Anishinaabemowin is the native word for the Ojibwe (also known as Ojibway or Chippewa) language. Sometimes referred to as Ojibwemowin, the language is part of the larger Algonquian language family.
Following is a round-up of resources that might be helpful to anyone wishing to learn or improve their use of the Ojibwe language.
Language Immersion Schools Teach Children to Speak Ojibwe
The Ojibwe are actively working to preserve their language and to teach it to their children. They have had good success through the use of language immersion schools. Some Ojibwe immersion schools include:
- Waadookodaading Ojibwe Immersion Charter School, Hayward, WI
- Niigaane Program at the Bug-O-Nay-Ge-Shig School, Leech Lake, MN
- Ojibwe Language Immersion at Anishinabe Academy, Minneapolis, MN
- Minisinaakwaang Leadership Academy, Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe Reservation, MN
College and University Programs Offer Adult Classes and Programs to Learn the Ojibwe Language
These colleges and universities have a variety of Ojibwe language classes. Some offer majors or minors in the language. Most are part of a Native American or Aboriginal Studies (in Canada) department.
- Bemidji State University, Bemidji MN
- University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (Minneapolis/St. Paul)
- University of Minnesota-Duluth
- Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College, Cloquet, MN
- University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
- Lakehead University, Thunder Bay, ON
- University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB
- Bay Mills Community College, Brimley, MI (offers an Ojibwe language immersion program)
Pimsleur Audio Language Program Focuses on Learning Ojibwe Through Self Study
The Pimsleur Ojibwe Language Program is the only audio program currently on the market. With several levels for Ojibwe study (basic, comprehensive, and the short course, all on CD) the program uses two fluent speakers, male and female, from different Ojibwe communities to model the language and guide the learner through the lessons.
Websites and Internet Resources for Learning Ojibwe Language
Ojibwemowin.com includes information about the Ojibwe language, language learning tools, teacher collaboration efforts, and an informative blog.
The University of Michigan's Ojibwe language department has developed an online Ojibwe resource site called Noongwa e- Anishinaabemjig. Lessons in Ojibwe can be found at www.umich.edu/~objiwe/lessons. Links to other Ojibwe language learning resources are included.
Anishinaabemodaa.com is a website devoted revitalizing and preserving the Ojibwe language and culture. It includes online instruction in the Ojibwe language with audio pronunciation guides.
The NativeAmericans.com website includes a page explaining the grammar of the Chippewa (Ojibwe) languge.
The Freelang Ojibwe-English Dictionary is available both online and in a downloadable format from Freelang.net
YouTube.com has several interesting contributions for listening to, and even learning, the Ojibwe language. Type “Ojibwe” or “Ojibwe language” into the YouTube search engine to bring up several options.
OjibemowinNoongom, found at OjibweMovies.com, is an interactive immersion software program still in development. According to the OjibweMovies.com website this program “uses contextual video conversations and engaging multimedia games to immerse the user in the Ojibwe language.” The program, helmed by Dr. Mary Hermes, a University of Minnesota Duluth education professor, and funded by a 3-year grant from the National Science Foundation with additional funding from the Grotto Foundation utilizes the expertise of Ojibwe language educators and Ojibwe elders from Minnesota, Wisconsin and Ontario. The planned release date is summer 2009.
Ojibwe Dictionaries and Other Publications Provide Rich Resources for Ojibwe Language Study
A Dictionary of the Ojibway Language by Bishop Frederic Baraga [Minnesota Historical Society Press, 1992] is considered both a classic and seminal. The original, titled Dictionary of the Otchipwe Language, was published in 1853 by Baraga who was a Roman Catholic missionary in the Upper Midwest. The current volume was updated in 1992 and is still widely used.
A Concise Dictionary of Minnesota Ojibwe by John D. Nichols and Earl Nyholm [University of Minnesota Press, 1995] contains more than 7,000 frequently used Ojibwe words.
Living Our Language: Ojibwe Tales & Oral Histories by Anton Treuer [Minnesota Historical Society Press, 2001] is a bilingual anthology. Treuer, himself an Ojibwe and an assistant professor at Bemidji State University in Minnesota, recorded stories told by ten Anishinaabe (Ojibwe) elders, then translated them as part of a greater campaign to preserve the Ojibwe language.
Oshkaabewis Native Journal, a biannual publication edited by Anton Treuer, features Ojibwe stories and scholarly articles.
The Ojibwe language is alive and flourishing. Fluent, native speakers are growing older, but younger speakers are being educated in the Ojibwe language in growing numbers. The information listed above represents some of the programs and resources available to those who want to learn to speak Ojibwe.
Margaret M. Williams - Margaret M. Williams (Peggy) has been a teacher for over 25 years. She currently teaches first grade in a classroom that combines native ...
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