Mitigoog (Trees)
Story by: Ogimaawigwanebiik (Nancy Jones)
Edited by: Pebaamibines (Dennis Jones), Zhooniyaa-ikwe (Michelle Goose) Niiyo-giizhig (Wesley Ballinger)
Note: Ogimaawigwanebiik (Nancy Jones) is from Nigigoosiminikaaniing First Nation Community located in Rainy Lake, Ontario, Canada. Ogimaawigwanebiik shared this teaching with us as part of GLIFWC's on-going language project, "Gidaadizookaaninaanig" which documents stories and teachings of traditional Anishinaabe cultural practices. We at GLIFWC are very grateful and appreciate the wisdom and knowledge of all the speakers who have shared their teachings with us. Chi-miigwech!
Ahaw, nashke sa miinawaa ogowe aya'aag, mitigoog inga-dazhimaag, ezhinikaanagindwaa niinawind ongowe. Zhingobii-waatigoog omaa gii-ayaayaang Nigigoonsiminkaaning. Maagizhaa ge bakaan giinawaa gidizhinikaanaawaatogenag. Mii iye ko gaa-onji-ikidoyaan bebakaan, bebakaan awiiya gegoo 
gii-izhi-gikino'amawaa gii-bi-ombigit awiiya. Mii eta go ge-niin owe ayaabajitooyaan gaa-izhi-gikino'amawiwaat ogowe gichi-anishinaabeg gaa-gii-nitaawigi'iwaat. Maagizhaa ge bakaan, bakaan wiinawaa awiiyag, day-ikidowag.
Okay then, now again, I shall talk about these trees—what we call them (here on this side of the border), these ones (these trees). There are many pine-needled trees here where we live, here at Nigigoonsiminikaaning. Perhaps you (over the border) probably call them differently. This is why I say this; everybody has different teachings (have their own teachings) the way they were raised. This is what I am using, the way they taught me, those elders that raised me—perhaps differently. Someone different may say it another way.
A'awe aya'aa zhingobiiwaatik, sesegaandag gaay-izhinikaaazot…Aya'ii tagiin omaa akawe niwii-tazhindaan. Ogowe mitigoog gaa-waabamangwaa omaa noopiming gakina Anishinaabewinikaazowag ogowe mitigoog. Gakina wiinzowag, gakina ogii-wiinaa' awe Nanabosh omaa gii-ozhitoot iy aki. Mii giin ge-izhinikaazoyin, mii iye gaa-inaad. Mii dash owe gaa-onji-wiindamaawagwaa-ko awiiyag. Aapiji gichi-apiitendaagwat owe wiinzowin awiiya gii-ayaat. Mii iwe ge-giinawind gaa-onji-Anishinaabewinikaazoyang. Gigii-miinigonaan awe. Manidoo gigii-miinigonaan inowen wiinzowinan gaa-bimiwidamaageyang. Mii dash owe gaa-onji-gichi-apiitendaakogin. Mii omaa ge-onji-mino-bimaadizid awiiya weweni kanawendang awiiya owe wiinzowin. Mii niin, mii niin ako gaa-izhit awe nookomisiban. Nashke naanaagadawenimadwaa igiwe mitigook gakina. Anishinaabewinikaazowag. Mii dash ge-giin gaa-onji-anishinaabewinikaazoyan mii, mii iye gaa-izhit aw nookomisban.
Now this tree with needles, the one called white spruce—oops! I just remembered. First I need to talk about this. All these trees we see in the bush have Indian names. Nanabush gave them all Indian names when he made the earth. And that is why, that is what I tell them, people. It is very sacred when someone has a spirit name. That is why we were given Anishinaabe names. The spirit gave these to us. The spirit gave us these names so that we can carry them in a sacred manner. That is why they were so sacred, highly honored. That is why. That is how one receives good life when they take care of, or honor, their name. This is what my late grandmother told to me. If you think about those trees, they all have spirit names. That is why you have a spirit name. This is what my grandmother told me.
