Kitchi Nshinaabeg dibaataanaawaa Kitchi Nshinaabeg miji doodwindwaa – Elders talk about Elder Abuse in Ojibwe: PART ONE

Mishoo miinwaa Noki ~ You, Me and Wrinkles – The Elder Abuse Prevention Podcast

PART ONE: A recording of a Zoom event held May 18, 2022
Kitchi Nshinaabeg dibaataanaawaa Kitchi Nshinaabeg miji doodwindwaa
– Elders talk about Elder Abuse in Ojibwe
Aapiji go gegeti, aabdig Wii dbaamjigaade maanda nayi waabjigaadeg. Baatinat.
[This is the truth. This needs to be looked at. There is too much of it.]
Ron Odjig

This episode is in two parts. The first is the Zoom event.
Silent no longer, five Anishinaabe Elders speak in their language about what they have seen, what they know, from their life experience and work experience as community workers, teachers and individuals. This can be hard to listen to. Then, these five start to talk about helpful ideas.
The second installment captures the group's excited private conversation afterwards, as they felt how liberating, important and impactful it was to talk. The conversation about issues, resources and solutions continues.

"Ngii bizhaamgook, ginamaa dash gonaa wgii noondaanaahdig, “Mii owa ge naadmaag”
[They came to me, probably because they heard, "That's who will help you."]
Dorothy Wassegijig Kennedy

FROM THE EPISODE:
Dorothy Wassegijig Kennedy
Wiide dibaatang naa owa kwe maage nini gaa zhiwebzowaat. Gaawii go pane gii tesnoo owe waa zhi dibaatang wiya maanda. ... Gii znagad go.
[For a long time there was no venue for them to talk. It is just recently that is available.]

Colleen Wassegijig
"Miigo wepii gii maajtaa’aambah miwdoowaanh gaa zhi waabjigehyaanh miidash go owe eko maadziiyaanh gii miwdowaanh. Aazhi nsastimaa wepii."
[That is when I started to carry what I saw and I have held it to this day. How I understood it on that day.]
Nimdana nsa baboon minig gayi ngii dibaataziin. Gegpii ngii kendaan maanda gaa nji zhiwebag.
[For forty years I did not talk about this. Finally I see why it happened.]
Jacob Wemigwans:
“Gaa miinwaa nga biinaasiig binoojiinhyag wiibi nbochwe’aat”. Ji gaaza.Mii owe aapiji gonaa maanaadendam owa egidzit waabmaasig niwe ooshenhyin. Aapiji go znagat.
[“I will not bring the grandchildren to come and visit.” He is told. And so the elder get’s very sad when they don’t see their grandchildren. It is very hard.]

David Root:
"Mii dash gonaa waabdaman genii nmesendam gonaa gayi owa Nookmiss doodaagaazwad gayi owa. ... Mii dash gii damgaazwaad. Tkwanewnini gawii gegoo nwii zhichgesiimi gii kidwag gaynwaa."
[I saw that Grandmother was ashamed of what was being done to her. ... It is hard to talk about. You will get reprimanded if you say something.]
Jacob Wemigwans:
Miinwaa gdaa wiikjitooonaa wii zhitooying, wiya gonaa gepoowepa maaba egidzit. [We should work on getting a place where the abused elders can go.]
Transcribed and translated by Dorothy Wassegijig Kennedy.

“…an incredible resource – which can be utilized as a springboard into talking about these difficult issues.” — Tanya Coulter, M’Wikwedong Indigenous Friendship Centre

Resources:
Indian Residential School Survivors 24-hour Crisis Line at 1-800-721-0066
Ontario Seniors Safety Line: 1-866-299-1011
Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre: 1-888-495-8501
We welcome your support of this program through a charitable donation via Canada Helps.
Thank you to New Horizons for Seniors, The Ontario Trillium Foundation, Justice Canada, J.P. Bickell Foundation, Community Foundation Grey Bruce, and The Ontario Arts Council.

For more about the cast, speakers, and community listening circles visit www.sheatre.com.