'Twas The Night Before Ojibwe Christmas
 | 'Twas the Night Before Ojibwe Christmas By |
| 'Twas the night before Niibaa-anamaegiizhigad, when all through the wiigiwaam Not an awakaan was stirring, not even a waawaabiganoojiinh; The moccasins were hung by the smoke hole with care, In hopes that Miigiwe Miskwaa Gichi Inini soon would be there; The abinoojiinhyag were nestled all snug in their nibaaganan, While visions of ziinzibaakwad danced in their nishttigwaan; And nimaama in her moshwens, and I in my makadewindibe, Had just settled down for a long biiboon zhiibaangwashi, . When outside the wiigiwaam there arose such a clatter, I sprang from the nibaagan to see what was the matter. Away to the waasechigan I flew like inaabiwin, Tore open the shutters and threw up the gibiigaiganiigin. The dibik-giizis on the breast of onaaband Gave a shine like duct tape to objects zazagaamagad, When, what to my wondering nishkiizhigoon should appear, . But a miniature toboggan, and eight tiny waawaaskeshi, With a little old driver, so lively and wajepii, I knew in a moment it must be Miigiwe Miskwaa Gichi Inini. More rapid than migiziwag his coursers they came, And he whistled, and biibaagi, and izhi-wiinde by name; "Now, Bimibatoo! now, Niimi! now, Babaamishimo and Moozhikwe! On, Anang! on Zaagi! on, Animikii and Wawaasese! To the top of the porch! to the top of the wiigiwaam! Now Bimibide! Ipide! Ombibidemagad!" . As dry leaves that before the wiindigoo fly, When they meet with BIA, mount to the sky, So up to the apakwaan the coursers they flew, With the tobaggon full of toys, and Miigiwe Miskwaa Gichi Inini too. And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the apakwaan The prancing and pawing of each little inzid. As I drew in my iniji, and was turning around, Down the chimney Miigiwe Miskwaa Gichi Inini came with a bound. . He was dressed all in gipagawe, from his head to his foot, And his clothes were all tarnished with bingwiand and soot; A bundle of toys he mangiwane on his back, And he looked like a adaawewinini just opening his pack. His ishkiinzigoon -- how they twinkled! his inowan how merry! His miskwanowan were like roses, his nose like a choke-cherry! His droll little indoon was drawn up like a bow, And the beard of his chin was as white as gichimookamaan; . The stump of a opwaagan he held tight in his wiibidaakaajiganan , And the smoke it encircled his head like a miskwaanzigan; He was full up on frybread with little round belly, That shook, when he laughed like a wiigwaasinaagan of jelly. He was chubby and wiinin, a right jolly old elf, And I giimoodaapi when I saw him, in spite of myself; A wink of his ishkiinzigoon and a twist of his mangindibe, Soon gave me to know I had nothing to gotaaji; . He ojibwemo not a word, but went straight to his work, And filled all the moccasins; then turned with a jerk, And laying his ibinaakwaanininj aside of his nose, And wewebikweni, up the smoke hole he rose; He sprang to his toboggan, to his waawaaskeshi gave a whistle, And away they all onjinizhimo like the down of a thistle. But I heard him biibaagi, ere he drove out of sight, . "Happy Niibaa-anamaegiizhigad to all, And to all baamaapii." |
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Have some fun figuring out the words.
May Handsome Fellow (Indian Santa Claus) make the children smile.
Niibaa-anama'egiihigad (Merry Christmas)
This is a partial translation into Ojibwe, kind of a mix and match story.
This is really a bit of holiday fun. I had it all pictured in my mind's eye. Very cool. Some of those words are real tongue twisters. Thanks for putting it up. Happy Niibaa-anamaegiizhigad to all.
''This is really a bit of holiday fun.''....Yes it is Grump, I'm fed up with all the ''Duckassery'', Religious nonsense, political crap that I think my head is going to explode.
We really need to lighten up, at least for over the holidays.
