 |
 |
Aanii, kina e-anishinaabemjig miinwaa e-kinoomaagozijig wii-anishinaabemong.
Hello to all the speakers of the language and to the learners of the language.
During my leave of absence from my current teaching position in Sutton Ontario, I had the privilege to travel to various parts of the United States, Canada and Australia. The high light was the trip to Australia. I, along with Shirley Williams attended the World Indigenous People’s Conference on Education in Melbourne Australia.
Thanks to the Wikwemikong Band who covered our registration cost to W.I.P.C.E. and thanks to A.M.O. who covered the cost of my airfare to and from Australia, and thanks to my family who covered some of the other expenses toward the trip such as meals and hotel.
There were many fascinating workshops during the 5 days of the conference. The most memorable highlight from this was the bus trip we took to see the escarpment along the ocean called the 12 Apostles.
These are land formations that have been washed from the tides through many thousands of years. While on this bus trip we also saw Kangaroos and Koalas which were all so fascinating.
Highlights from the conference was meeting all the wonderful people from around the world who are struggling with the same issues we are here in Canada. Yet, many seem to have a lot more work to do to keep their language alive. This does not mean that we are not in trouble. We need to find more ways to educated and teach our babies and children to speak the language.
I also had the opportunity to visit other communities in Iowa and Nebraska where they too are struggling with their various language initiatives. But it was wonderful to see that they are doing their best to keep their language alive.
Towards the end of my leave of absence, I took on a one month teaching position in Sutton Bay Michigan. I had the opportunity of teaching student from the Peshabeetown Reservation north of Traverse City. I was welcomed into the school in Sutton’s Bay Secondary school by all staff and especially the students. What I learned from them was that language was a small part of their live. As I traveled to various parts of the community with George Trudeau, he stressed that there was a real need for speakers in the schools and the presence of educators within the system.
We visited the Turtle building which is the sport complex of the Reservation. As I walked in to the building it is evident that the language was a strong part of the community at one time. Cause as you look around the lobby area of this complex you can see all of the names of families who had originally used Ojibwe language names. There was a real history in that lobby that dated back to family last names in Wikwemikong also.
Throughout the years there have been many language programs that have been very successful. The instructors of the language have a real passion of what they teach. There are teachers who teach in an immersion style where only the language is spoken with no English, and there are instructors who teach the language with simple contexts of the structure of the language and you as the student have to put the language together as you learn from the various verbs, prefixes and suffixes all the way to the adjectives and adverbs. It is all in fun. Select your program that best your learning style and run with it.
As we celebrate this 2009 conference, I want to commend all the volunteers that have made this another successful event. I also want to thank the presenters who will share their knowledge and resources to make you’re learning and reviving the language to flourishment.
This is our 15th Annual Language Conference. We continue to provide this venue for you the keepers of the language. Without any government funding what-so-ever, we work tirelessly to fundraise so this even can take place. With out your continued support and encouragement this would not be what it is today.
On a final note, I strongly encourage you to help us with our fundraising venture scheduled for Thursday night. We will be featuring Crystal Shawanda and tickets can be purchased at the registration table for $44.50. As you may or may not know Ms. Shawanda is nominated for Juno Award taking place in Vancouver B.C. in a couple of days, So come out and give her your well wishes.
If you have any suggestions for future speakers and ideas for the conference, please do not hesitate to contact me or the conference planning coordinator during your time here.
Miigwech and have a great time.
Isadore Bebamikwe-Toulouse
President, Anishinaabemowin-Teg Inc.
|
Elementary School
$300.00 Carson Abitong Biidaaban Kinoomaagegamik Sagamok Anishnaabek $200.00 Darcy Osawamick Wasse-Abin Pontiac School Wikwemikong Indian Reserve $100.00 Miigwans Pitawanakwat A.B. Ellis Public School Espanola, Ontario $75.00 Faye Solomon Biidaaban Kinoomaagegamik Sagamok Anishnaabek Melody Recollet Wasse-Abin Pontiac School Wikwemikong Indian Reserve Vanessa Recollet Wasse-Abin Pontiac School Wikwemikong Indian Reserve |
Mark Roy Jr.
