Ojibwe Reservations and their Communities: Montana - Amazon Books
Ojibwa Language is a monosyllabic language. In mid 19th century, Ojibway Language was considered to be one of this worlds most perfect languages and a monosyllabic language. More about that is further below on this Ojibway Language page. Important information about Ojibwa Language besides the 1849 news article which tells people Ojibwa Language is monosyllabic and one of earths most perfect languages, is also further below. It tells you who spoke Ojibwa and where Ojibwa was spoken. In Canada and United States, Ojibwa is a language in great decline. Most Ojibwa People who speak a dialect of Ojibwa, live at Canada. Quebec has most speakers. Probably because many Ojibwa People in extreme southern Ontario and Quebec, fled to central and north Quebec. Along with Eskimos, they either kept close to James Bay and Hudson Bay or were forced to relocate from interior Quebec, to locations near James Bay and Hudson Bay. In Labrador, Eskimos possibly make up a majority of their population. Old books from 18th century and 19th century, are very helpful in learning where Ojibwa Language was spoken. We know Ojibwa Language was spoken along MacKenzie River and it's tributaries in the Northwest Territories. Excerpts from those books are further down on this page! In the United States, supposedly 8,355 speak Ojibwa. However, less than 1,000 speak Ojibwa as their first language and many of them learned to speak Ojibwa well after they learned how to speak English. Revitaliztion is going on yet if Ojibwa Language is going to survive, it is going to have to change.
There are several dialects of Ojibwa Language yet spoken. Most have died out however. Among those that died out or are near lost, are Caralina Ojibwa's, Delaware (aka Lenni Lenape), Etchemin, Gros Ventre, Illini, Mahican, Miami, Mohegon, Nanticoke, Narragansett, Naugatuck, Pequot, Piscataway, Potawatomi, Powhatan, Quiripi, Sauk, Shawnee, Shinnecock, Unquachog and Wampanoag including Massachusett. All Algonquian Languages are Ojibwa! Those Ojibwa Language Dialects yet spoken and not considered near lost include these:
Algonquin
Atikamekw
Arapaho
Blackfeet
Cheyenne
Corrupted Ojibwa or Cree
Kickapoo
Malecite
Menominee
Micmak
Montagnais
Naskapi
Ojibway
Ottawa
Passamaquoddy
Saulteaux
Severn
Below is the current number of speakers of the current accepted Ojibwa Dialects. All are located at Canada. Few people speak Ojibwa at the United States. Most are Corrupt Ojibwa Dialects! Cree is the most Corrupt Ojibwa Dialect! Lewis and Clark named Cree Language Corrupted Ojibwa Language! Comparing Ojibwa Dialects is impossible during this time because whites Corrupted Ojibwa Language. It was whites that wrote the first Ojibwa Dictionaries after contact. Instead of defining Ojibway words, they corrupted them. An example of Ojibwa Dialects is the Spanish Dialect of the Italian Language. If an Italian met a Spanish person and tried talking with her/him, they would notice similarities. If they talked slow to each other, they will be able to communicate with each other. About 500 years ago, Spanish People talked Italian. Over the centuries, changes happened that altered Spanish. However, they can communicate with each other if they spoke slow which means Spanish is a dialect of the Italian Language! It was the same with Ojibwa Language. Further away from each other, more difficult it was to understand each other. However, with help from interpreters, after a few days they could speak to each other without an interpreter.
Ojibwa Dialect: 12,085
Alberta: 255
Manitoba: 4,390
Northwest Territories: 10
Ontario: 6,920
Quebec: 15
Saskatchewan: 490
Yukon: 5
Severn Dialect: 11,255
Manitoba: 5,740
Ontario: 5,530
Algonquin Dialect: 870
Ontario: 10
Quebec: 900
Corrupted Ojibwa (Cree) Dialect: 58,775
Alberta: 6,565
British Columbia: 90
Manitoba: 10,110
Northwest Territories: 140
Ontario: 3,295
Quebec: 28,210
Saskatchewan: 10,355
Yukon: 10
Michigan
Minnesota
Montana
North Dakota
Wisconsin
8,355: Less than 1,000 actually speak Ojibwa Language.
Number of Speakers of Ojibwa Language - 82,985: Won't include stats from the United States because they're unreliable!
Peter Jones was a 19th century Ojibwa author who knew a great deal more than Ojibwa People of this time. According to Jones, who was a Mississauga Ojibwa, Ojibwa People were actually many isolated groups of Ojibwa's who kept confined to their districts. Very much like nations of this modern world in which within each nation are States and Counties. Within each district of Ojibwa Territory, their way of speaking Ojibwa differed. Further one was from another, greater it was for them to understand each other. When they gathered for national purposes they at first had difficulties understanding each other but after a couple of days they fully well understood each other. It took time because of accents and shortened words. Similar to Italian and Spanish. Of course, Spanish is a dialect of Italian.
