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

CSV.1.6.010 Awesiinyag Mendidojib Gidizhitwaawininaan

Ingoding gii-taawag aanind anishinaabe iwidi Manoominikaang. Gaawiin gegoo ogii-misawndanziinaawaan. Ogii-mamoonaawaan eta waa-aabajitoowaad miinawaa gii-ashangewag (wiikongewag) da-miigwechiwi'iwewaad.

Baanimaa ogii-ani-wanendaanaawaan odizhitwaawiniwaan. Gaawiin geyaabi gii-paatayiinosiiwag giigoonyag. Gaawiin dash geyaabi gii-minoginzinoonan ogitigaaniwaan. Gii-ani-maajaawag waawaashkeshiinyag. Gii-ani-gawanaandam Anishinaabe.

Bezhig anishinaabe ogii-naanaagadawendaan gaa-izhi-maazhiseg. Ogii-kikenimaan ezhi-maajaawaad gaagaagiin miinawaa aandegwan. Ogii-ineminaan iniw waawaashkeshiinyan izhi-biminizha'aawaad. Gii-ani-kii'igoshimo gaye wiin gaa-izhi-biminizha'aad iniw bineshiinyan Giiwedinong akeyaa.

Eshkam gii-shaagwiiwii biminizha'iwed. Gegapii gii-wanendamaa. Ojiichaagwan dash geyaabi giiwedinong akeyaa gii-izhaawan ganawenimigod gidoodeminaanig. Gii-tagoshin noopiming gii-tazhi-maawanji'idinid bineshiinyan.

Ogii-kagwejimaan, "Aaniin gaa-onji-makamiyaang waawaashkeshiinyag? Nindapenimonodawaanaanig da-wiisiniyaang miinawaa da-biizikiiganikeyaang." Ogii-nakwetaagoon: "Gaawiin ningii-izhichigesiimin. Gaye niinawind nindapenimonodawaanaanig da-bimaadiziyaang. Ningii-piminizha'aanaanig gii-maajaawaad. Gigii-nishiwanaajichigem. Gidaa-gaagiizomaawaag. Giga-bagidinigoo da-nazikawadwaa."

Niigaan gii-izhaa ani-waabamaad waawaashkeshiinyan gitigaaning. Gii-ani-mawi naazikawaad iniw ogimaawi-waawaashkeshiinyan. Gii-wiindamaage a'aw waawaashkeshiinh gaa-onji-maajaawaad gii-mino-doodaagosinig anishinaaben. Geget ogii-andodamawaan iniw Ogimaawi-waawaashkeshiinyan da-azhe-giiwenid.

Ogii-wiindamawaan ge-izhi-azhe-giiwed da-gikinoo'amawaad wiijanishinaaben da-gwayako-bimaadizinid. Ogii-apiitenimaawaan iniw anishinaaben epiichi-bagidinamawaad wiijanishinaabeni. Gii-tebwetaadiwag inaakonigewaad da-azhe-giiwewaad. Yo'ow izhichiged, gii-azhe-giiwewan owiiyawing ojichaagwanan. Zhayegwa gii-pi-azhe-giiwewan waawaashkeshiinyan gii-koshkozid.

Gaa-ako-inakamigak ani-maajaawag waawaashkeshiinyag endaso-gikinoonowining ani-ishkwaa-agoojinid aniw Manoominike-giizis(oon) da-dazhimaawaad iniw gaayosenijin gaa-manaaji'igowaajin miinawaa gaa-manaaji'igosiwaanijin. Gaa-manaaji'aajig apane oga-mikawaawaan waawaashkeshiinyan miinawaa da-minosewag.

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

Prior Codifications

§CSV.1.6.010 was formerly codified as VI LCOTCL §1.601

Editor's Notes

Big Game Tradition and Custom

There once was an Indian village by a wild rice lake that did not want for anything. The people there only took what they needed and always had feasts to give thanks.

As time went on, though, the people began to forget their traditions. Soon, the fish were not as abundant and their gardens were not as fruitful. Then, the deer disappeared, and the people began to starve.

A man sat down and began to think about what went wrong. He saw that the ravens and crows were leaving and thought that they were leading the deer away. So, the man began to fast and follow the ravens and crows north.

The further he traveled, his body got weaker. Finally, he fell over and lost consciousness, but his soul continued the journey northward, with the clan spirits watching over it. He came across a forest where the ravens and crows had gathered.

He asked them, "Why did you take the deer from us? We rely on them for our food and clothing." The ravens replied: "No, it was not us. We rely on the deer for our lives, so we followed the deer when they left. You were wasteful. You owe the deer people an apology, so we will let you through."

The man continued on and came upon deer in a field. He approached the Boss Deer and began to cry. The Boss Deer told him that it was man's fault that the deer had left. The man begged the Boss Deer to come back to his people.

He promised to go back to his people and teach them to correct their ways. The deer were so moved by the man's sacrifice for his people, they agreed to come back. With this promise, the man's soul returned to his body and when he awoke, the deer had come back.

From then on though, the deer will disappear every year at the end of August in order to discuss which Indian hunters have respected their ways and which have not. Those who have will always find deer and prosper.

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

CSV.1.6.010 Awesiinyag Mendidojib Gidizhitwaawininaan