Wasse-Abin Pontiac School Wikwemikong Indian Reserve Wusto Augustine Wasse-Abin Pontiac School Wikwemikong Indian Reserve Desarae Wemigwans Wasse-Abin Pontiac School Wikwemikong Indian Reserve Secondary School $400.00 Zachary Beaudette Nibiising Secondary School Nipissing First Nation $300 Marci Gould Suttons Bay Secondary School Grand Traverse Bay of Chippewa Indians $200.00 Misty Chippewa Suttons Bay Secondary School Grand Traverse Bay of Chippewa Indians |
$75.00
Shawnee Commanda Sudbury Secondary School Sudbury, Ontario Summer Raphael Suttons Bay Secondary School Grand Traverse Bay of Chippewa Indians Marcia Gould Suttons Bay Secondary School Grand Traverse Bay of Chippewa Indians College $500.00 Veronica Bebonong Kenjigewin-Teg/Sault College Mchigeeng, First Nation University $500.00 Stephanie Pangowish Trent University Wikwemikong Unceded Reserve $500.00 Perry Bebamash Algoma University Mchigeeng First Nation |
| As part of the conference celebrations we come to honor the students who are learning the language. During the Friday night banquet recipients who have submitted their applications to the Scholarship committee before the deadline date are screened and processed with their knowledge of the language. Through fundraising efforts throughout the year and from the support of the families who have loved ones as the memorials, A-teg has awarded well over $70,000 in the past 15 years towards these scholarships. We could not do the scholarships without the assistance of the language teachers and various community members who take the time to work with the students and make sure deadlines are met. Congratulations to all the recipients for this year scholarships. |
| An Excerpt from Anishinaabemowin Teg’s 2008 DVD Debaajmod: Joseph Fox, M’Chigeeng First Nation Gaa-anishinaabebii’ang: Kate Roy, Ojibwe Cultural Foundation Nihii sii go n-dibaadaan maaba bezhig, niin gonaa ndinendam, maanda wii go ndinendam. Gaawiin gonda gii-zhaagnaashiimsiiwag gonda gchi-anishinaabek, Gchi-gete-anishinaabek. Gaawiin gonda aanind giwi gii-zhaagnaashiimsiiwag. Njida go gii-zhayaawag wi. Egwendig go gaa-nakmagak oodenaang, gnamaa gaye bkwaakdokeng, gnamaa gaye nameskeng, gaawiin go aapji go wii-zhaagnaashiimwaad, gaawiin aapji gii-baamendziinaawaa, gii-baayaawag sii go zhiwi, gii-baayaawag, gii-wiidookaazwag gaye gwa, gii-minendaagzowag gego, giishpin sii go wiya zhaagnaash naangidoong gaawiin gii-baamendziinaawaa wi. Aapji gii-bmi-naaniibwiwag wii go zhiwi. Niin dash go naa genii ndinendam, gaawiin gnigenh wiikaa nda-naabmaasii gonda gaa-zhaagnaashiimsig, gaawin wiikaa nda-aagnenmaasii maaba. Jigo wi, gii-zhaagnaashiimsig. Maaba gchi-anishinaabe ndaa-kid gonaa genii, gaawiin wiikaa gii-zhaagnaashiimsii, gaawiin wiikaa gii-skoonwisii, enwek shwii go, booch dash go wi enwek gonaa, kina gegoo gii-ngajtoonaawaa gonda, gii-gtigewinini maaba debaajmag. Miinwaa go daabaan e-shki-bgamshkaawaad mii maaba gaa-zhaamin, pane daabaanan gii-naasaad, aapji go gii-ngajtoon wi. Maaba gaye gwa gaa-skoonwisig, mii maaba gwataani-kendaasod, maaba wi nikey’iing. Mii’shii go genii, aapji go n-maamiikwenmaag gaa-zhi-bmaadziwaad sa gego gonaa gii-anishinaabemowaad eta. Mii gonaa genii gaa-bi-zhi-kognigoowaan megwe Anishinaabe. Ngii-anishinaabem wi eta. Niinwi zhaazhi gonaa e-skoonwiyaang, ngii-zhaagnaashiimmi ngoji gonaa zhaagnaashmigaabwid. Maanda dash Language Conference e-aawang, begish go eta zhwebkiba, ji-zhwebkiba wi. Maanda gonaa daa-kidom gaye, wiya gonaa bmaadizid, daa-anishinaabemo. Giin niinaa go eta bezhig, aan’sh mii sa go enwek. Gaawiin wii-ngoshkaasnoo. Gnamaa dash go daa-nishin, baatiinoog nii nongwa Anishinaabek, Ojibwe Anishinaabek, Odaawaa, baatiinoog gwa. Begish go geyaabi ji-skoonwi’aapa, geyaabi ji-gindmowaad gonaa e-zhbiigaadek, ji-kendmiba wiya wii-anishinaabemowaad. Miinwaa dash, ji-wiijkiwen’diwaad maaba e-Anishinaabemjin. |
 |
|
 |
||
