The Gift is in the Making
Page 3
5
SHE KNEW EXACTLY WHAT TO DO
It was deep in the bboon.
The days were short and cold
and everyone was sick.
Their wiigwaaman were full
blowing and coughing and fever
first it was Binoojiins
then Mishomis
then Nokomis
then Binoojiinh
then Noos, and
then finally, it was Doodoom.
Soon, the mashkiki had run
right
out.
They were so sick that they had run
right
out
of mashkiki.
Nokomis sent the runner out to the next
village to get some more from their
Mashkikiiwininiikwe. But the runner took sick
and collapsed before reaching the lake.
Nooshenh knew what she had to do.
She was the only one healthy.
With all the coughing and sneezing and blowing,
it wouldn’t be long before she was sick too.
So she packed up some food, her flint and
all the brave she could fit into her heart
and she set out to the next village.
It was very windy.
It was very, very cold.
She walked through the sugar bush,
past the place where they picked wild leeks,
past where the fiddleheads grow,
beside the berry patches
and the Labrador tea, until she got to zaaga’igan.
The ice was thick on the lake
and noodin was fierce and whippy.
But she kept walking.
Finally, when she was just about to the other side
that old Mashkikiiwininiikwe saw her.
And so that old Mashkikiiwininiikwe got her
shkode going big.
She got her niibiishaboo on the fire.
She got ready.
She knew that, when Nooshenh got there, she’d
be cold, tired, and hungry.
Then that old Medicine Woman went and picked her up
and brought her home
wrapped her in warm wabooz blankets
gave her tea and soup
and told her to rest.
“Waabang, we will go together and take the mashkiki to your family.”
It was a good idea, but Nooshenh woke up
in the middle of the night
sick with worry, whispered miigwech
and slipped out of that old lady’s lodge.
The ice was thick on the lake
and noodin was fierce and whippy.
Nooshenh kept walking. Across zaaga’igan,
past the Labrador tea,
beside the berry patches,
past where the fiddleheads grow,
past the wild leeks,
through the sugar bush.
It was very, very cold.
It was very blowy.
Finally, she could see the smoke from her family’s lodges. By now,
the sun was high in the noonday sky.
The snow was warming up and so, of course,
one step in that deep snow and she was sunk.
She struggled.
She lost her makizinan.
She lost her patience.
But she didn’t lose her fight.
On she went, barefoot, all the way home to her lodge.
Her family was very happy to see her.
They listened to her story.
They drank that mashkiki
and wrapped her feet in medicine
and warm blankets.
And the next summer in the exact spot where she lost her makizinan
grew the most beautiful pink flowers
anyone had ever seen.
Nokomis called them
Makizinkwe, woman’s shoe,
in honour of her brave Nooshehn.
She knew exactly what to do.
Nishnaabemowin: Makizinikwe is one of our names for lady’s slipper; bboon is winter; wiigwaaman are homes or lodges; binoojiyens (abinoojiyens) is baby; Mishomis is Grandfather; Nokomis is Grandmother; binoojiinh (abinoojiinh) is a child; noos is Father; doodoom is Mama (an older name that a child would call a mother—literally my breastfeeder); mashkiki is medicine; Mashkikiiwininiikwe is Medicine Woman; noozhenh means grandchild; zaaga’igan is lake; noodin is the wind; shkode is a fire; niibiishaboo (aniibiishaaboo) is tea; wabooz is rabbit; waabang is tomorrow; and miigwech means thank you.
6
ZHINGWAAK GETS A LITTLE SNIPPY
Mewnzha, mewnzha, mewnzha, Wiigwaasaatig was marching around the forest bragging.
“I really am so beautiful. I love my skin. It is perfect. I have the perfect skin, I do not even need to moisturize, not even one little bit.”
Mostly, all the other mitigoog ignored Wiigwaasaatig, but the bragging continued. “I really am the most useful tree in the forest, as well. The Nishnaabeg can use me to make houses, containers, canoes, and abstract art. Really, I think the forest only needs one tree and that tree is me.”
