Because concepts in the Ojibwe language can’t always be translated into English, learning Ojibwe is the key to ensuring that Ojibwe history and traditions are passed from one generation to the next. Indian values, like sharing and taking good care of our resources, live on through the language and benefit everyone — Indian and non-Indian alike.

The Ojibwe language, with 6,000 verb forms, is highly complex. In fact, in the 1992 edition of the Guinness Book of World Records, the Ojibwe language was included under "languages most complex" for having the most verb forms.

Ojibwe is also very descriptive. For example, the Ojibwe word odaabaan-wigamig, which we translate as garage, actually means "a building where the car is kept." And the word gidaga agoongoosens which we translate into chipmunk, actually means "an animal that has spots between the stripes."

Most of the people who can still speak the Ojibwe language fluently are Elders. Many tribes fear that as their Elders pass away, the language — and the culture — will die. The Mille Lacs Band realizes how important it is to hold on to traditional culture and is therefore making great strides to teach its children the Ojibwe language.

For example, all children in the Band’s day care and Head Start programs and students in its Nay Ah Shing Schools receive Ojibwe language instruction from language teachers and Elders. An innovative language program for grades K-12 allows the Band’s Ojibwe speakers to work with children from infancy to graduation on a regular basis.

And the Nay Ah Shing Schools have started an experimental new learning program that focuses on the gifts of the Ojibwe culture, particularly language. Through the program, students receive additional training and support to achieve fluency in the Ojibwe language, and teachers are taught the philosophy behind the language.

Thanks to the Band’s efforts, the Ojibwe culture and language will survive, and both Indians and non-Indians will benefit from understanding the rich history and values that are taught by the Ojibwe people.

For most of us, English is the language we use every day. But did you know that words which contain one syllable are the only original English or Anglo-Saxon words? All of the rest of the words we use have come from other tongues, including American Indian languages.

Indian words for animals were adopted into the English language when Europeans first came to America. They had never seen many of the animals and didn’t have names for them. Therefore, they adopted American Indian names like moose, caribou, raccoon, opossum, chipmunk, chigger, cougar, and jaguar.

Explorers and English-speaking settlers also adopted Indian words for plants and trees that were new to them: tobacco, tomato, potato, hickory, pecan, mahogany, maize (corn), squash, avocado, papaya and tapioca are are just some examples. All of these names were adopted from different tribes and different American Indian languages.

Okay and blizzard probably originated with Indians, as did the word Yankee (which meant English snake).

Indian geographical names are even more noticeable. Alabama, Mississippi, Texas and Arizona were named by Indians. Some names reflect the tribes which lived in the area, such as the Dakota, Illini, Kansa and Massachuset.

Other names describe the land. Minnesota is Dakota for "waters that reflect the sky," Michigan is an Ojibwe word for "great water," and Nebraska means "flat" in the Omaha language. Chicago is derived from an Indian word for wild onions.

As the United States has adopted an array of cultures and people, so has the English language. It may not be something you think about everyday, but whenever you speak or write, you are using a language that reveals a very unique history.

Difference Between Terms "Ojibwe" and "Chippewa"

Chippewa, Ojibwe and Anishinabe are three terms I often hear Mille Lacs Band members use when speaking about their People. Why are there different words? What do these words mean?

Some historians say the term Ojibwe originated from the puckered moccasin that the Ojibwe were known for wearing and making. Others say that the word refers to the Ojibwe language itself, because the word for the Ojibwe language is Ojibwemowin. In addition to various interpretations of the meaning, there also different spellings for Ojibwe, such as Ojibwa or Ojibway. Despite these differences, an important part of the Ojibwe tradition is respecting peoples’ answers to historical questions such as this one.

Anishinabe is an Ojibwe word that means "spontaneously created" or "original man." This term refers to all Indians living in North and South America, including the Ojibwe. Ojibwe Indians often use the term Anishinabe (plural: Anishnabeg) when referring to one another. Mille Lacs Band members usually refer to themselves as Ojibwe Anishinabe because that is how Ojibwe people have traditionally referred to themselves.

The word Chippewa probably came about as a mispronunciation on the part of the white men who wrote and signed treaties with the Ojibwe Indians in the 1800s. Without a complete grasp on the Ojibwe language, these men referred to the Indians as Chippewa instead of Ojibwe. The name Chippewa has stuck and is still used today by both Indians and non-Indians to refer to the Ojibwe people. Mostly, it is used in reference to treaties.

American Indian or Native American

A lot of people ask, "Which is the right term? Native American or American Indian?"

Either term is acceptable, but individuals may differ on which name they prefer. When Columbus landed on the shores of North America, he believed he had found the East Indies, and he mistakenly called the people living on our land "Indians." Today, many Indian people prefer to call themselves American Indian to clarify their identity.

On the other hand, some native people prefer not to use the word ‘Indian’ because it is associated with stereotypes and mistaken perceptions. Those individuals may call themselves Native Americans.

The most common terms used today are American Indian, Alaskan Native, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander.

Although it is a matter of individual preference, the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe prefers the term American Indian. More than 560 tribes remain in the United States and many have different words in their own languages for the original inhabitants of this land which they called "Turtle Island." However, the Ojibwe call all Indians "Anishinabeg" which means "original man" or "first peoples."

See the Introduction to Ojibwe as a Language

Ojibwe language lessons

On-line dictionaries and wordlists

Texts and books in Ojibwe

White Eagle Soaring: Dream Dancer of the 7th Fire