Naandwedidaa (healing one another): a poem

This poem was recently published in Honouring Indigenous Women: Hearts of Nations vol.2, put out by IPSMO – Indigenous Peoples Solidarity Movement Ottawa, a group I am a member of.

The poem was written some time ago, when I was taking an Ojibwe language course in Kitchener, Ontario. For more on the language, you can see and download the Ojibwe language (Anishnaabemowin) textbook we used in the class, and you can also read an article I wrote based on the teachings from an Elder, Violent Shawanda, during a special visit with our class, in the booklet I’ve written: My Entry into Aboriginal Understanding.

 

Naandwedidaa (healing one another)

by Greg Macdougall

Namaa
              S/he is praying
giiskonye
              s/he is undressing
ngamo
              s/he is singing
damna
              s/he is playing
naadmaage
              s/he is helping
keh twaa giizhgat
              Special Day
niimi
              s/he is dancing
maandaa
              miraculously
bi-tkobnaan
              come and animate
gtwe
              despite everything do it
maamwi
              together
niiganaasnok
              morningstar (one that leads the light)
naandwedidaa
              healing one another