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Nimii and Daabii: An Anishinaabe Sisters Story
Two Anishinaabe sisters, Nimiinangos (Nimii) and Biidaaban (Daabii), woke up to the smell of smoke as their father, who they call Nos or Dad, tends to the fire that went out during the night. As Nimii and Daabii opened their eyes and looked up, the first thing they saw in the dim fire light was the medicine wheel in the center of the wigwam roof. The second thing they saw was their breath in the cold air that filled the wigwam during the night. Nos opened the door flap on the wigwam to get some more wood for the ishkoode, the fire. As he pushed the flap to one side, the girls saw that Giizis, the sun, was starting to come up through the trees. This was something that they see every morning from their wigwam shkwaandem (door), because the Anishinaabe always build a wigwam with the door facing the waabinang, or eastern direction.
“Good morning girls”, said Ngashe or Mom. “Are you ready for some hot cocoa?” The girls both noded their head and said “ehn (yes)”, as their dog Max poked his head through the door flap. “Good morning to you too Maxy-boy”, Ngashe said. Just then Nos steped in and put more wood on the ishkoode. “Good morning girls” Nos said. “Good morning” the girls replied. “What’s for breakfast?” Daabii asked. Nimii said “I want some Apple Jacks”. Daabii said “I want pancakes”. Nos said “I want some bacon and eggs”. Ngashe said “Well, you’re all out of luck, because we’re having bisquits with butter and jelly.”
After breakfast, the girls got dressed and walked up to the house to use the bathroom. On their way up to the house Daabii asked Nimii why they “didn’t just sleep in their house.” Nimii, being the wise older sister responded that they “stay in the wigwam sometimes just to learn what it’s like to live like our ancestors used to.” Daabii seemed satisfied with that explanation.
When the girls got back to the wigwam in their backyard Nimii asked if they “could go back into the house to watch cartoons.” Nos said “Gaawiin, we are going fishing today”. Nimii frowned, she wasn’t much into fishing. Daabii smiled and said “Can I try casting out my own line today?” “Sure,” said Nos as he smiled, “you can even bait your own hook.” “No way” Daabii said, “I am not touching any worms”. Ngashe laughed and said “Daabii, how can you be afraid of worms, but you will pick up snakes?” Nos shivered at the thought and said “Gross, I hate snakes.”
Ngashe waved at the girls and Nos as they pulled out of the driveway, she wasn’t going fishing with them today, instead, she was staying home to work on the garden. This year, she started her plants; corn, beans, squash, cucumbers, peppers, onions, pumpkins, and watermelons earlier in the greenhouse so that they would have a better harvest come Degwaage (Fall). As she pulled weeds from the garden and tossed them aside, Max would chase them and run around the yard with them sticking out of the sides of his mouth. He looked really funny.
When they got to the lake, Nos backed the trailer up to the boat ramp, and slid the boat into the water. Nimii got the ores and the bucket, and Daabii got the tackle box and fishing poles. Nos said, “Don’t forget your life jackets and our lunch box!” as he tied the anchor onto the side of the boat and adjusted the chairs. Nos parked the van, and grabbed a brown paper bag. He put the bag in the boat, and told the girls to hang on as he pushed the boat out into deeper water. After Nos climbed aboard and sat down, Nimii asked him what was in the bag? Nos smiled and said “We can’t very well go fishing without strawberry milk and candy bars now can we?” The girls smiled and said “Yeah, woohoo!” The sun was bright, the sky was blue, and there was a light breeze blowing across the lake. It was going to be a nice day for fishing.
Daabii said “Dad, I think I got a nibbler.” Nos smiled and said “You mean a nibble.” Nimii said “I saw her bobber go under.” Nos said “reel it in slowly Daabii.” Daabii pulled up on her fishing pole, and began reeling the line in. As the bobber got close to the side of the boat, Nimii saw how big the fish was. It was about the size of the candy bar she just ate. Nos helped Daabii get the fish into the boat, and then unhooked the fish. Daabii asked if she could hold it, and then got poked by the backfin. “Ouch” she cried and said “I guess I don’t really want to hold it”. Nimii just wanted to touch it. Nos said the fish “wasn’t big enough to keep”, so he threw it back in the lake.