Giizhikatig, who was also a great friend of the Nishnaabeg, was silent, thinking that Giizhikatig, the cedar or the sky tree, also gave the people food, medicine, and shelter.
Ninatigoog, who had just finished sharing his sap with the Nishnaabeg, was also quiet.
Zhingwaak, the pine, the tree that teaches about peace, was also silent, but Wiigwaasaatig didn’t even notice.
“I’m just going to sway and dance a little so you all can bask in my beauty,” Wiigwaasaatig sang out.
Zhingwaak was still silent, but Zhingwaak was feeling irritated.
“I’m just going to sing a bit as well, because my voice is very sweet, and I’m sure you’ll enjoy me. I am so enjoyable.”
Zhingwaak’s body started to sway a bit with all this mad building up.
“Great idea, Zhingwaak! That little breeze you are making rattles my leaves, and it makes me look and sound even better,” said Wiigwaasi-mitig.
This made Zhingwaak’s body sway a little bit more and a little bit more, until the little breeze turned into chi’noodin.
“Whoaa, Ziingwaak! You’re getting a little crazy. Your needles are starting to touch my beautiful bark. Settle down, Ziingwaak! We wouldn’t want to mark my bark. It’s so perfect the way it is,” said Wiigwaasaatig.
But it was too late. The big wind of Zhingwaak had already left needle marks all over Wiigwaasaatig’s skin.
Zhingwaak eventually calmed down and got all her anger back under control.
Wiigwaasaatig calmed down too, even though he had needle marks all over his skin.
After some time, Wiigwaasaatig stopped bragging so much and started to see all the gifts the other trees gave as well. Eventually, he found that being a good relative filled his heart much fuller than bragging about how great he was. He grew to love his body the way it was, pine needles and all.
Nishnaabemowin: Mewnzha means a long time ago; Nigitchi Nendas means “I have a big head” or “I’m arrogant”; mitigoog are trees; wiigwaasaatig (wiigwaasi-mitig) is a birch tree; gizhiikatig is a cedar tree; ninaatig is a maple tree; and zhingwaak is a white pine; chi noodin means it is very windy.
7
PLEASE BE CAREFUL WHEN YOU’RE GETTING SMART
A lot of people come to university to get smart. Education is the new buffalo. But, I say that it is important to stay smart while you are getting smart, and I learned that one from old Nanabush.
This story takes place a long, long, long time ago. Mewnzha, mewnzha, mewnzha.
It was summertime, and Nanabush was in the forest, feeling pretty hungry but also kind of lazy. He got to thinking that all his problems could be solved if only he were smarter.
“Owah,” said Nanabush. “If I were only smarter, I wouldn’t have to spend all this time hunting. I bet those animals would come right to my lodge.”
“Owah,” said Nanabush
. “If I were only smarter, I wouldn’t have to spend all this time fishing. I bet those fish would jump right into my jiimaan.”
“Owah,” said Nanabush. “If I were only smarter, I wouldn’t have to spend all this time gathering and preparing medicines. I bet those medicines would jump right into my bag all ready to go if I got sick.”
“This would be a good life, if I were smart.”
So Nanabush thought about how he could get smart, and, when he couldn’t come up with any ideas, he went to see old Nokomis.
“Nokomis, I think my life would be so easy and so much better if I were smarter,” said Nanabush.
“Ehn, you’re right. Smart people do have a good life. It’s true,” replied Nokomis.
“Do you know how I could get smart, Nokomis? Because if I were smarter, everything would be a lot less work. I wouldn’t have to spend all this time hunting. I bet those animals would come right to my lodge. I wouldn’t have to spend all this time fishing. I bet those fish would jump right into my jiimaan. I wouldn’t have to spend all this time gathering and preparing medicines. I bet those medicines would jump right into my bag all ready to go if I got sick.”
“Hmmm,” said Nokomis. “I do know this place in the forest, and in this special place is a bush, and on that bush are some very special berries, smart berries. One handful, and you start to get smarter, immediately.”
