Read the entry note first. Not a fable — an Anishinaabe ontology carried as story. Come in to wonder.
⚠️ Draft — under many eyes. Converted and readable; not yet finally vetted, and it will wear the word draft for a good while, on purpose. Living, not final.
ADĀWÄWIN.
ADAAWEWIN.
COMMERCE.
Narrated by Penesi — Series 2 (Nos. 4–43), Fort William (per Jones Part II Introduction p. ix; not credited on the story page itself).
from Ojibwa Texts collected by William Jones (1919).
(1) Mīnawā pạngī kägōn nindibādcîm kā‘pi∙i∙jiwäbiziyāng mäwija.
Miinawaa bangii gegoon nindibaajim gaa-bi-izhiwebiziyaang mewizha.
A few more things do I now relate concerning what used to happen to us in times gone by.
Miinawaa bangii gegoon (a few more things) nindibaajim (I now relate) gaa-bi-izhiwebiziyaang (what happened to us; exclusive we) mewizha (long ago).
(2) Kāwī‘kā ningīwâbạndaⁿzīmin wâbickīwämīdcîm; miyä‘ta awäsīⁿwīyās kamīndciyānk, cīcībạg kayä dec ạnōdcî kägō nä‘tāwiging a‘kīng, mīnạn kayä kīⁿgōⁿyạg.
Gaawiikaa ningii-waabandanziimin waabishkiiwe-miijim; miiy eta awesiinh-wiiyaas gaa-miijiyaang, zhiishiibag gaye dash anooji gegoo netaawiging akiing, miinan gaye giigoonyag.
Never did we see white people’s food; it was only game-meat that we had to eat, ducks, and the various kinds of things that grew in the ground, blueberries, and fishes.
Gaawiikaa (never) ningii-waabandanziimin (did we see it) waabishkiiwe-miijim (white people’s food); miiy eta (it was only) awesiinh-wiiyaas (game-meat) gaa-miijiyaang (that we ate), zhiishiibag (ducks) gaye dash (and also) anooji gegoo (the various things) netaawiging akiing (that grow in the ground), miinan (blueberries) gaye giigoonyag (and fishes).
(3) Kāwin mạci kī∙a∙sīwạg weyābickīwätcig.
Gaawiin mashi gii-ayaasiiwag weyaabishkiiwejig.
Not yet were there present any white people at all.
Gaawiin mashi (not yet) gii-ayaasiiwag (were they present) weyaabishkiiwejig (the white people).
(4) Mīyä‘ta mamawitcigäwinini kā∙a∙yāt,¹ mī∙i∙māⁿ äniwäk kā∙u∙ndinamāng kā∙a∙gwīyāng.
Miiy eta maamawichigewinini gaa-ayaad, mii imaa eniwek gaa-ondinamaang gaa-agwiyaang.
The only one (here) was the company-man,¹ it was from (his) place that we obtained a good deal of what we wore.
Miiy eta (the only one) maamawichigewinini (the company-man; lit. “man of the joint enterprise”) gaa-ayaad (who was here), mii imaa (it was there) eniwek (a good deal) gaa-ondinamaang (that we obtained) gaa-agwiyaang (of what we wore).
¹ Hudson Bay Company factor. (Jones’s note)
¹ Hudson Bay Company factor. (Jones’s note)
(5) Ā‘pidci kīsạnạgạt ka‘kina kägō.
Aapiji gii-sanagad gakina gegoo.
Exceedingly dear was everything.
Aapiji gii-sanagad (exceedingly dear/hard was) gakina gegoo (everything).
(6) Nîswi wâbijäciwạg, mī∙i∙’ᵘ päjigwâbik kī∙i∙nạgizowād;² cāngwäciwạg nīwin, mī∙i∙´ᵘ päjigwābi‘k; wâguc, ā‘pidci wänicicit, ma‘kadäwâguc, nīwâbi‘k ä‘ta gī∙i∙nagizu; cōniyāwâguc nījwâbik ä‘ta kī∙i∙nạgizu; nīgik kayä nījwābik ä‘ta kī∙i∙nạgisu; udcīg päjigwābi‘k; pijyᵘ gayä päjigwâbi‘k; ma‘kwa ā‘pidci wänicicit nīwâbik; nawạtc ägāⁿjīyit nījwâbik; ami‘k kayä nījwâbi‘k, ägāⁿjīyit päjigwâbi‘k; wajajkwạg nīctạna, mī∙i∙´ᵘ päjigwâbik.