Nimii caught four fish, Daabii caught three fish, and Nos didn’t catch any. He was really busy fixing the girls lines, and didn’t notice that his bobber was going under all day. After the fish had eaten all of the worms, the girls and Nos ate lunch in the boat. They had meat and cheese sandwiches, potato chips, and pop. After lunch, Nos said, “We better head back to shore, we need to get home and clean our fish so we can cook them up for dinner.” Nimii said, “I don’t like fish”. Daabii said “I sometimes do”. Nos said “I will eat them all, because I like fish”.
When they got back home, Nimii asked if she could have a friend over. Nos said “You need to ask Ngashe.” Daabii asked if she could go play with her friend next door. Nos said go ahead. Nos said “Aanii Dear” to Ngashe. Ngashe said “Aanii, how did it go?” Nos showed her the fish and told her about how Daabii poked her finger, and how it was so beautiful out on the lake, and how he really enjoyed spending time with the girls like that. Nos asked her how her day was? Ngashe said that she and Max finished weeding the garden, and then she worked on the girl’s regalia (dance outfits) for the upcoming pow-wow.
Nos cleaned the fish, and Ngashe took Nimii to pick up her friend. When Nos was done cleaning fish, he began making dinner. He placed a pot on the big fire with wild rice in it. He put some hamburger and vegetables in some tin-foil and stuck it right in the fire. Then he got the sticks out that they used for roasting marshmallows and poked them through the fish. Tonight the girls would learn how to cook fish on a stick. When Ngashe and Nim got back, Ngashe said “You had better clean those sticks good after dinner, I don’t want my marshmallows stinking like fish!” “Don’t worry” Nos said, “we just won’t roast marshmallows any more”. He smiled as Ngashe gave him a jokingly disapproving look out of the corner of her eye.
After dinner, Nimii and Daabii sat with their friends in the wigwam. They were proud of their wigwam that they had helped build. Nimii’s friend said she wished that she had a wigwam in her backyard. Daabii’s friend said, “Can I come over and play with you in the wigwam tomorrow?” Daabii said that she would have to ask Nos and Ngashe.
When their friends had gone home, Nimii and Daabii went into the house and took showers and brushed their teeth and got ready for bed. Then Nos and Ngashe said let’s play a game in the wigwam after we get the fire lit. Daabii said “Let’s play guess the animal.” Nimii said “Let’s play Sorry.” Nos said “Let’s play Monopoly.” Nsashe said, “You’re all out of luck, we’re playing Uno in Ojibway!”
“Mskwaande-niizh” said Daabii, which means red-two in English. “Mskwaande-niiwin” said Nimii, which means red-four in English. “Miinande-niiwin” said Ngashe, which means blue-four in English. “Shtaahaa” said Nos, he didn’t have any blue cards or fours and had to draw from the deck. “Bezhig” said Ngashe. “Uh oh” said Daabii. “Bezhig” said Nimii. “No way” said Nos. “I won!” said Nimii. Daabii said “I think she cheated!” “I did not” Nimii said. Ngashe said, “It is time to go to sleep.”
Nos gave the girls a hug a kiss and said “Giizaagiyin, ndwaabimaan giizhep” which means that he loves them and that he will see them in the morning in English. Max licked Daabii’s face. “Gross!” Daabii exclaimed. “Go on Max” Nimii said. Max laid down near the door flap. Nos put another piece of wood on the small fire in the center of the wiikwaam, and the girls fell asleep. “Giizaagiyin Dear” said Nos. “Giizaagiyin” said Ngashe.
Miisa-iidig (the end).