Mii dash iwe gaa-izhichiget owe Nanabozhoo, gakina ogii-wiinaa' iwe mitigoo'. Mii awe zesegaandag gaa-inind. Niibiyo gegoo inaabadizi awe zesegaandag. Miidog igo gaye wiin gaa-izhi-gagwejimind "Aaniin giin waa-izhichigeyan wii'wiiji`at awe, Anishinaabe gaa-wii-tagoshing. "Oh niibiiyo go gegoo ninga-inaabaji'ig" gii-ikido "booshke go ingoding oga-mashkikikaagenan inowe, owe nimitigom, owe ge shingop. "Spruce" iidog izhinikaazo, zhaaganaashiiwag wemitigoozhiwag ezhinikaanaawaat. Iwe wiin igo geniin ingii-izhi-kikendaan gii.. aazhaa gaa-inaabaji'ag owe zesegaandag. Owe gii-nisind aa mooz. Owe dash eyii, onagish omaa biinjaya'ii gaa-ayaag aa mooz. Mii awe gaa-aabachi'ag sesegaandag ingii-ondaabiishaan i'i. Ingii-aabooda'aan iw onagish. Mii dash omaa ga-izhi-odaabiishamaan ingii-pootawe. Miish dash omaa gaa-izhi-asag aa sesegaandag. Miish dash ogidaandag ga-izhi-odaabiishamaan owe aya'ii mooz onagish. Aapiji minopogwad inakeya'ii gii-izhichigeng.
This is what Nanaboozhoo did; he gave all trees names. That is the white spruce that was named. There are a lot of uses for the white spruce. So he (the tree) was asked (by Nanabush), "How are you going to help the Anishinaabe when they get here?"
"Oh there is a lot they can use me for," he said. "They might even make medicine out of me; they can use my tree-ness and my needles." "Spruce" apparently is what he is called in the English. When one were to use the English language, that is what the white people (French) call them. And I have this one teaching, one of the ways I use the white spruce—when the moose is killed. And this, a certain intestine part of the moose has inside of him, that is what I used. That white spruce, I shrink it (using heat and smoke). I turned it inside out, that certain part of the intestine. And then I heated up the intestine. I made a fire. And then I put that spruce there. Then on top of that smoky spruce I put that moose intestine to 
shrink. Does it ever taste good when you do it this way.
(Cultural note: The moose is pleased when all of his parts are eaten. Every part of the moose has a special gift for the woman who is the life giver.)
Mii awe bezhik miinawaa. Giizhikaandak, cedar tree, mii awe iidog aw bezhig ga-kagwejimind. "Aaniin giin waa-izhi-wiiji'at aw Anishinaabe?" odinaan Nanabosh. "Oh niibowa go gegoo inga-izhi-wiiji'aa" ikido iinzan. Nashke owe gii-ayaat, kii-odabinoojiimit a'a, kii-odabinoojiimiyaat. "Niin,onowen nimitigooman oga-aabaji'aan ji-ozhitood owe tikinaaagan" gii-ikido. "Aapiji dash inga-zhawenimaa aw abinoojiinh. Inga-miinaa ge onowe bawaajiganan minik omaa ge-agwaakwapizod omaa tikinaaganing. Da-bawaajige ge. Aapiji ge oda-minogininiwan onowe opikwan ono sa go ezhi-okaanit apichi oda-minogininiwan owe giishpin aabaji'ind awe akikaandag giishkaandag. Niibiyo sach igo ge gegoo indaa-aan inga-miinag ogowe, ge-onji-mashkikiimiyaat onowen, onowen nimitig ezhi-mitigowiyaan. Oshke na awe gii-chiimaanikeng mii owe bezhig ge-ni-aabajitoowaat onowen owe giishka' gii-ozhi'aad awiiya. Booch ge naa ge apakwaanan owe gii-ozhitoowaat awiiya awe waa-dazhi-giizhoozit awiiya gii-biboong". Mii owe a giishkanagek mii iniwen oga-pakweyaat. Miinawaa ogowe a'aag mitigoog oga-ozhitoonaawaan gegoo boosh ke naa iniwe bawa'iganaakoon gii-ikidong. Mii omaa ge onji. "Niibiwa go gegoo inga-izhi-wiiji'aa aw Anishinaabe aaniishinaa inga-zhawenimaa geniin."
And then there is the next one. The cedar tree, that was another one that was asked, "How will you help the Anishinaabe?" Nanabush asked. "Oh there are a lot of ways I can help the Anishinaabe," he said. "When somebody has a child, when a couple has a child, they will use my wood to make the cradle board," he said. "I will give him all the love that I have to offer to the child. I shall bestow many visions onto him for the duration that he is in the cradle board. And he shall dream too. The child will have healthy bones, have a straight spine, strong and straight bones just be totally healthy if one uses the cedar. I have many uses that I can give them, when they want to make medicine from my being a tree. When someone is making a canoe, that is one use that will be used to make the strips of cedar on the bottom when someone makes it. They can make a cedar bark covering for their shelter when they want to stay warm during the winter." That is the one, the cedar bark that will be utilized for a roof covering. And also these trees they will make other things like rice knockers, how it was said. This is where it will come from. "There are many ways I can help the Anishinaabe. I shall care for them too."
