“Gimaanaajitoomin Nibi”
“We Honor Water”
Margaret Noodin
Gimaanaajitoomin nibi
We honor the liquid
aabijiwan akiing gakina akeyaa
the entire flowing watershed
ni dagoshinoyang, bi dagoshinoyang
echoing here and there
nibi babaamiwidooyang
water infusing our path.
Gimanaaji’aanaan Nibi-giizis
We honor her silver brilliance.
Gimaamwimanaaji’aanaanig giizisoog
We honor both of them, the night and day suns
nookaad nookomis waasaabikizod,
soft grandmother reflecting,
mindidod mishoomis jaagaakizod
great grandfather burning.
Baanimaa biidanaamoyang biidaaban
After a breath dawns within us
mii maajinanaandawi'iwe-nagamoyang
and a healing song begins
bagaka'amaazoyang, aabida'amaazoyang
we sing clearly and constantly
naadamaageyang nagamong.
in the service of sound.
Gizhaabowemin ezhi-zhaabwiiyang
We accompany our survival
odaminowinan ozhitooyang, mazinitooyang
with games creating, arranging
aanikinotawangwaa dewe’iganag gaye zhiishiigwanag
translating for drums and rattles
minogondaaganewaad mino’anishinaabeyang.
to animate the sound of being good beings.