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.
Living Our Language (Native Voices)
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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.
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.
About the Author
Anton Treuer, Editor
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Dr. Anton Treuer (pronounced troy-er) is Executive Director of the American Indian Resource Center 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 and author of 9 books: Everything You Wanted to Know About Indians But Were Afraid to Ask, Ojibwe in Minnesota ("Minnesota's Best Read for 2010" by The Center for the Book in the Library of Congress), The Assassination of Hole in the Day (Award of Merit Winner, American Association of State and Local History), Ezhichigeyang: Ojibwe Word List, Awesiinyensag: Dibaajimowinan Ji-gikinoo'amaageng ("Minnesota's Best Read for 2011" by The Center for the Book in the Library of Congress), Living Our Language: Ojibwe Tales & Oral Histories, Aaniin Ekidong: Ojibwe Vocabulary Project, Indian Nations of North America, and Omaa Akiing. Dr. Treuer has sat on many organizational boards, including the White Earth Land Recovery Project, Sanford/MeritCare Health System, and the Minnesota State Arts Board. Dr. Treuer has received more than 40 prestigious awards and fellowships from many organizations, including the American Philosophical Society, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the National Science Foundation, the MacArthur Foundation, the Bush Foundation, and the John Simon Guggenheim Foundation.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
By Guillaume
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
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.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
The number one book I recommend for keeping the language and culture. Anton Truer's interviews will live for generations yet unborn!
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By pfurshong
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
I love Anton's work and appreciate his commitment to keeping the history of the Ojibwa people alive. He is a great storyteller.
