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Definition 2024

Anishinaabe

Anishinaabe

Ojibwe

Alternative forms

  • anishinaabe
  • Nishnaabe
  • Nishnawbe

Noun

Anishinaabe (ᐊᓂᔑᓈᐯ) (plural: Anishinaabeg, ᐊᓂᔑᓈᐯᒃ)

  1. an Ojibwe
  2. an Indian, a Native, an Aboriginal
    • 2014, George Kenny, Gaawiin Mawisiiwag Anishinaabeg: Indians Don't Cry, p.7:
      Gaawiin iindog mawisiiwag anishinaabeg. Gaawiin debwe iwe, inendam Frank Littledeer e-mamawid. Indians don't cry. That's bullshit, Frank Littledeer cursed as tears streamed down his broad, weather-scarred face
  3. a person, a human, a man

Related terms

References

  1. ↑ Oshkaabewis Native Journal (Vol. 2, No. 1)
  2. ↑ http://ojibwe.lib.umn.edu/main-entry/niisin-vta

Etymology

There are many differing interpretations of Anishinaabe, but it is widely accepted that "-naabe", means "a male, a male of a species", or more generally "a person" . Anishinaabe is a cognate to the Oji-cree autonym "Anishinini" ("inini" meaning man in both Oji-cree and Ojibwe) Some suggested meanings of Anishinaabe:

  • an(i)- "away" + niisin "lower somebody" + naabe "a male, a male of a species", meaning "man who was lowered (from the sky)".[1][2]
  • anishinaa "first, original" + naabe "a male, a male of a species", meaning "first people" or "original people".

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