Jones information is vital. Further below are excerpts from his book "History of the Ojebway Indians." Jones listed these following groups of Ojibwa's who spoke Ojibwa:
Abenaki or Wabanaki: They include Al-gon-quin, A-tik-a-mekw, In-nu, Ma-li-seet, Mic-mac, Mon-tag-nais, Nip-pis-sing, Pas-sa-ma-quod-dy, Pen-na-cook and Pen-ob-scot. They are Ojibwa's who settled along St. Lawrence River in mid or late 16th century. Correct name for these Ojibwa People is "Ab-biig." It means East People. Ojibwa word for east is "Ab." To make "Ab" or "east" a plural, they added an "n" plural. Thus, Ab-ben in Ab-ben Aki! So "East's" is pronounced "Ab'n." To make it mean "eastern" they added another 'n' plural. Thus, Ab-bin-in means eastern. Their word for "easterner" is "Ab-bin-int." For eastern people it's "Ab-bin-in-iig." Warren wrote that Ojibwa's used a 'g' plural to identify a people. The "iig" rhymes with 'league.' Ab-ben-a-ki means East's Earth. Ma-hi-can or Mo-he-gan, Mas-sa-chu-sett, Nar-ra-gan-set, Pe-quot, Po-cum-tuck and Wam-pa-no-ag (it should be pronounced Wam-pa-noag - it means Conjure People) Peoples should be included as being "Ab-bin-int-tin" or Easterners. Though "Wa-baan" is used in some Ojibwa Dialects for "east," they left a clue that indicates "Ab" means "east" in Ojibwa Language! That clue is the 'n' in A-ben. Wa-baan means "Conjure" in Ojibwa Language!
Cree: They were called Kin-ish-ti-noag by other Ojibwa's yet their correct tribal name is Beaver's, Carrier's, Keskatchewan's. They must be listed as Athabascan. They include Beaver Indians of Alberta and British Columbia, Sekani Indians of British Columbia and T'suu Tina Indians of Alberta and Siksika Indians of Alberta. They're really from the Sekani! However, history indicates Saulteaux Ojibwa's settled northwest Alberta and northeast British Columbia. Ojibwa Soldiers first drove these Ojibwa Traitors to north Alberta and north British Columbia. They then drove them to central British Columbia where they're known as the Carrier Tribe. Many of them settled where Calgary, Alberta is. Being allies of whites they prepared the Calgary region for a white fort. In 1870, a force of them attacked an Ojibwa village where Lethbridge, Alberta is. Ojibwa Soldiers drove them back to the Calgary region. A couple years later, Little Bear led a force of these Ojibwa Traitors to the Cypress Hills from the Calgary region, then to north Montana near where Havre, Montana is. American leaders set aside a Reservation for them within Blackfeet Reservation and did so without consent from Ojibwa leaders. The name of their Reservation is Fort Assiniboine Indian Reservation. At this time it's known as Rocky Boys Reservation. However, chief Rocky Boy had nothing to do with Fort Assiniboine Indian Reservation. Both chief Rocky Boy and Little Bear were enemies. American leaders added land to Fort Assiniboine Indian Reservation in the 1930's for chief Rocky Boys Montana Ojibwa Subjects. Chief Rocky Boy has relatives living at Fort Assiniboine Indian Reservation. Chief Rocky Boys Reservation is located at the Great Falls and Helena region! Those claiming to be Cree at Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, Labrador and Montana are Ojibwa's. They are weak. They are not strong. Their weakness shows in how they name themselves. In this case, they use Cree to distance themselves from their own people. Read Seven Fires Prophesy. Kin-ish-ti-noag may mean "Mix People." Warren did not provide a definition for their name! They are obviously from Ojibway Nations Fisher and Hunter Totems. They caused Ojibwa Nation much trouble or Civil War. More about them is below where "Ottawa" is!
Delaware: They include Man-hat-tan (uglies), Mun-see; Nan-ti-coke or Nan-ti-koag, Stockbridge, U-na-latch-tig-o, U-na-mi and Wappinger. They are Ojibwa's that either came up from a southwestern location or a western location (Ohio Valley) and settled at Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York. Other Ojibwa's named them Grandfathers.
Kickapoo: They must be included as being Shawnee Ojibwa's. More about them is further below. They originally lived at Michigan and Ohio Valley. Today, they live at Arizona, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Coahuila, Mexico and Sonora, Mexico. More research about them is mandatory. I don't know what their name means!
