyclical relationship with nature and the world we live in is therefore to be found in learning the Anishinaabe language untainted by Zhaaganash grammar rules. To read more about this topic, please see Reflections on a Ceremonial Bundle and on the Nature of Our Language. *** To understand what is meant by a backward sentence structure, please visit: Teachings from the Tree of Life: Why Bears Never Speak Backward but Some Indians Do.
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