ANISHINABE GLOSSARY
(From Basil Johnston 1995 The Manitous: The Spiritual World of the Ojibway HarperCollins)
Anishinaubae (pl. Anishinaubaek, or Anishinaubaewuk) ‘the good being or beings;’ the word is to be understood as meaning that human beings derive their goodness from their intent. Generally, men and women intend to do what ought to be done and what is of benefit
Anishinaubae-aki The Anishinabe land territory, mother land. Aki means earth, land, soil
Auttissookaun The muses that dwell at the Earth’s four cardinal points: North, South, East & West. They assist storytellers in the creation of stories
Cheeby (cheebyuk) A ghost or ghosts; souls of the dead. The principle or essence of life of a human being is known as cheechauk. When this essence leaves the human body at death, the cheechauk is transformed in form and substance and continues to exist as cheeby in the Land of Souls.
Cheeby-aub-oozoo Third son of Ae-pungishimook and Winonah. Preoccupied throughout his life with manitous, with the supernatural, and with humankind’s relationship with them and their world. The manitous revealed to him through dreams that he and humankind were to communicate with the manitous in dreams, vision quests, and purification ceremonies by means of chants and drums. He was considered sensible and prudent but could not ignore the taunts of his brother Maudjee-kawiss and accepted a dare that cost him his life. He became a ghost, Chief of the Underworld. He began the tradition of visions and dream quests; he bequeathed the spirit of music, chants and poetry to the Anishinabe.
Chippewas To the Cree, who speak a sister language, Anishinabe people are unintelligible because they speak so quickly and abridge their words. The Cree coined the term chippewae meaning ‘he or she who mumbles, stammers, or slurs’ (pl. chippawaek)
Dae’b’wae ‘he or she tells the truth, is right, accurate;’ in its most fundamental sense, means ‘he or she explains or describes perceptions according to his or her command of language,’ in other words, there is no absolute truth, only the highest degree of accuracy of which a person is capable
Geezhigo-Quae Sky Woman, a manitou who dwelt in the heavens. She is the mother of the Anishinabe people and nation. She re-created the earth from a bit of soil that was obtained from the bottom of the sea. In doing so, she exemplified what men and women are to do to fulfill themselves and to create their own worlds and beings, that is, they must go deep within themselves to retrieve the substance of creation.
Kikinoomaukae-assin or kikinoomaukae-waubik ‘Teaching rock;’ a number of teaching rocks were situated in remote places. Symbols were engraved on these rocks and select youths, designated to be teaching elders when they grew older, were brought here and tutored in the meaning of the symbols.
Kitchi ‘grand, immense, huge, vast, preeminent, ancient, foremost;’ can refer both to concrete and abstract objects.
Manitou ‘mystery, essence, substance, matter, supernatural spirit, anima, quiddity, attribute, property, God, deity, godlike, mystical, incorporeal, transcendental, invisible reality.’
Maudjee-kawiss First son of Ae-pungishimook and Winonah. A warrior and hunter, he led his brothers and the nation into the world and through life, exemplifying care, diligence, and courage. Men and women such as he perform deeds that inspire emulation and pride and are worthy of commemoration in records such as the wampum belts.
Maundau-meen From maundau meaning ‘wonderful, marvelous, extraordinary’ and meen meaning ‘seed, berry.’ It denotes the plant is foreign in origin and structure. Maize (corn). Pronounced mandau-min, also refers to the spirit of Maize.
Medaewaewin ‘the sound resonance;’ refers to a society of medicine men and women formed to preserve and advance the knowledge of plants and healing and to establish the relationship between health and upright living.
Medaewaewae-igun ‘a drum;’ which produces a resonance
Nana’b’oozoo The youngest son of Ae-pungishimook and Winonah. Some Anishinabe people refer to him as a manitou, others see him as the all-man, all-woman archetypal human being. He means well, but often is prevented from fulfilling his intentions by the coarser side of his human nature--his passions, whims, and emotions. Like many human beings, he blunders along and sometimes is successful. Nana’b’oozoo represents a caricatured understanding of human nature. He is not what he appears to be; his real character is hidden, and he himself does not see things as they really are. His name derives from the prefix naning ‘trembling, shaking or quivering’ combined with oozoo abbreviation of oozoowaunuk ‘tail.’ Trembling tail reflects the character of many people, timid and unwilling to take risks.
N’okomiss or N’oko ‘a grandmother;’ traditionally grandmothers were the principal teachers, the guardians of knowledge. Nana’b’oozoo’s grandmother is the only person to understand his character; he always returns to her for comfort, guidance, and love.
Ottawa A sub-group of Anishinabe; the name is commonly believed to mean 'trade' or 'traders' but this seems unlikely because of form of words; more likely came from ottauwuhnsk a river reed that this branch of the Anishinabe used as matting, bedding, and partitions
Pottawatomi ‘Keepers of the Sacred Fire;’ a group of men and women who were appointed to safeguard coals and to tend the fires of sacred societies
Pukawiss Second son of Ae-pungishimook and Winonah. Stood for lighter side of life; from childhood, he found meaning in the conduct of birds, animals, insects, and humans that he enacted in dance to entertain and instruct the people. His father saw no point in his performances and disowned him. The Anishinabe inherited their love of dance, theater, and fine dress from Pukawiss.
Saemauh ‘tobacco;’ used as an incense, the most fitting and suitable substance to offer to the manitous.
Totems symbols of birds, animals, small creatures and fish that
serve as family heralds. Originally there were only five, representing
the five basic functions of humankind: leading, defending, providing, healing,
and teaching. The word comes from dodaem ‘action, heart, and nourishment.’
Waubigan ‘clay’
Wigwam a lodge (dwelling) constructed of birch bark
Weegwauss ‘birch tree’
Weendigo (pl. weendigook) a giant cannibal, these manitous came into being in winter and stalked the villagers. Ever hungry, they craved human flesh, the only substance that can sustain them. Ironically, when they eat they grow in size so their hunger remains; they were eternally starving. They could kill only the foolish and improvident.
Winonah Daughter of the woman known only as N’okomiss, 'Winonah' means ‘to nourish.’ She was raped four times by Ae-pungishimook and gave birth to four sons over a period of generations. Through sexual union with a manitou, Winonah, a human woman, acquired the supernatural mythical attributes of fertility and long life. Four sons: Maudjee-kiwiss, Pukawiss, Cheeby-aub-oozoo, and Nana’b’oozoo.