Menominee: These Ojibwa People absorbed many non Ojibwa's among them. Their Ojibwa Language Dialect became corrupted as a result of so many different peoples among them. However, they are Ojibwa. Ma-nom-in-niig means Wild Rice People. They're from Ojibwa Nations Agriculture Totem or Wild Rice Totem. For "wild rice person" it's pronounced "Ma-nom-in-niit." A small yet very important Ojibwa Totem within their Agriculture Totem.
Miami: They supposedly lived at Indiana and Ohio. However, they are also southern Ojibwa People who live at Florida. In Ojibwa Language, Ma-um-ii (it should be written as Ma-ya-mi) means peninsula. So does Miami. There's a slight difference in pronunciation. Ojibwa's pronounce it "Ma-ya-mi." Whites pronounce it "My-am-e." They live at Florida and Oklahoma. They don't know who they are! Warren wrote their name as O-Maum-eeg which is incorrect. It should be pronounced and written as "Ma-ya-miig." Translation is "Peninsula People." Warren named Miami Ojibwa's "People Who Live on the Peninsula." It's correct wording is "Peninsula People" however. Warren or they, deliberately wrote their Ojibwa Name as O-Maum-eeg to divert readers. The "o" means "the" in Ojibwa Language. It's corrupt and for a reason. Ojibwa's have lived at Mexico for a very long time. They are known as the Aztecs and the Maya. Maya People live throughout Yucatan Peninsula! Peninsular in Ojibwa Language should be pronounced "Ma-ya-mid" which means a person that lives on a Peninsula or Peninsular. The plural is "Ma-ya-mid-in."
Muskego: Don't know much about them! They could be Muskogeans! They are Chikasaw, Choctaw, Creek and Seminole. Warren wrote they were Swamp People!
Ottawa, Potawatomi, Sac or Sauk and Shawnee: Each represent Ojibwa Totems except the Shawnee. Warren named the Ottawa "Trade People." Their name was wriiten "O-da-wug" by Warren. The "Trade People" lived at all Ojibwa villages. The Ojibwa "O-da-wug Totem" was one of six major Ojibwa Totems. As for Potawatomi, they are also an Ojibwa Totem. Not a major Ojibwa Totem however. Potawatomi Ojibwa's were a minor totem within the major Ojibwa Midewiwin Totem. Their role in Ojibwa Society was very important. So important they demanded gifts for their service which was providing fuel for all Ojibwa lodges. Of course, to collect fuel they had to gather wood which is very hard work. They were also responsible for keeping fires lit. That meant many of them held the night shift. Ojibwa's named them "Fire Keepers." By late 18th century many Ojibwa's were using European ways of keeping fires lit. Though a small totem within the major Midewiwin Ojibwa Totem, they had much power. They live at Kansas, Oklahoma, Ontario and Wisconsin. Sac or Sauk People are Shawnee Ojibwa's. In Ojibwa Language their word for south is "Shaw." It's not "Sha-wan." Reason for violating the Ojibwa word for south is Cheyenne People who are Shawnee Ojibwa's. In the 16th century, O-gi-ma Sa-gi-ma instructed large numbers of Ojibwa Soldiers and their families to force their way south. Eventually they reached Florida. In the late 17th century, Ojibwa leaders instructed Ojibwa Soldiers stationed south of Lake Erie and the Ohio Valley to trek to Michigan then to the Bawiting (Sault Ste. Marie) region. From there they settled the region where Blind River and Mississagi River are at Ontario. They then commenced to war upon Italian invaders who had settled all of south Ontario. By 1700, they had destroyed all Italian villages at south Ontario. Before they were sent north they waged war against Italian and Dutch invaders who settled the region where extreme southwest New York State is (the Niagara Falls region) and land south of Lake Eries southeast shores. After they drove them back to Hudson River they were then instructed to trek to the Blind River and Mississagi River region of Ontario. After 1700, they settled all of south Ontario. Later, they stopped using "Shawnee" as their name. In Ojibwa Language Shawnee is derived from "Shaw-un-oag." It's definition is "Southern People" according to Warren. Ojibwa word for south is "Shaw." It's plural is "Shawn." Southern is "Shaw-an." Thus, Cheyenne! Southern People is "Shaw-an-oag." Southerner is "Shaw-ant." Southerners is "Shaw-an-tin." Kickapoo People are also Shawnee Ojibwa's. At south Ontario, the Shawnee Ojibwa's now name themselves either Mississagis or Mississaugas. Translation is "Entire River Mouth People." It's correctly written "Mi-si Sa-giig." Shawnee Ojibwa's live from Mexico to Arizona, Florida, Kansas, Michigan, Montana, Oklahoma, South Dakota and Texas. All Ojibwa Reserves at south Ontario are Shawnee Ojibwa's. Sac and Sauk are short for "Sa-gi." Definition of "Sa-gi" is River Mouth. Even at Michigan, Shawnee Ojibwa's used "Mi-si Sa-giig" instead of "Shaw-un-oag." Their reason for their name change obviously deals with the mouths of Blind River and Mississagi River which are located only a few miles from each other adjacent to Lake Hurons north shores.
