Living Our Language: Ojibwe Tales & Oral Histories (Native Voices) [Paperback]

Anton Treuer (Author)

Book Description

Series: Native Voices | Publication Date: May 1, 2001

A language carries a people's memories, whether they are recounted as individual reminiscences, as communal history, or as humorous tales. This collection of stories from Anishinaabe elders offers a history of a people at the same time that it seeks to preserve the language of that people. Based on interviews Treuer conducted with ten elders this anthol-ogy presents the elders' stories transcribed in Ojibwe with English translation on facing pages. These stories contain a wealth of information, including oral histories of the Anishinaabe people and personal reminiscences, educational tales, and humorous anecdotes. Treuer's translations of these stories preserve the speakers' personalities, allowing their voices to emerge from the page. Treuer introduces each speaker, offering a brief biography and noting important details concerning dialect or themes; he then allows the stories to speak for themselves. This dual-language text will prove instructive for those interested in Ojibwe language and culture, while the stories themselves offer the gift of a living language and the history of a people.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

This substantial volume presents a rich and varied collection of tales from the Ojibwe (Chippewa) tradition while also integrating material from associated Algonquian tribes who migrated westward for centuries before European contact. Ten Indian elders from the northwestern United States and Canada provide narratives in their native language, with English translations appearing on the facing pages. Each participant is profiled, and his contributions (assembled over several years) follow in numbered paragraphs. These contributions present various aspects of Ojibwe daily life, including fishing, maple sugaring, ricing, devilish childhood tricks, religious ceremonies, and more. Drawn from both printed and oral sources, the stories are meticulously and sensitively translated and annotated, giving shape, form, and nuance to a fragile, almost extinct civilization. This preservation project will be a vital addition to Native American lore and is certain to be treasured by comprehensive collections in special and academic libraries. Richard K. Burns, MSLS, Hatboro, PA
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About the Author

Anton Treuer, Editor

Product Details

• Paperback: 282 pages
• Publisher: Minnesota Historical Society Press; 1 edition (May 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0873514041
• ISBN-13: 978-0873514040
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.1 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #787,275 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #78 in Books > Education & Reference > Foreign Languages > Instruction > Native American
  • #95 in Books > History > Historical Study > Oral History

More About the Author

Dr. Anton Treuer (pronounced troy-er) is Professor of Ojibwe at Bemidji State University. He has a B.A. from Princeton University, M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota. He is Editor of the Oshkaabewis (pronounced o-shkaah-bay-wis) Native Journal, the only academic journal of the Ojibwe language. His published books include Ojibwe in Minnesota (2010), The Assassination of Hole in the Day (2010), Indian Nations of North America (2010), Awesiinyensag: Dibaajimowinan Ji-gikinoo'amaageng (2010), Living Our Language: Ojibwe Tales & Oral Histories (2001), Aaniin Ekidong: Ojibwe Vocabulary Project (2009), and Omaa Akiing (2002). Dr. Treuer has sat on many organizational boards, ranging from the White Earth Land Recovery Project to Sanford/MeritCare Health System. Dr. Treuer has received prestigious awards and fellowships from the American Philosophical Society, National Endowment for the Humanities, the National Science Foundation, the Minnesota State Arts Board, the Minnesota Historical Society, the Minnesota Humanities Commission, the Experienced Faculty Development Program, the Institute for the Study of World Politics, the Committee on Institutional Cooperation, the Grotto Foundation, the MacArthur Foundation, the Bush Foundation, and the John Simon Guggenheim Foundation.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book for both learners of Ojibwe and scholars, March 15, 2011

By 

Guillaume - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Living Our Language: Ojibwe Tales & Oral Histories (Native Voices) (Paperback)

This book is an extremely well-made collection of original Ojibwe texts in standard orthography with facing English translation. The texts include traditional stories and personal narratives. A comprehensive Ojibwe-English glossary including all the words in the texts is included at the end of the book. It is an extremely invaluable resource to learn the Ojibwe language and study Ojibwe traditional culture.

5.0 out of 5 stars Living Our Language: Ojibwe Tals & Oral Histories (Na, May 2, 2010

By 

Charlotte Hockings - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Living Our Language: Ojibwe Tales & Oral Histories (Native Voices) (Paperback)

The number one book I recommend for keeping the language and culture. Anton Truer's interviews will live for generations yet unborn!