Tribal Law - Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Ojibwe, Wisconsin; National Indian Law Library, Native American Rights Fund

CSV.1.5.010 Manoomin Gakinoo'amaagewin

Miinawaa gaye o gaa-izhi-wiindamawind aw anishinaabe o`apii dabwaa-dagoshing aw gaa-waabishkiwed. Niizhwaaso gii-tagoshinoog ezhi-manidoowaadiziwaad gii-wiindamawindwaa anishinaabe aaniin keyaa ewiiyan ezhi-wii-ezhiwebak ingoding wii-tagoshin waayaabishkiiwed. Mii iwidi gii-wiindamawindwaa ya`o waa-tibaadidamaan. Gaawiin gii-ozhimosiiwag anishinaabeg. Ogii-maamiginaawaan gakina izhi-miinindwaa midenid, midewinid ayaabajitood owe ge gimishomisinaan dewe`igan, zhiishiigwanan, midewayaanan gakina gegoo ayaabajichigaadeg midewind anishinaabe. Mii gaa-izhi-ombinigaadeg mii dash gaa-izhi-maajaawaad imaa keyaa gii-pi-onaawinidiwaad idash dabwa-bi-maajaawaad dash aw manoomini-anishinaabe, manoomini-anishinaabe noongom ezhi-gikenimind mii agiwaa gii-miinaawag yo'oh manoomin, manidoo-manoomin ezhinikaadeg omaa manidowaadad gii-wiindamawaan anishinaabe iw wapii odi keyaa ningaabii`anong ezhaayan. Baanimaa dagoshinan iwidi badakideg, agoondeg agoondeg iiwo manidoo-manoomin. Mii imaa, mii imaa ajiwaa da-gikendameg gaye giinawaa gidandishinaabe-akiimiwaa gaa-ayaamagak. Mii gaa izhi-wiindamawindwaa. Wiinitamiwaa dash agiw manoominini-anishinaabeg, mii o gaa-pi-dakonamowaad. Mashkimod igo dibishkoo mashkimod izhi-gikendamang.

Wiigwaas idash i`ii miinawaa nagamonan, manidoo-nagamonan miinawwa gaye awiiya bineshiinh manoominkeshiiyen ezhinikaazod. Mii ya`aw, mii ya`aw odaa naasaab gaa gaa-pazigwaa imaa gaa-pagizigwa'od i`iw apii gii-pamid gii-pi-maajaawaad manidoog. Manidoo-manoomin gii-pi-nanda-waabandamowaad. Mii dash geyaabi ezhi-gikendamang. Manidoo-wiisiniwin, manidoo ogii-pagidinaan i`iw manoomin onjidaa anishinaabe, onjidaa giinawind ezhi-ojibwemoyang ezhi-boodawaadamiig gaye miinawaa manoom miinawaa odaawaag miinawaa manoominiig miinawaa gaye giinawaa ozhaawaanii ezhinikaazowaad. Miinawaa gaye wiinawaa gaa-kikapoo gaa-izhinkaazowaad anishinaabeg. Mii`yenh mii gaa-izhi-miinindwaa yo manidoo...manidoo-wiisiniwin ezhi-manidoowaadak i`iw manoomin. Mii imaa wenzikaamagak gaawiin bakaan, gaawiin bakaan gaye gidaa-mikanziimin i`iw mii iw i`iw manoomin gaa-izhi-miinind Anishinaabe. Mii dash i`yo gaa-izhi-wiindawind Anishinaa weweni ganawendaman yi`o manoomin miinawaa naasaab gaye giin ezhi-ganawenimigoyan. Gaawiin wiikaa da-maadaasinoon i`iw manoomin giishpin weweni weweni ganawendaman. Weweni gaye asemaakeyan dabwa-booziyan jiimaaning. Weweni awiiya da-ganoonaad manidoon yi`ow manidoo ezhi-manidoowaadizid imaa nibiikaang. Mii ya`aw ge-noonind dabwaa dabwaa-boozid awiiiya omaa jiimaaning. Da-wii-maaminigaadeg i`iw manoomin weweni weweni pane da-manaajitooyan kina gegoo. Mii gaa-izhi-wiindamaagoyang. Pane da-mikwendamind, gego wiikaa wanenimaaken aw manidoo.