Ojibwa: Definition of Ojibwa is "Original." It's derived from the Ojibwa word for 'before' which is "Tchi Bwa." It's pronounced "Tchib Bwa." You hear "Chippewa" in it. Adding the Ojibwa "n" plural to "Tchib Bwa" makes it "Tchib Bwaan." It's continues to be used. It's written "Chipewyan." And "Chipewyan " is pronounced "Chip-ah-waan" and not "Chip e why an." Adding the Ojibwa word for "the" to "Tchib Bwa" it becomes "O Tchib Bwa." Definition is "The Original." However, Ojibwa's used their 'n' plural and named themselves "O Tchib Bwaan." Definition is "The Originals. Whites later named them "Aboriginals" which is a threat. Some Ojibwa Dialects pronounce it "O jib Bwa and O Jib Bwaan." Correct name for all Ojibwa People People is "O Jib Bwaan." It means "The Originals."
We have to investigate old books to learn where Ojibwa Language was spoken! Andrew Blackbird's 1887 book "History of the Ottawa and Chippewa Indians of Michigan" is helpful. He knew Ojibwa (he wrote Ottawa yet it's a dialect of Ojibwa Language) Language was spoken extensively among Shoshone People. It's indicative of Shoshone People being Ojibwa. If Ojibwa Language was spoken by Shoshone People it means they are Ojibwa. It also means the Comanche-Shoshone Language Family or Shoshonean Language Family, is Ojibwa. They include Cahuilla People of southern California including Cupeno People, Luiseno People, Kitanemuk People, Serrano People and Tongva or Gabrielino People. Costeno People or Ohlone People, must be included as well. And Penutian People as well. They both lived at central and north California. Tsimshian People must also be listed as Shoshonean or Ojibwa. And Hopi People are also Ojibwa. The northern speakers of Comanche-Shoshone live from California to British Columbia and Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, Nevada, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah and Wyoming. Blackbird knew Ottawa People were Ojibwa. They were Ojibwa Nations Trade Totem. Blackbird was not Ojibwa or Ottawa! His family was captured out west by Ojibwa Soldiers. He named his people "Underground People."
Even older books indicate where Ojibwa Language was spoken. Ojibwa People considered their language superior and allowed no other languages to be spoken at special gatherings. According to 1799's "CHRISTIAN MISSIONS: OR, A MANUAL OF MISSION GEOGRAPHY AND HISTORY," Ojibwa Language was spoken from Lake Ontario to MacKenzie Rivers Mouths. Though this book was written in 1799, it was edited by C. Barth decades later. His editing obviously corrupted some important information. Pertaining to Delaware People being Iroquois, he did not know Delaware People joined the Iroquois League. Another bit of information pertains to his use of "Ka-ziks" to name Ojibwa chiefs with limited power. Ojibwa Language was spoken from Great Slave Lake to MacKenzie Rivers Mouth near Inuvik, Northwest Territories. We know from 1832's Edinburgh Encyclopedia that Chipewyan People, Copper People, Cree People and Dogrib People are derived from Ojibwa's. Cree People must be listed as Athabascan. We know which Athabascan Tribe Cree People are. They are the Beaver Tribe! However, instead of Beaver we will name them Carrier Tribe. They obtained the name Carrier People from HBC (Hudson Bay Company) staff. Provided with European trade items (most was alcohol and opium) they ventured west from Hudson Bay to lure dumb Ojibwa's to HBC Forts and Trade Posts. After becoming addicted to alcohol and opium they became lawless. Following the Ojibwa Totemic System was rejected. Pimping their women was serious business. Some owned anywhere from 5, 10 or more Ojibwa women. White historians named them their wives. They were prostitutes who were also addicted to alcohol and opium. Even white men at HBC Forts and Trade Posts took to pimping Ojibwa women. Dumb Ojibwa men made their women do all the work. They beat and murdered their women and nothing was done to them. That's because they always stayed at or near European Forts and Trade Posts. Trapping was dangerous yet to obtain their alcohol and opium they risked it. If caught by Ojibwa Soldiers many were tortured to death for a month or longer. And that still didn't stop them. That's how addicted to alcohol and opium they were. They even protected HBC Forts and Trade Posts and supplied them with food. However, if they were refused their alcohol and opium they became very dangerous. So instead of Beaver Tribe we will refer to the Cree as the Carrier Tribe. What they did caused much devastation to Ojibwa People. Most were from