Mii sa miinawaa owe akikaandag, oh geniin igo. Okikaandag enind Jack Pine maawiin izhinkaazo awe. "Geniin igo awe indaa-wiiji'aa aw Anishinaabe. Geniin igo indaayaan owe mashkiki ge-aabajitoowaad ogowe Anishinaabe." Baamaa oga-ni-gikendaanaawaa. Aaniin owe ge-naabajitoowaad ge-naabaji'aawaat iniwe owe okiikaandag. Aya'iin igo gegoo bezhig indaa-dibaadodaan. Nashke ogowe a'aag binewag gaa-aya'aag, mishkodese gaa-inindwaa. Mii onowen [akikaandagoog] gii-amoowaat ogowe mishkodesek. Mii dash omaa gaa-onji-tebinaad owe anishinaabe wii-amwaat inowen mishkodeseg gii-ikidong. Aapiji waangawizi aw mishkodese. Anishinaa mii iwe geniin enendamaan ge-zhi-wiichitwaayaan. Mii go bizaan igo ge-izhi-michi-naabigo'oonaawaa owe mishkodese gegoo wiin baabiiginamowaat. "Mii dash owe geniin ge-izhi-wiichi'ag awe aw Anishinaabe."
Next I will talk about the jack pine. "I will also help." That whom they call the jack pine, perhaps is what he is called. "Oh me too, I could help out the Anishinaabe. Me too! I have medicine that the Anishinaabe could use." They will learn more about it (as the world grows.) There is something, one thing, I would like to tell about. For instance these certain partridges, the ones ones called spruce hens. It is these [jack pine] boughs that these spruce hens eat. That is where the Anishinaabe looked for them to go get when he wanted to eat the spruce hen, it is said. The spruce hen is very tame. "And that is the way I will try to help the Anishinaabe." They are easy to snare the spruce hen whenever they use a snare (on a long stick). "That is the way that I shall help the Anishinaabe."
(Cultural note: The jack pine instructed the spruce hen to make himself available to the Anishinaabe. The spruce hen is not dumb. The jack pine promised Nanabush that he would help the Anishinaabe, and this is how he is keeping his promise.)
Ininaandag iidog omaa gii-pi-tagoshin. Mii iitog owe balsam tree gaa-inind. Oh geniin, niibiyo gegoo inga-wiiji'aa. Nashke owe gii-ozhiget aw Anishinaabe. Mii onowen ge-apishamod onowen owe ninzhingobiim mii owe gaa-izhi-apishimod. Nashke-ch ge onowen gaa-ayaagin owe gaa-izhinaagoziyaan owe ii Giishpin baashka'ang awe owe gegoo gii-pikobiit awe mitig. Mii omaa oga-ondinaan omaa gegoo ini mashkiki. Mashkiki omaa oga-ondinaan baamaa ogikendaan aaniin ge-ni-aabajitoot awe mashkiki. Kegoo go owe wenji-izhinaagoziyaan. Owe gii-babiikobiit owe mitik. Niibiyo go gegoo da-inaabadizi. Mii sa iniwen aapiji oga-apishimonikenaawaaa booshke ge aanind oga-aabaji'aawaan owe ezhi-mashkikiwaabooket awiiya. Bijiinag oga-ni-gikendaanaawaa da-ani-bawaajigewag ogowe Anishinaabeg waa-tagoshinowaad.
Then next the balsam tree arrived. It is the balsam tree which is called this way. "Oh me too, I shall help in many ways. For instance, when the Anishinaabe makes camp. They will use my boughs as a floor when they need something to lie on. And for instance these things, the way that I look, (my pitch) it is. If someone pokes at the lumpy pitch, the blister part of that tree, from there they will get medicine. The medicine they will get from here, and they know later on how to use this medicine. There is a reason why I look like this, when the tree has all this sticky pitch. There are many uses for this (pitch.) They will use this for flooring, and others will use this when they make medicine. They will have dreams as to how to use it, those Anishinaabeg when they arrive."