“Oh, Nokomis,” said Nanabush. “This is exactly what I need. Take me, take me, take me, TAAAKE MEEEEEE!”
“Nahow,” said Nokomis. “I will take you, but you have to calm down. It’s a long walk.”
“I AM calm, and I’m very good at long walks. Ambe Maajaadaa!”
And so Nanabush and Nokomis began to walk down the path to find the smart berries. They walked and walked, and finally they came to a plant with tiny red berries on it.
“Are these the berries? Are these the smart berries, Nokomis? Are they? Are they? Are they?”
“Gaawiin, those are ode’minan, heart berries. Those aren’t the smart berries.”
A little while later, they came across another kind of red berry.
“Are these the berries? Are these the smart berries, Nokomis? Are they? Are they? Are they?”
“Gaawiin, those are miskominag, blood berries. Those aren’t the smart berries.”
A little while later, they came across another kind of berry, a blueberry.
“Are these the berries? Are these the smart berries, Nokomis? Are they? Are they? Are they?”
“Gaawiin, those are miinan, blueberries. Those aren’t the smart berries.”
They walked some more. Nanabush was getting tired, but he wasn’t complaining. He wanted those smart berries badly.
Finally, Nokomis stopped walking. “We’re here,” she announced.
Nanabush looked around for the big, delicious berries.
“Where are they, Nokomis?”
“They are here, Nanabush, on the ground.”
“Those don’t look like berries.”
“These are the smart berries.”
“Those don’t smell like berries.”
“These are the smart berries. One handful and you’ll start getting smarter almost immediately.”
“Nahow,” said Nanabush, taking a big handful and putting them into his mouth. AAAAAAHHHHHHH, BLECK, YUCK! These aren’t berries, Nokomis! These are waawaashkesh, poop!”
“See, Nanabush, you are getting smarter already.”
Nishnaabemowin: Mewnzha is long ago, and is an old way of starting traditional stories that gives some indication of time, depending upon how many are used, Doug Williams, Elder, Curve Lake First Nation; jiimaan is Canoe; Nokomis is Grandmother; ehn means yes; nahow is okay; ambe maajaadaa means let’s go; ode’minan are strawberries; gaawiin means no; miskominag are raspberries; miinan are blueberries; waawaashkesh (waawaashkeshi) is a deer.
8
IT’S YOU WHO MAKES THE NAME POWERFUL
Have you ever felt jealous?
Well, one day Nanabush was feeling jealous. He thought all the other animals in the forest had better, more powerful names than he did. He wanted a new, better, more powerful name. Something like Eagle Thunderbolt Man or maybe Hunts Way Better Than Everyone Else.
“Ehn,” thought Nanabush. “I need a new name.”
So Nanabush got all the other animals in the forest together to convince them that they all needed new names.
“Our names are old and boring,” Nanabush lectured. “We need new ones, ones that more accurately reflect the great beings we’ve become.”
The animals agreed. So, they took some semaa to ask Nokomis. Nokomis agreed and set the Naming Ceremony for the next morning at sunrise.
Nanabush was so excited, he could not contain himself. He went zooming around the forest. Then, he went zooming around the lake. Then, he zoomed up to the top of the highest hill.
Finally, the other animals were getting sleepy and going to bed, but Nanabush didn’t think this was necessarily a good idea.
“If I stay up all night, I’ll be the first one at the ceremony tomorrow,” he said to himself. “That way, I’ll get the very best name.”
He did jumping jacks to stay awake. Then, he ate all his food cache. Then, he drank all the tea he had. Then, he told himself all the jokes he knew. Finally, by about 4:30 AM, he fell fast asleep.
He slept and slept and slept and slept, until naakwe, noon.
He woke with a start.
“WHAT TIME IS IT?” he roared, noticing the sun already high in the sky. “GAAWIIN, I’m late!”
He ran to the ceremony without changing out of his pajamas and brushing his teeth. He got there just as Nokomis was handing out the last name.
“Don’t worry,” said Nokomis, in a very reassuring voice. “I have the perfect name left for you.”