Niswi waabizheshiwag, mii iw bezhigwaabik gii-inagizowaad; zhaangweshiwag niiwin, mii iw bezhigwaabik; waagosh, aapiji wenizhishid, makadewaagosh, niiwaabik eta gii-inagizo; zhooniyaawaagosh niizhwaabik eta gii-inagizo; nigig gaye niizhwaabik eta gii-inagizo; ojiig bezhigwaabik; bizhiw gaye bezhigwaabik; makwa aapiji wenizhishid niiwaabik; nawaj egaanzhiiyid niizhwaabik; amik gaye niizhwaabik, egaanzhiiyid bezhigwaabik; wazhashkwag nishtana, mii iw bezhigwaabik.
Three martens,² it was a dollar that they were worth; minks (to the number of) four, that (was) a dollar; a fox, one that was very fine, a black fox, four dollars was all it was worth; a silver fox was worth only four dollars; and an otter was worth only two dollars; a fisher (was worth) one dollar; and a lynx (was worth) one dollar; a bear that was very fine (was worth) four dollars; a smaller one (was worth) two dollars; and a beaver (was worth) two dollars, one that was small (was worth) one dollar; muskrats (to the number of) twenty, that was one dollar.
Niswi waabizheshiwag (three martens), mii iw bezhigwaabik (one dollar; lit. “one piece of metal”) gii-inagizowaad (is what they were worth); zhaangweshiwag niiwin (four minks), mii iw bezhigwaabik (that was a dollar); waagosh (a fox), aapiji wenizhishid (a very fine one), makadewaagosh (a black fox), niiwaabik eta gii-inagizo (was worth only four dollars); zhooniyaawaagosh (a silver fox) niizhwaabik eta gii-inagizo (was worth only two dollars); nigig gaye (and an otter) niizhwaabik eta gii-inagizo (was worth only two dollars); ojiig bezhigwaabik (a fisher one dollar); bizhiw gaye bezhigwaabik (and a lynx one dollar); makwa aapiji wenizhishid (a very fine bear) niiwaabik (four dollars); nawaj egaanzhiiyid (a smaller one) niizhwaabik (two dollars); amik gaye niizhwaabik (and a beaver two dollars), egaanzhiiyid bezhigwaabik (a small one one dollar); wazhashkwag nishtana (twenty muskrats), mii iw bezhigwaabik (that was one dollar).
² Skins. (Jones’s note)
² Skins. (Jones’s note)
(7) Kä‘gä‘t ā‘pidci kisạnạgat wīpîmādisiyāng.
Geget aapiji gii-sanagad wii-bimaadiziyaang.
Truly very difficult was it for us to live.
Geget aapiji gii-sanagad (truly very difficult was it) wii-bimaadiziyaang (for us to live).
(8) Ạnicā ā‘pidci kīmānäwạg awäsīyänsạg.
Anishaa aapiji gii-maanewag awesiiyensag.
Nevertheless very numerous were the small-game folk.
Anishaa (nevertheless) aapiji gii-maanewag (very numerous were they) awesiiyensag (the small game animals).
(9) Käwī‘kā cōniyā ningīmīnigōsīmin, mīyä‘tạgu ạno‘kādcigạn kāmäckudōnạmāgōyāng; kayädạc kīsạnạgạt ạno‘kātcigạn.
Gaawiikaa zhooniyaa ningii-miinigoosiimin, miiy eta go anokaajigan gaa-meshkwadoonamaagooyaang; gaye dash gii-sanagad anokaajigan.
Never were we given money, it was only goods that we got in trade; and dear were the goods.
Gaawiikaa zhooniyaa (never money) ningii-miinigoosiimin (were we given), miiy eta go (it was only) anokaajigan (goods) gaa-meshkwadoonamaagooyaang (that we were given in exchange); gaye dash gii-sanagad (and dear were) anokaajigan (the goods).