Mii awe miinawaa bezhig. Biisaandago-shingwaak mii iidog igo awe a white pine, gaa-inind. Gaawin igo aapiji awe gegoo ingii-noondanzii aaniin enaabadizid awe. Aapiji dash a, aapiji dash minokwane awe gii-manisaanind awiiya iniwen biisaandago-shingwaakwan.
And there is another one, the next one. The white pine, the one they call white pine, is what they named it. I did not hear of many uses for this tree. However, it burns very well when used as firewood this pine tree.
Mii awe miinawaa, mii go bezhigon ge awe gii-mashkikiiwit awe mitik.Gakina go ogowe mitigoog gaa-badakizowaat gakina mashkikiwaatigoog igi. Miish sa eta go ji bijiinag awiiyag gegoo gii-ani-gikendang aaniin ge-ni-aabaji'aad aaniin ini mitigoon ge-ni-aabaji'aat. Mii iye niin ko gaa-igowaan ge-waawiindamaagowaan gegoo. Baamaa giga-kikendaan. Nashke ge owe shingwaak gaa-inind. Mii go bezhig ge owe, ngii-waabamaa ko owe. Omisimiiwaat iniwen obiisaga'owaawaan ogo, ogiishgiboonaawaan. Ingii-ayaamin ako gii-odaminwaagemin gii-abinojiiwiyaang owe. Ingii-maaminopinaanaanig ogowe a'aag, ingii-aagimesikemin. Mii iye gaa-izhichigeyang. Aagimesag omaa tibishkoo go gii-odaminot aw abinoojiinh.
And then the next one, he is like the others, too. He, too, is medicinal. All the trees that grow there, they are all medicinal trees. It is only—someone will come to know how—how a person would utilize this tree, how it would be used. This is what I was told when I was being instructed in something. You will live and learn about it. Now look at this [red] pine. It is the same this one, when I used to see that tree. When they used to split it up in little pieces (with an ax), and they would saw it up. We used to make play things out of it when we were children. We would bend the needles to make little snowshoes—little snow shoes just like when a child is at play. That is what we did.
Mii awe miinawaa bezhig iidog gaa-ikidod, ge-niin nigoo nimbim-miitoon i'i mashkiki. Baamaa oga-kikendaan aa Anishinaabe gii-ikidogwen. Miinawaa awe wiigwaasaatik, mii owe ge miinawaa bezhik niibiyo gegoo, inaabadizi awe.
Niibiyo aapiji gegoo omaa onji-ozhichigaate. Shke omaa, wiin igo geniin eko de-bi-kikendamaan ingii-kanawaabamaa owe gaa-oosiiyaan. Aagima' omaa ogii-onji-ozhi'aa' ogii-waaginaan iniwen wiigwaasaatigoon.Miinawaa odaabaanaakwan ogii-ozhi'aan. Miinawaa owe ezhi-onagekod, wiigwaasaatik niibiyo omaa gegoo gii-onji-izhichigaatewan. Miinawaa ge piskitenaaganan gii-ikidong. Miinawaa onowen aya'ii ezhi-apakwet aw Anishinaabe. Gaawiin nimijimendanzii ezhinikaatek (wiigwaasabak). Gii-maawandoogwaadeg i'i wiigwaas . Mii iye oda-apakwaanid mewinzha, Geyaabi sa go aapi gii-apakawed awiiya. Mii awe aa birch tree gaa-inind.
Then another one spoke up. "Me too! I carry medicine. Later on the Anishinaabeg will know how to use me," the tree said. And now that white birch tree, he, too, has many uses. This is where a variety of things are made from. For example, as far back as I can remember, I would watch my late father. He would make snowshoes by bending that birch tree. He also made a toboggan. And when he used the bark, he made many things with it. Also the folding birch bark basket, it was said. Also when the Anishinaabe needed something for roofing. I do not remember what it is called (wiigwaasabak), when they sew the birch bark (pieces) together. That is what one would use for roofing material long ago, even nowadays whenever one wants to make a roof. That is the birch tree that I am talking about.
