Sister Nations: Native American Women Writers on Community

Notes

Notes Introduction xiii American Indian, Indian, indigenous, Indi’n, Native American, and so on are used interchangeably by many tribal people. Many use Native American or American Indian in more formal circumstances and often prefer non-Natives use these terms. Other terms in use include First Nations people, especially in Canada, and specific traditional names for individual groups, such as Diné. xvi Anishinaabekweg Ojibwe. Ojibwe women. Anishinaabe, the tribe’s original name, also means an Indian person, a human being. 1 Changing Women Esther Belin 8 Yá’át’ééh abíní Diné/Navajo. Good morning. Aoo’, yá’át’ééh Diné/Navajo. Yes, it is good. háágóósha ‘ ’ Diné/Navajo. Where are you going? Plazagóó Diné/Navajo. I am going to the plaza. Shí k’ad dooleel ⁄, hágoónee’ Diné/Navajo. I am leaving now, bye. hazhó’ígo, hazhó’ígo Diné/Navajo. Take it easy. Kimberly Blaeser 10 Nay-tah-waush. A village on the White Earth Anishinaabe Reservation in western Minnesota. 12 new-growth tribal college. A play on the history of clearcutting tribal lands and the new growth forest . . . thinking about tribal colleges as a kind of new growth education after attempts at genocidal clearcutting. Pauline Danforth 15 Wedding ring quilt. A common quilt pattern of interlocking patchwork circles. 16 Midewiwn Ojibwe. Traditional religion of the Ojibwe. 22 Thunder Beings. Manitos or spirits that control thunder and lightning. 226 Allison Hedge Coke 30 Visqueen. Heavy sheet plastic which covers plant beds during germination and early growth. LeAnne Howe 37 Gullah. A dialect spoken by African Americans in the Outer Banks region near Charleston, S.C., and many surrounding areas. Margo Tamez 56 Tu y Yo Spanish. You and me. 2 Strong Hearts Louise Erdrich 70 Anishinaabeg Ojibwe. Plural of Anishinaabe, meaning humans, the people’s name for themselves. 71 Gego, gego. Ojibwe. Don’t, don’t. 72 Manidoog Ojibwe. The spirits. Amaniso Ojibwe. A portentous dream. 73 ishkode waaboo Ojibwe. Literally fire water, meaning alcoholic drinks. 74 shkwebii Ojibwe. Drunk. ondaas Ojibwe. Follow me. 76 Gete-anishinaabeg Ojibwe. The old-time people, the ancient Anishinaabeg. 77 n’dede Ojibwe. My daddy. Linda LeGarde Grover 83 Indizhinikaaz Kwiiwizens Ojibwe. My name is Kwiiwizens (Young Boy). gaye indizhinikaaz Chi-Ko-ko-koho Ojibwe. And I am called Chi-Ko-ko-koho. Ni maajaa. Mi-iw Ojibwe. I leave. That is all. Debra Haaland 85 piki Keres. A flat bread made from blue, red, or yellow corn batter and cooked on a large flat granite stone, which has been heated by fire. 86 Jemez. One of the Northern Pueblos of New Mexico, located approximately 50 miles northwest of Albuquerque. Laguna. A Western Pueblo of New Mexico, consisting of six villages and located 40 miles west of Albuquerque. 227 87 Hopi. A Pueblo located in eastern Arizona. 88 chongo Keres. Term for a hairstyle in which the long hair is gathered behind the neck, folded, and secured with either string, yarn, or a piece of woven wool cloth. Inés Hernández-Avila 96 Indi’n. Slang for Indian. 97 walah’tsa Nez Perce. Seven Drum tradition. Seven Drums. The Seven Drum tradition is “old way” Nez Perce, according to my family, and it is called such because there are seven drummers/singers who officiate on special occasions or lead ceremonies . Laura Tohe 100 Dinétah Diné/Navajo. Navajo homeland. Al ⁄kida ‘ a ‘ ’ adajiní nít’è ‘ è ‘ Diné/Navajo. They say a long time ago. Sis Naajiní Diné/Navajo. White Shell Mountain, also known as Blanca Peak. Tsoodzil ⁄ Diné/Navajo. Turquoise Mountain, also known as Mount Taylor. Dook’o’oosl ⁄ííd Diné/Navajo. Abalone Shell Mountain, also known as San Francisco Mountain. Dibé Nítsaa Diné/Navajo. Obsidian Mountain, also known as La Plata Mountain. 102 Bi’éé’ L ⁄ ichii’í Diné/Navajo. Red Shirt, also known as Kit Carson. 103 Hweel ⁄di Diné/Navajo. Place of extreme hardship. 3 New Age Pocahontas Terry Gomez 124 Kiowa. Plains tribe now in Oklahoma. Kah-koo Comanche. Grandmother on the mother’s side. Linda LeGarde Grover 133 Ikwe Ishpiming Ojibwe. Woman Heaven or Woman’s Heaven. asi anang Ojibwe. Shining star. ambe Ojibwe. Come here. ambe omaa, bimosen, bimosen Ojibwe. Come here, walk, walk. wewiib Ojibwe. Hurry. 134 oshki-traditional Ojibwe and English. New or neo traditional. 228 Teresa Iyall-Santos 136 Yay-Yay Salish. Maternal Grandmother. Ohh-Neh! Salish. Look at this, it is worthy! Sara Littlecrow-Russell 137 Rez. Short for reservation...