| Elder Senate member Janis Fairbanks has had a very busy year with several memorable events, most recently her marriage to Kaz Roterman, a man she has known for over forty years. “Marrying him,” she says, “was like coming home at last. This is the happiest I’ve ever been in my life.” Besides the January marriage and honeymoon in Las Vegas and the Grand Canyon, Fairbanks spent three weeks in China this past July, touring and teaching immersion-style English and Anishinaabemowin to her class of 21 high school students at the acclaimed Guangzhou Huamei International School. Students come from all over the world to attend the renowned boarding school which is housed on a full campus that exceeds the capacity of some U.S. college campuses. Techniques learned in China were applied to successful grant-writing efforts and planning immersion-style Anishinaabemowin classes for Nokomis Learning Center in Okemos, Michigan. Fairbanks served as Executive Director for Nokomis until December, when she relocated after completing her doctoral coursework at Michigan State University College of Arts and Letters, Department of American Studies, with an emphasis in Anishinaabemowin, Native American literature, and Native American history of the Great Lakes area. As an enrolled member of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, Fairbanks and her husband plan to divide their time between Michigan and Minnesota while she finishes her PhD research and dissertation through Michigan State University. Her dissertation title is “The Evolution of Ojibwa Language in Print Media in the 20th Century.” “Being a working board member and on the elder’s senate of an organization like Anishinaabemowin, Teg has certainly been a tremendous resource in meeting people with similar interests here in the U.S. And teaching Chinese students even simple Anishinaabemowin words and phrases was fun and easy and puts our language on a global scale. We even had a powwow for them and they all danced! We had over 200 students in the school and they all wanted to practice their words and phrases on me, even though we had two other native teachers there. I think they liked my jingle dress, but it doesn’t really matter why they wanted to talk to me; just that they did so. Their favorite words were ‘aanii’ and ‘makwa’.” Asked to describe herself in one word, Fairbanks simply said “fulfilled.” Nahow. Miigwech |
||
|
|
|
 |
|
 |
Ogimahwaj Tribal Council Hosts a 2 Day Language Workshop The Tribal Council recently hosted a language workshop for teachers and community members from the area. This workshop was conducted by our very own Professor Shirley Williams. She did a ripe roaring workshops on her interactive Hockey CD. It was very well attended and those in attendance were given a had a fun two days learning about the dynamics to teaching the language from the Mistress herself! Congratulations Shirley for the wonderful work you do. Honoring of Educators It was indeed a great honor to be present during the education conference in Wikwemikong this past fall of 2008. Three people were honored for their outstanding work in the field of education. Rita L. Corbiere, Josephine Pelletier (Elder Senate of Anishinaabemowin-teg) and Shirley Willaims (Board treasurer of Anishinaabemowin-Teg Inc. Congratulations to these young ladies for all their years of hard work in the educational profession. A.M.O. (Anishinaabek, Mushkegowauk, Ohngwehongwe) Chief Commissioner Nelson Toulouse has been working long and hard to coordinate the efforts of A.M.O. Mandated through the Chiefs of Ontario, A.M.O. works with language initiatives throughout Ontario and has representatives from the Mushkegowauk (Cree), Ohngwehongwe (Iroquois) and the Ojibwe (3 Fires). For more information check out their website at Anishinaabemowin-Teg Inc. Board Members, Elders Senate & Youth Representatives Come to the Annual General Meeting of Anishinaabemowin-Teg Inc. on March 28. The meeting takes place in the Ontario Room at the Kewadin Hotel and Convention Centre. There will be a new slate of Board members, a full slate of Elders Senate and youth representative to be voted in. Bkejiwanong (Walpole Island) Language Conference Summer 2008 Last summer the Walpole Island Language Committee organized a very successful language conference. It was well attended by its community members and various people from other communities. Actually there were people there all the way from Oklahoma. Immediately after this Walpole Island conference was the Potawaatomi gathering which was also hosted by the Bkejiwonang First Nation Community. Connecting Language Communities and Classrooms The Rainy River District School Board is hosting a Native Language Conference on April 8 and 9, 2009 in Fort Francis Ontario. The list of speakers are Dennis Jones, Patricia Ningewance, Jason Jones, Dr. Anton Treuer and Brian Smith. For more information contact the Seven Generations organization in Fort Francis Ontario. |