Nokomis stood in the centre of the circle, hanging onto Nanbush’s hand, ready to announce his new name to the four directions. She turned to the east.
“Bozhoo, Nanabush.”
Nokomis announced his name to the three remaining directions, but Nanabush couldn’t hear her because he was so upset. He threw himself on the ground. He screeched and cried. He pounded his fists on the ground and kicked the air.
Nokomis watched the meltdown, and, when Nanabush started to wear himself out, she asked, “Nanabush, what is wrong?”
Nanabush explained that he wanted a powerful name like Sparkly White Bear or Super Duper Strong Medicine Moose Man.
“Hmmm,” thought Nokomis. “Hmmmm.”
After thinking for a bit, Nokomis said, “Nanabush, you’ve got it backwards. It’s not the name that makes you powerful, its you who makes the name powerful.” Then she gave Nanabush an enormous hug.
“Holy,” said Nanabush. “You’re right, I’ve got it all backwards!”
So, after that, Nanabush set out to make his name powerful by helping, sharing, teaching, singing, dancing, and loving.
Nishnaabemowin: Ehn means yes; Nokomis is Grandmother; semaa (asemaa) is tobacco; gaawiin means no; naakwe is noon.
9
GOOD NEIGHBOURS
The Nimkiig Binesiwag live up high on a mountain in a very big nest, so they can watch over everything. The Nishnaabeg almost never see them. But, in the spring and summer, you can hear them when they fly over. Those old ones put out some semaa when the thunderbirds are coming because they know the Niimkiig Binesiwag protect us and keep us safe—even though their big boomy sounds are kind of scary. Those old ones know the Niimkiig Binesiwag bring with them the rain that cleanses the land and feeds those thirsty plants.
Nahow, when this story happens, things are not so good for those Nishnaabeg. Things are not so good.
Most people had enough food, so that wasn’t it. Not this time.
Most people had houses, so that wasn’t it. Not this time.
Most people were practising their ways, so that wasn’t it. Not this time.
This time, the problem was with the neighbours—those ones who moved in
beside the Nishnaabeg. They were partying all the time. Loud. All the time. Never taking care. Tramping all over those plants Nishnaabeg use to heal. Eating everything out of the Nishnaabeg’s garden. Building a big wooden deck fence all around the Nishnaabeg’s house, so nobody can get in and out any more. Cutting down trees for no reason. Peeing in the water.
That’s right. Peeing in the water. I KNOW. Can you imagine? What kind of people pee in the water?
But it was more than just pee. They would cut down all kinds of trees, put them into special machines, and out comes birchbark. Long, beautiful sheets of birchbark. But they don’t make any canoes. No, siree. They drew lines on sheets and then they threw them away. That’s what they did with most of the stuff they made. They threw it away.
That machine, it’s not so special after all. It’s not so magic. While it makes all this beautiful birchbark for no reason, it also makes this really-bad-medicine-soup that make everybody sick—even those animals and the fish. Everybody. It was a slow kind of sickness, that one, the kind that sneaks up on you. Those neighbours had no place to put that really-bad-medicine-soup. So they built this big pot at the base of the mountain, and they put it in there. They thought they’d keep it there until they could think of what to do with it.
But, after a lot of years, that big pot of really-bad-medicine-soup is still there. It’s starting to go funny colours. Leaking out. That one that lives underwater and protects the lake says she can see it leaking. Funny colour of blue, it leaks. The big pot of really-bad-medicine-soup is so big the Nimkiig Binesiwag can see it from space.
And these Nishnaabeg, they tried everything. They had their neighbours over for dessert, to try and be friends. Rhubarb pie. That’s what they all had. Homemade. Good stuff that Biindigen Washk.
The neighbours, they act nice, and they say, “Oh, yes, yes, yes. You are soooooo right. It will never happen again. You can trust us.”
Then, whoops—it happens again. So those Nishnaabeg had those neighbours over for dinner, try and come up with some ground rules.
The neighbours, they act nice, and they say, “Oh, yes, yes, yes. You are soooooo right. It will never happen again. You can trust us.”