Niibaa-anama'egiizhigadgi Anamikaadiwi-giizhgad niijii. (Merry Christmas and Happy New Year my friend)
Because that is one of my favorites and I have it memorized in English, I could follow right along. But I have to agree with Grump. Those are some real tongue twisters.
Loved every word of it though. Have a few people I want to share it with. They'll love it too.
Happy Niibaa-anamaegiizhigad, niijii's
Mashkawide'e
Dear Friend Kavika: One theory is that Santa Claus is Jewish.
Who else can you get to work on Christmas Eve?
E.
Beautiful and fun! I must admit, though a lot of the words were unpronouncable. I enjoyed, very much! I hope that your Christmas is filled with joy!
Tongue twisters, now this is a tongue twister.
Miinbaashkiminisiganbiitoosijiganbadawiingweshiganbakwezhigan...
It's the longest word in the Ojibwe language. Translates to ''Blueberry Pie''.
Niibaa-anama'egiizhigad to you Mashkawide'e
LOL niijii, good one...Wiki is BOL...
Thanks Dowser, it's a fun version of the original. Oh, come on, the words aren't that tough...
What I wouldn't do for a piece of Miinbaashkiminisiganbiitoosijiganbadawiingweshiganbakwezhigan a la mode right now!!!
MMmmmm. Miinbaashkiminisiganbiitoosijiganbadawiingweshiganbakwezhigan a la mode for breakfast. My kind of treat.
Yep,that's a real tang toungler. Wonder if my grandma could pronounce it. She picked the wild blueberries, and Mom made them into pie. But we never sullied our Miinbaashkiminisiganbiitoosijiganbadawiingweshiganbakwezhigan with ice cream. It was perfect all by itself.
Thanks for the happy memories.
Mashkawide'e
No wonder the trackers over at NORAD are having such a difficult time. Yes, the reindeer left, but some drunk seems to be at the helm, doing loop de loops and slow rolls.
Apparently all the store clerks in the world. Or at least all of them in our area. Seems the stores think none of us did our shopping before today, but we're not all men. At least half of us plan ahead.
Have you seen Instagram's miserable men at the mall ?
Actually, those photos remind me of myself when I'm foolish enough to shop with my daughter. She marathons it for fun all year long. Not me. I know what I want. I find it. I buy it and am out of there ASAP.
Oh, yes they are and that's why we have you around to translate for us.
I'm having blueberry pie right this very moment Buzz, and it's really good.
I'd UPS some to you if they would take it, alas they won't.
Merry Christmas to you my brother.
ROTFL, I'm sure that I know a couple of those guys Mashkawide'e..Yup, it's really them.
Seems Santa is having a bit of a time with the boys.
Hey Rudolph, this is gonna be a bad landing...
Help with the landing BF.
At a huge box store called Metro they have all kinds of imported items, including foods, and they have frozen cherry pie and raspberry pie. I'm waiting for my wife to go for a visit to her home town next week to go buy that raspberry pie. She's my "sugar police" so I can't have it while she's here.
And a merry Ojibwe Christmas and a Happy, healthy and prosperous new year to you and your family and all my new brothers and sisters.
Yup, the Sugar Police are a rough lot. I promise not to tell what you are going to do Buzz..
And to you and your family, the best of Ojibwe Christmas and a wonderful new year.
ROTFL...Poor Bad Fish, he's not gonna like this present.
ROTFL, BF is in a bad way.
This is BF's Christmas present. It will help him survive.
Merry Christmas to you and yours, Kavika!
Niibaa-anama'egiihigad to you too Kavika!
And to you and yours pat, Merry Christmas.
And to your and yours Larry.
I'm waiting to see a photo of Kato...
Pretty good Enoch!
Thank you for the wonderful poem Kavika. Now if I can just get my tongue untied Ill be alright.
LOL, a couple of eggnogs and you'll be fine Six.
Merry Christmas to you and yours John.
LOL, good one BF..
Beautiful Mac, thanks for that.