Miinawaa awe a'a azaadi. Poplar tree maawiin izhinikaazo. Mii go ge awe iidog aapiji gaa-pi-dibaajimot. "Niibiyo ge niin gegoo indayaan ge-izhi-wiiji'ag aa Anishinaabe." "Nashke awe gaa-izhinaagozit awe nimitik." Aanind ge ogowe ga-babiiwizhe'iwaat mitigoonsag. Mii omaa ge-ondinamowaad owe ge omashkikiimowaat ogowe Anishinaabeg. Owe chi go ge-niin ezhi-minjimendamaan gii-abinoojiiwiyaan. Ingii-ozibinikaanaanaan ako owe ozaadi ga-inind. Ingii-bishagaakwawaanaan. Miich imaa gaa-ondinimaan. Aapichi onzaam gii-minopogwad awe. Oziban izhinikaate. Dibishko gegaa go, gegaa go ziinzibaakwat izhipogwat iye. Mii dash iye gaa-noojitooyaang gaa-izhi-ishpi-niibing igo. Aapiji niin, aapiji ningii-minopitaamin mii sa go gaa-ikidod awe nookomisiban. "Kinoojimoo'idiz iye gii-miijiman owe oziban, mashkikii gaa-miijiyan" ingii-ig ako. Howah sa ingii-minotawaa. Mii go apane noopiming gii-pabaa-ayaawaan geniin, babaa-ozibanikeyaan. Niibiyo gegoo enaabadizi a'a azaadi.
And now for the poplar tree. Poplar tree is probably the name of it. And he too spoke up. "I too have many gifts to help the Anishinaabe. For example when the way that my tree looks and even the smaller trees, this is where the Anishinaabe will get medicine from when they make medicine." I also remember back when I was a child. We would eat the sap from the bark from the poplar tree. We would peel the bark of the tree. This is where we would get it from. Boy, did it ever taste good that one! It was called thick sap. It almost tastes like sugar. That is what we use to go after, later on into the summer. I, we, really liked the taste of it and this is what my late grandmother told me. "You are medicating yourselves when you eat that sap. That is medicine that you are eating" is what she used to tell me. I really liked what she said to me. I would hang out in the woods eating the sap of the tree. There are many uses for that poplar tree.
Miinawaa awe maanazaadi. Gaawiin igo aapiji gegoo awe ingii-noondanzii, enaabidizit. Owe dash wiin ago ko gaa-izhi-noondawagwaa ogowe kichi-anishinaabeg. Nashke iwe gii-ani-ziigwang, Gakina awiiya obii'toon owe ji-ayaag, jibwaa baabagoshkaag owe wiigwaas gegoo gii-ozhichigaadeg omaa wiigwaasing. Mii dash ako gaa-izhit a'a bezhig a'a ingii-onoshe'inan mindimooye-iban, aazha gii-maajaa. Owe gidaa-naanaagadawaabamaa maanizaadi. Aapii kiizhibagizit a maanizaadi, mii omaa ji-kikendaman. Mii ji-baabagoshkaag i'i, ji- baabagoshkaag i'i wiigwaas mii o'apii ge-ando-waabandaman giizhibagizit a'a maanizadi aapji mamaangibagizi etino'o. Aspen I guess that's the name of it, mii ezhi-zhaaganaashiiwinikaazod.
And then there is the big tooth aspen. I don't remember hearing any uses for this one. I do remember hearing something from the old time Anishinaabe. It was when spring was approaching. Everyone would wait for the birch bark to be ready to be peeled so they could make their things out of birch bark. There was this one lady, my aunt, that is now deceased, that told me this. You should study the big tooth aspen. When the aspen has finished growing leaves, this is how you will know. That is when the bark is ready; that is when you will go and look it when the aspen is finished growing leaves. This tree really has big leaves. I can't say the name of it—big tooth, something.
Wiigobiiwaatik, mii owe miinawaa a'a bezhig. A'awe minawaa aa, wiigobiiwaatik gaa-inind, wiigop maayiin igo izhinikaazo aw mitik mii owe basswood enind. Miinawaa awe bezhig aapiji gichi-aabadat owe wiigop gii-baabagonind a'awe wiigobiiwaatig. Apane go geniin awe noongom indizhichige. Nashke-ch dash ge awe gii-ayaat gikiizhibaabagonind giikii… ginii-biitobiigibinind. Ingii-naanaagajitoon noongom niibinong ini mitigoon, betinaa sa onzaam naaganoon ini mitigoon. Aapiji nanaagaakododewan gii-baategin. Mii dash omaa gaa-onji-ozhitoowaan eyii bawaa'iganaakoon. Wiingenaa ozaam, naanganoon wiinge ge zhooshkwaakwatoon. Kaa memwech gegoo ingii-izhikotanziinan. Mii eta go michipikotamaan aaapiji naangane a'a mitik. Niibiyo maawiin igo gegoo inaabadizi iidog a'aw mashkikiwaatik. Gakina mashkikiwaatigoog ogowe aya'aag gaa-tazhimigwaa mitigoog. Mii owe a'a basswood gaa-inind.
