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How to use the Ojibwe People's Dictionary

feast
n
feast
wiikwandiwin ni a feast; feast food

wiikondiwin ni a feast; a spirit dish: an offering of food at the start of a meal

have a feast
wiikondiwag vai they feast with each other, have a feast

See also: wiikwandiwag vai

have a feast honoring the dead
jiibenaake vai s/he has a feast honoring the dead

invite to a feast
wiikom vta invite h/ to a feast (especially as part of a religious ceremony)

See also: wiikwam vta

wiikonge vai s/he gives a feast; s/he invites people to a feast (especially as part of a ceremony)

make a feast
wiikonge' vta feast h/, make a feast for h/

Paired with: wiikongetoon vti2

wiikongetoon vti2 feast it, make a feast for it

Paired with: wiikonge' vta

feast
vt
feast
wiikonge' vta feast h/, make a feast for h/

Paired with: wiikongetoon vti2

wiikongetoon vti2 feast it, make a feast for it

Paired with: wiikonge' vta

feather
n
feather
miigwan na a feather

bald eagle feather
migiziwigwan na a bald eagle feather

black feather
makade-miigwan na a black feather

See also: makadewigwan na

makadewigwan na a black feather

See also: makade-miigwan na

makadewigwane vai s/he (a bird) has black feathers

blue feather
ozhaawashkogwan na a blue feather; a green feather

ozhaawishkogwane vai [BL] s/he (a bird) has blue feathers; s/he (a bird) has green feathers

brown feather
ozaawigwan na a brown feather; a yellow feather

See also: ozaawi-miigwan na

drop feathers
binigwane vai s/he (a bird) drops feathers, moults

duck feather
zhiishiibigwan na a duck feather

golden eagle feather
giniwigwan na a golden eagle feather

loon feather
maangogwan na a loon feather

red feather
miskogwan na a red feather

miskogwane vai s/he (a bird) has red feathers

ruffle feathers
niiskigwaneni vai s/he ruffles feathers

seagull feather
gayaashkogwan na a seagull feather

spotted feathers
gidagigwane vai s/he (a bird) has spotted feathers

stick in a feather
badakibine'o vai s/he sticks a feather in h/ (own) hair or hat

striped feather
bepeshigwane vai s/he (a bird) has striped feathers

white feather
waabishkigwan na a white feather

See also: waabishki-miigwan na

waabishki-miigwan na a white feather

See also: waabishkigwan na

yellow feather
ozaawigwan na a brown feather; a yellow feather

See also: ozaawi-miigwan na

ozaawigwane vai s/he (a bird) has brown or yellow feathers

bagaki-ozaawigwan na a yellow feather

bagaki-ozaawigwane vai [BL] s/he (a bird) has yellow feathers

feather bonnet
n
feather bonnet
miigwani-wiiwakwaan ni a feather headdress, a feather bonnet

feather headdress
n
feather headdress
miigwani-wiiwakwaan ni a feather headdress, a feather bonnet

February
n
February
migiziwi-giizis na [BL] February

namebini-giizis na February

feces
n
feces
moo ni feces, excrement

feed
vt
feed
asham vta feed (it) to, serve (it) to h/

Paired with: ashandan vti

ashandan vti feed it (with something); offer it food

Paired with: asham vta

ashange vai s/he feeds people, feasts people, serves food

feed a certain way
inasham vta feed h/ a certain way

feed a child
ashamaawaso vai s/he feeds a child

feel
[experience]
vi
feel cold
biingeji vai s/he feels cold

dakamanji'o vai s/he is chilled, feels cold

giikaji vai s/he feels cold

feel
[touch]
vt
find by feeling
mikoojiin vta find, discover, feel h/ or it (animate) with the hand or fingers

Paired with: mikoojiinan vti

mikoojiinan vti find, discover, feel it with the hand or fingers

Paired with: mikoojiin vta

The Ojibwe People's Dictionary is developed and maintained by:
Nora Livesay, Editor
John D. Nichols, Founder and Linguistic Editor

with support and collaboration from the University of Minnesota's Department of American Indian Studies and University Libraries.

Additional Resources

Many of the words in the Ojibwe People's Dictionary have related resources. Click through to the full dictionary entry to hear audio recordings, see images, read documents and watch videos. Here's a key to resource icons.

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Speakers & Regions Key

Individual speakers and speakers from different regions use different words when speaking. Each audio recording is marked with the initials of the Ojibwe speaker. Click on a speaker's initials to go to the speaker's bio page. If an Ojibwe word is particular to a certain region, it will be marked with a region code. Click on the region code to go to the Regions page.