Aw manidoo gaa-pagidendang yo omaa akiing da-biijikaamigak manoomin. Mii dash iw wenji-asemaakeyang geyaabi bimiwidoodyang yo`o midewaajimon. Geyaabi da-gikendamang, gaawiin eta go da-mikwendamang da-gikendamang gaawiin naasaab i`iw debinaak, gaawiin debinaak da-minikwendamang, da-gikendamang mii ezhi-wiindamaagoyang. Mii dash a`aw asemaa giishpin asemaa weweni aabaji' aabaji`ang i`iw dabwaa-mamooyang yi`iw manoomin. Mii imaa wiindamawigeyang ezhi-miigwechiwitaagoziyang geyaabi o ezhi-manidoowaadak manoomin da-miigwechiwitaagoziwin. Mii omaa ge gii-wiindamaagemin weweni wii-kanawendamang weweni wii-izhitooyang gaawiin gidaa-manaajitoosiimin, gaawiin gidaswewebitoosiimin. Gaawiin gaye giwebinanziimin weweni giga-ganawendaamin da-wiisiniyang da-ashamang a`aw giniijaanisiminaang, da-ashamang gaye a`aw bekaded anishinaabe.

Weweni idash ezhi-wiindamaageyaan nimisiwendaan iwidi keyaa niigaan da-gikendang anishinaabe yo, yo gaa-miinind gaa-miinigoyang da-ganawendamang ezhi-manidoowaadak yo`o, yo`o wiisiniwin. Geget...geget gi-mino-ayaamin gi-mino-bimaadizimin gikendamang ano giigidowinan gaa-izhi-miinigoyang gaye`ii midewaajimon. Weweni dash nimisawendaan geget weweni da-noondang y`ow ezhi-naajimoyaan gaye niin. Gaawiin anishaa ni-izhichigesii. Miinawaa gaawiin, gaawiin ninagowenimaasii awiiya niin. Weweni nimiinaa ya`o ezhi-dibaajimoyaan kina oshkinaj-anishinaabe. O niijaanis miinawaa ongow anishinaabeg owid keyaa niigaan waa-ondaadizijig. Miigwech yi`o taagozi dash ishkwaaj niin dibaajimoyaan.

(Res. No. 15-94; Res. No. 15-62.)

Prior Codifications

§CSV.1.5.010 was formerly codified as VI LCOTCL §1.501

Editor's Notes

Wild Rice Teaching by Bawdwaywidun (Eddie Benton) from Dibaajimowinan: Anishinaabe Stories of Culture and Respect, Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission, Odanah, WI: July 2013.

As the Anishinaabe was told before the white man arrived. There were seven spirits that came to tell the Anishinaabe about what was going to happen with the coming of the white man. These are the teachings that were given that I am going to talk about. The Anishinaabe did not walk away from it. They gathered all the mide teachings, the objects they used such as our grandfather drum, our rattles, mide items and all that is used for the midewiwin. They lifted their sacred items and they all left from there together before the Menominee Indians left, the ones that are known as such they were given the rice, the sacred rice that is called the anishinaabe was told to travel towards the west. As you arrive where it stands, where it lays in the water that sacred rice. This is where you will know the land that is for the Indian will be. This is what they were told. The Menominee where the first to bring the rice (to us…). It was in a sack, as we know of it.

Then in birch bark and the songs, spirit songs and the wild rice bird that is called. That wild rice bird, that same one that flew up with the spirits as they were leaving. As they come and check it out, looked at it. And this is how we still know it. This sacred food, the spirit put it here for the Indian, for the Ojibwe, for the Potawatomie and the Odawa and the Menominee and the Shawnee that are called. And also the Kickapoo Indians that are called as such. This is spirit food that was given by the spirit. This is where it came from, you will not find anywhere else, that which was given to the Anishinaabe. The Anishinaabe was told to take care of the rice and the rice will take care of you. The rice will never disappear as long as you take great care of it. And also offer your tobacco before you get into a canoe. Someone will speak to the spirit…that spirit that is in the water. This is the one that you speak to before you get into the canoe. As we proceed to pick rice…you shall respect all things. This is what we were told. Always remember the spirit, never forget the spirit.

The creator is the one that put this rice to be growing here on earth. That is why we offer tobacco so that we carry on these sacred teachings. To know these teachings, not only to think about it but to know it, not any ole way, not to think about them in any ole way, but to really know the teachings, this is what we were told. That is why tobacco is used before the rice is picked. This where we give our thanks for the sacredness of the rice, as we give thanks. This where we give our thanks to take care of and to make it we are not doing enough to take care of it, we don't give enough voice to it. We do not waste any of it, we take great care of it so that we can feed our children, so that we can feed the ones that are hungry.

As I give these teachings, I want this to be carried on so that the Anishinaabe will know this that was given as we take care of the sacredness of the food. We lead a good life when we remember the sacred teachings that we were given. I wish my teaching to be carried on to those that hear this. I do not do this for nothing. And I am not trying to step over the boundaries of other's teachings. I give my teachings with respect to all the young people. And the future generation. I give thanks whenever I finish a teaching.

Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin - Tribal Law

CSV.1.5.010 Manoomin Gakinoo'amaagewin