The basswood, that is yet another one. And then this one called basswood, wiigop, is also what it is called, this tree called basswood. And this one is very—there are many uses for the basswood when one peels the bark of the tree. I still do this today. After you peel the top bark, then you peel the layers off in strips. (After I peeled the bark), I studied the sticks from this tree this summer, and I learned that it was very light. It was very light when it got dried. And so I made my rice knockers out of them. They are very light and smooth. I did not even need to carve it. I only had to sharpen it at one end; the wood is very light. There are probably many other uses for this medicine tree that is called basswood (in English).
Miinawaa awe adoop, tabaskobaang omaa ayaad aw adoop. Mii go ge iye niibiyo gegoo inaabadad. Bezhig aazha ingii-wiindamaagoban awiiya; ji ayaabajitowaan owe gii-ayaat, gegoo gii-izhi-ayaat aw abinoojiinh. Gii-biigozhaandizot, kaawiin dash wiin igo owe indaa-dibaajimosii aaniin awe ezhichigaateg. Aanishinaa gigootaazimigoomin owe onjigo weweni gegoo ji-izhichigeyan jibwaa ozhitooyan owe mashkiki. Mii niin ako gaa-igoowaan. Akawe weweni gagwejim awiiya owe dash ke gaa-izhichigeng gegoo gii-bagidinigaadeg asemaa, Nashke ge omaa aanind owiiya wiisiniiwin odabagidinaanaawaa owe jibwaa giishka'ang owe mitik. Mii awe miinawaa bezhig gechii-inaabadak aaniin ezhinikaazot... (what's it's name…) speckled alder. Speckled alder iidog izhinikaazo. He'enh… Mii owe miinawaa a'a mii niin ako owe gaa-igoowaan owe webinige-giizis gaa-izhinikaazod. Awegwen giinawaa. A'aa niin ingii-ayaabaji'aa ko awe aya'aa andego-giizis gaa-inind. Mii owe mii kwa apii gaa-bi-izhi-kino'amaawangwaa ge gaa-pi-ombigi'aawasoyaan (ombigi'aawaso watch children grow). Ge niin sa go gaa-izhi-gikino'amaagowaan. Webinige-giizis awe, mii apii ge-aabajitooyan awe adoopiiwaatik. Aapiji go owe gaa-biigijiisagowang. Mii dash awe ge-apagidamowat awe…a'awe giizis kii-tibikak gaa-agoojiing. Mii dash omaa wiindamowat awe aaniin wegonen dinowa webinaman "Niwebinige."
Maagizhaa ingoding awiiya, adaakoziwin owebinaan awiiya ingoding maagizhaa ge onishkaadendamowin owebinaan maagizhaa ge gegoo, gegoo owe gaa-migoshkaasikaagod. Mii omaa mii wiindamowat a'a giizis ji odaapinamawig ji-maajiidood "gaawiin geyaabi owe niwii-babaamendanziin" ingoding ako gii-ikidod awiiya. Aapiji go awe gaa-biigajiisagowid mii niin gaa-igoowaan. Mii awe ge-apagidamowat awe dibikigiizis gaa-agoojing, mii dash omaa ji-maajiidood owe gidaakoziiwin maagizhaa ge gimaanendamowin. Mii iye…mii iwe ni-bezhig gaa-izhi-noondamaan ako enaabadizit awe adoop gaa-inind.
And there is the speckled alder. It grows in lower brush areas that alder. That too has many uses. Someone once told me this—to use this tree when something is wrong with a child, when the child suffers from a diaper rash, but I would not go into detail how it is used. (I am not at liberty to discuss how this is done.) There are special protocols before someone does things like making medicine. This is what I was told. Seek out someone's advice when you do something in a sacred manner, especially when tobacco is offered. Some offer food before cutting down a tree. This one too has its special use. Speckled alder is what it is called.
This is what I was also told about this moon that is called throw-sickness-away-moon. You may have a different name for it. As for me I use the moon that is named the crows-return-moon, (March). That is it how I taught my children as I watched them grow. This is the way I was taught, too. The-throw-away-sickness-moon one, that is when you will use the speckled alder tree.
