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TO ALL Relations,

THESE WORDS "WE AS WOMEN ARE THE KEEPERS OF THE LANGUAGE AND OF THE WATER" IS A TEACHING FROM VIOLET SHAWANDA A ELDER AND LANGUAGE TEACHER WHO CAME TO VISIT AND TEACH OUR CLASS ON SEVERAL OCCASSIONS.

VIOLET AND MARY DOKIS, ALSO HELPED WITH A WOMENS DRUM GROUP TINA AND I HAD STARTED AT THE SPOT DOWN TOWN.

MARY DOKIS ALSO WAS VITAL TO THE DRUM GROUP WITH HER KNOWLEDGE OF THE LANGUAGE AND SONGS AND THE TEACHING OF THE DRUM. I AM VERY HONORED THAT THESE WOMEN WERE IN MY LIFE AT THAT TIME.

MARY DOKIS AN ELDER AND WHO WAS A GRANDMOTHER TO OUR COMMUNITY, NOW LIVING ON DOKIS RESERVE AND IS A LANGUAGE TEACHER, TEACHING THE YOUNG, HAS TAUGHT US THE SACREDNESS OF OUR LANGUAGE, THE SONGS, AND RESPECT AND COMMITTMENT TO SELF AND OTHERS.

THESE SACRED PEOPLE HAVE TAUGHT ME TO OPEN UP MY SPIRIT TO MY ANCESTORS AND WELCOME THEM IN TO HELP ME LEARN WHAT I HAD FORGOTTEN.

THE SEVEN GRANFATHERS
HERE ARE THE 7 GRANDFATHERS THAT I WAS TAUGHT AND TRY TO LIVE THEM EACH DAY OF MY LIFE.

THE SPELLING COMES FROM GORDON SHAWANDA IN THE BOOK ANISHNAABEMOWIN
MIINWA ANISHNAABE ZHEYAAWIN
OUR LANGUAGE, OUR CULTURE


WISDOM NBWAAKAAWIN
LOVE ZAAGIDWIN
RESPECT MNAADENDIWIN
BRAVERY AAKDEHWEIN
HONESTY GWEKWAADZIWIN
HUMILITY DBASENDIZWIN
TRUTH DEBWEWIN



IN RESPECT FOR THE ONES WHO HAVE GONE BEFORE, FOR THE ONES HERE NOW, AND FOR THE ONES YET TO COME.
MIIGWECH
WEWENI
CORINNE


IF ANY OTHER COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT WERE IN the OJIBWE CLASS WITH ME END UP READING THIS. I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR CONTINUING TO COME TO CLASS YOU HELPED ME SO MUCH.
AS YOU ALL KNOW WE NEEDED EACH OTHER AND THE NUMBERS TO KEEP IT RUNNING.

THANKS TO DON COUCHIE FOR COMING TO OUR HOME CITY FOR 3 YEARS TO BE OUR TEACHER AND MENTOR.

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MOONS OF THE YEAR

MNIDOO GIIZIS SPIRIT MOON JANUARY
MAKWA GIIZIS BEAR MOON FEBRUARY
NAABIDIN GIIZIS SNOWCRUST MOON MARCH
ZIISBAKDOKE GIIZIS MAPLE SUGAR MOON APRIL
NAMEBIN GIIZIS SUCKER MOON MAY
WAABGONII GIIZIS BLOOMING MOON JUME
MIIN OR MAWWINZO GIIZIS BERRY MOON JULY
MNOOMNI GIIZIS GRAIN MOON AUGUST