Boozhoo! Hello to all. It’s the beginning of niibin (summer), and the gardens in our yard are looking wonderful. As summer proceeds, I’ll be cutting down on my posts here to once or twice a month. I’ll also be cutting down on the length of my posts. Keeping it simple, since my family and I are busy with so many projects. Work in the gardens here makes for busy days, and my family and I are slowly expanding our little hobby farm. We added Nigerian Dwarf goats and chickens this year. Next year, we’re planning on getting a few ducks. Lately, birds have been on my mind, and I’ve been enjoying all of the wild birds in our backyard. One of my favorite wild birds around our house is Aginjibagwesi, the American Goldfinch. It’s amazing how many live around our little homestead. It’s name in Ojibwemowin means “the one who counts the leaves.”
Many mornings, I’m awoken by my son running into my room excitedly announcing, “Ozaawi-bineshiinh, ozaawi-bineshiinh, ozaawi-bineshiinh!” Ozaawi-bineshiinh means yellow bird. I’m not much of a morning person, but every time he wakes me up like this, my heart just sings. I truly feel grateful for all the beauty we are surrounded with and waking up with a grateful heart is a wonderful way to start the day. Here’s a great, short video to help pronounce Aginjibagwesi. The channel, which is by James Vukelich, shares the “Ojibwe Word of the Day” along with teachings on Ojibwe language and culture. This is where you can find more Word of the Day videos.
Listen to that beautiful song! Really, such a beautiful song. Reminds me to sing from my heart and to sing with gratitude. A grateful heart is a happy heart! Aginjibagwesi is one of the spirit keepers of the Ojibwe language. I truly feel blessed to be surrounded by so many Aginjibagwesiwag every day. Here’s a video by my former Ojibwe language teacher, Dan Jones, who shared so many wonderful teachings of the Ojibwe language and culture throughout his life-time. Earlier this year, he passed into the spirit world, but the gifts he shared with so many are carried in so many people’s hearts. You can find more of his Ojibwe language and culture lessons from Ojibwe Digital Archive by clicking HERE.
Aginjibagwesiwag are very special visitors in our yard. This year, we planted a large garden bed of Eastern Purple Coneflower, Echinacea purpurea, with them in mind. The picture at the top of this post is some of the Purple Coneflower we grew several years ago. It will be exciting to have them visiting the flower bed when the flowers turn to seed as fall approaches. You can check out some great pictures of what the seeds will look like at Gardening Worm Composting. They have a post all about the American Goldfinch and Purple Coneflower.
Thank you for joining Nature Art Exploration in thinking about Aginjibagwesi and gardening. As always, it is a joy to share my bliss with the world here. Please, feel free to comment below or share in with your own experience or knowledge below. Miigwech! (Thank you!)