Choose one that is old and almost falling apart. That is the one that you use to throw with, at the moon that is up in the sky. This is when you tell her (the moon) what you are throwing away. "I am throwing it away." Sometimes perhaps someone will throw away their sickness, or they could throw away their anger and anything that is plaguing you. This is what they tell the moon, to take the sickness away, "I do not want it to bother me anymore" is what someone will sometimes say. Use the wood that is almost falling apart, that is what I was told. That is what one would throw to the moon, the moon that at night (in the heavens). It is then that your sickness or your sorrow is taken from you. So that is what one uses that I heard how it is used, this one called the speckled alder.
Miskwaa-biimak, miskwaa-biimak... red willow. Miinawaa awe, bezhig gichi-mashkikiwaatig. Mii iidog gaa-ikidogobanen awe miskwaa-biimag "Aapiji niibiyo gegoo inga-inaabaji'ig owe a'a Anishinaabe omaa waa-tagoshing Bijiinag sago, da-ani-gikendamoog, omaa ge maagizhaa gegoo oga-ani-bawaadaanaawaan." Minik igo idash wiin igo ge-niin ezhi-gikendamaan awe miskwaa-biimagoons indaabaji'aa gii-ozhitoowaan onowe wiigwaasi-naaganensan. Mii awe egwa'ag imaa ge-onji-siito'ayaag owe wiigwaasi-naagan. Mii sa go ge nooshkaachinaagan owe gegoo gii-ozhitood owe gii... manoomin gaa-izhi-nooshkaachigaateg. Mii awe ko aabajiag [miskwaabiimagoons] apiji miinwaagishkaa gegoo gii.. Aapiji, minwaagishkaag gii-aabadizid.
Red willow. This is yet another one, a great medicine tree. Apparently the red willow said, "The Anishinaabe that are going to arrive will have many uses for me. They will come to know or perhaps they will come to dream of how to use these things." And then again as for me I, too, know about this one. This red willow I use when I make little birch bark baskets. I use them to sew on the trimmings, so that it can secure/reinforce around the birch bark basket, also when one makes a winnowing basket or when wild rice is winnowed. That is the part I use, the willow part. It bends/curves nicely. It bends/curves very well when one uses it. Also that one, they are all like that… they are all medicine trees, the whole lot of them.
Bagaanimizhiig, hazel nut. Mii go ge awe bezhig a'a… mii maawiin igo gakina ayaawaad mashkikiwaatigo-iwaat igiwe. Aya'ii dash ko geniin bezhig nindizhi-gikendaan gaa-inaabaji'ag owe sago abinoojiiwiyaan. Bagaanag omaa gii-nitaa-wigiwag gii-ani-tagwaagig. Babiikwaadaminagiziwag igiwe bagaanag, hazel nut iidog izhinikaazo zhaaganaashiiwinikaazod. Mii dash iko igiwe gaa-maawanji'angidwaa gii-abinoojiiwiyaang mii dash gaa-izhi-amowangidwaa mii go bizaan igo mii sa eta baasa'angidwaa. Mii omaa gaa-onji-wiisiniyaang babaa-ando-bagaaneyaang. Mii awe miinawaa bezhig niibiyo gegoo inaabadizi awe, niibiyo aazha gegoo o'apii nindizhi-noondam enaabaji'aawaad ogiwe gaa-nanaandawi'iwewaad awiiyag. Niibiyo gegoo inaabadizi. Mii owe gaa-onji-izhinikaazod bagaanimizh, bagaanag omaa nitaawigiwag.
Then there is one thing that I know of—the way that I use it when I was a child. This tree had hazelnuts growing on them. They are round/ball-like nuts. Probably hazelnut is what they are called in English. We use to gather them when we were children, and we ate them by breaking open the shell. This is how we got our food, how we ate by going around collecting hazelnuts. There is a lot of ways that you can use that. I've heard of many ways of how the medicine people use this tree. They use it in a lot of ways. That is why it is called hazelnut tree because hazelnuts grow on there.
Bawa'iminaanagazh, mii go awe bezhigwan ge-wiin. Niibiyo omaa gegoo agoodeni omaa ezhi-nitaawiging. Ingii-ig ako nookomisiban ji-moozhaginamaan iniwen bawa'iminaanan gaa-izhinikaadegin. Gegoo dash go ogii-ozhitoonan, ogii-gabaatoonan. "Nashke owe minikwen" indig. Mii dog omaa… mii iidog owe omashkikiiwaaboom gaawiin-shk ke ingii-gagwejimaasii aaniin enwaadang iwe Anishinaa ingii-manaazimaa aapiji nookomisiban. Mii go gegoo wiindamawid mii iye gaa- mii go iye gaa-ani-izhichigeyaan.
Pin cherry—this too is another one with medicine. There are a lot of berries growing on it. My grandmother used to tell me to gather up the berries. She used to make something out of it. She made it into tea. "Here take a drink of this," she said to me. This must be her medicine water; however, I did not ask her what it was for. I had a lot of respect for my grandmother, and whatever she told me, that is what I did.
Miinawaa awe a'a asasaweminaganzh izhinikaazo. Mii go ge awe, aapiji niibiyo gegoo omaa nitaawiginoon asasaweminan. Niibiyo go ge-niin aazha gegoo nin-bi-inaabajitoon iwe. Aabiding ingii-ozhitoon eya'ii baashkiminsigan ingii-baashkiminisaanan iniwen asasaweminan. Aapiji…aapiji mino-pogwadoon eya'ii. Mii owe ge bezhig gichi-mashkikiiwaatig.
Juniper. This is another one of the needled trees. Wherever it is a smooth rocky area is where this can be seen. This is what the white man calls juniper. Again this one has many good uses also. All the trees that we see have many uses for them.
Opwaaganaatig. Mii awe miinawaa bezhig. Miziwe aapiji nitaawigi a'a dinowa.Eya'ii omaa ingii-miijimin ako gii-abinoojiiwiyaang onowen gaa-nitaawigingin omaa e'iing. Aapiji minopogwadoon. Amanji igo ezhinikaategwen owe, indigo miskominensan ezhinaagokin. Sumac iidog odizhinikaanaawaan wemitigoozhiwag. Mii dash omaa wenji-ozhi'aawaad…wenji-ozhichigaadeg okij. Okijiiwaatig a'a opwaagan awiiya gii-ozhi'aad. Anishinaa gigikendaamin owe ezhichigeyang.
Sumac (pipe stem tree). And then there is this another one. This one grows all 
over the place. As children we would eat the things that grew on this tree. They taste really good. I am not sure what they are called, They look like little red berries. I think the white-man calls it sumac. This is where the pipe stem is made from. When someone makes a pipe, this is where the stem is made from.
Gaa wiikaa awiiya anishaa odaa-giishka'waasiin ini mitigoon. Onjida igo gegoo wii-… ji-inaabadizid awe mitig. Mii go ge-niin gaa-onji'igowaan. Gego wiin anishaa go giishka'waakwen (giishkigawaakwen) igi mitigoog. Gego eta go wii-inaabaji'ad wii-mashkikikaageyan gemaa ge owe gegoo okij awiiya gii-ozhitood. Gemaa-ch ge awe a'a adoopiiwaatig. Aanawi gii-biigijiisagowid aw mitig ge…Weweni…weweni gidaa-izhi'aa gegoo. Weweni ge gidaa-gagiizomaa aaniin wiin wenji-giishkiga'wad a'aw mitig. Mii iye niin ako gaa-izhi-wiindamaagowaan. Awiiya go ogowe. Awiiya igiwe mitigoog ingoji gii-waabamad badakizod aw mitig.Awiiya owe gaa-niibawid. Wiinzowin ge odayaan. Miidash wenji-manaaji'ad. Gaawiin anishaa gigiishkiga'waasii. Mii niin ako iye gaa-izhi-waawiindamaagowaan gidaa-manaajitoon gegoo.
We know what to do when we are doing these things. No one should cut down a tree for no reason. Only if one has a purpose for it. That is what I was told not to do. Do not cut down a tree without a purpose. Only if you have a reason to use it like making medicine or if one were to make a pipe stem. It is the same as when you use the alder. Even though the tree is rotten or falling or… You should do something for the tree. You should also honor the tree and tell it why you are cutting it down. This is what I was always told. They are someone. (They are people. They are alive.) All the trees that you see standing, all of them are someone. That is someone that is standing. It also has a name. That is why you show respect to it. You do not cut it down for no reason. This is what I was told; you should have respect for all things.
Miigwech. Thank you.