the Ojibwa Fisher and Hunter Totems. Most possibly live at the Calgary, Alberta region where Siksika Reserve, Stoney Reserve and T'suu Tina Reserve are. A few live at Montana. Little Bear told the press he and his Ojibwa's joined with American Soldiers to fight the 1876-1877 Ojibwa War at Montana. Most Ojibwa's living at Fort Assiniboine Indian Reservation (aka Rocky Boys Reservation) are from chief Rocky Boys Montana Ojibwa's. They are not Cree. Several forced relocations of chief Rocky Boys Montana Ojibwa Subjects between 1896 and the 1930's, brought them to Fort Assiniboine Indian Reservation. At central British Columbia the Carrier Tribe might be as numerous as Carrier People at Alberta. Siksika Reserve was a location American leaders sent many of chief Rocky Boys Montana Ojibwa Subjects to. A land surrender at Siksika Reserve in 1910 (it coincides with 1909's forced relocations of chief Rocky Boys Montana Ojibwa Subjects) was for chief Rocky Boys Montana Ojibwa Subjects. Canada betrayed them and gave the land surrender to whites. At Siksika Reserve Montana Ojibwa's might make up the majority of the Reserves population.
Jones was well aware of where Ojibwa Language was spoken and wrote that "Ojibwa Language was spoken from Mississippi Rivers head-waters (it's located at extreme southwest Montana and not Minnesota) and head-waters of Red River which is located at the Panhandle of Texas. It's not located at Manitoba." Lewis and Clark knew Mississippi Rivers head-waters is located at southwest Montana's (Big Hole Basin). Whites already knew long before 1800, that southwest Montana was where Mississippi River commenced. Though Jones included Fox People, there is too much historical evidence which indicates they were not Algonquin. They often fought Ojibwa's and were not considered Ojibwa by Ojibwa People. And other Ojibwa's were not included by Jones but must be included. They include: Nakawe; Noquet; Saulteau or Saulteux and even Soo which is a name they received from Latin invaders at Sault Ste. Marie; and Yuchi who we know spoke Shawnee. Soo (it does sound exactly like Sioux) is short for Sault. Yuchi People lived well south of Ojibwa's at what are now South Carolina, Georgia and Florida. They brought wild rice to those locations, especially Florida where it grew abundantly.
To better undersand who Ojibwa People are, a book from 1826 titled "The North American Review Vol. XXII," is very helpful. People then, knew far more than people do now about Indian Languages. However, they clearly wrote in that book that they knew very little about southern tribes. They knew who Ojibwa People were and gave mention to them by writing who spoke Ojibwa without a need for an interpreter. Below is an excerpt from that 1826 book:
The Chippewa, or Algonquin language, is spoken by the Chippewas, Ottawas, Potawatamies, Sacs, Shawnese, Kickapoos, Menomonies, Miamies, and Delaware; and these dialects approximate one another in the order of arrangement, the Chippewa being the standard dialect, and the Delaware the most remote. For the three first, no interpreter is required; for the three next, one is convenient, but not necessary; and the three last are too imperfectly understood by any of the others, to enable them to converse without assistance.
It is well known that 19th century Ojibwa People did not consider Fox People to be Algonquian. So of those 9 dialects, we have to exclude them and accept only Sac or Sauk People who are really Shawnee Chippewa's. Sac and Sauk are short for Saginaw. According to 1826's "The North American Review Vol. XXII," Ojibwa People are Chippewa, Kickapoo, Ottawa, Potawatomi, Sac and Shawnee. They had no need for an interpreter to talk with each other. Menomonies, Miami People and Delaware or Lenni Lenape People, are also Ojibwa. They had closer and longer contact with whites. Thus, by 1826 their Ojibwa Dialects had changed considerably. An exception is Menominee People. They absorbed many non Ojibwa's and their Ojibwa Dialect changed from that. In those times Ojibwa People were united. Read Seven Fires Prophesy! Another interesting fact about Ojibwa People and their language, was also written in 1826's "The North American Review Vol. XXII." Another excerpt from that book is below:
There is, in all our Indian languages, a strong tendency to combination. We believe they were originally monosyllabic in their formation, and extremely limited in their application. Even now at least one fourth part of the Chippewa words are monosyllables.
In 1826, at least 1/4 of Ojibwa words were one syllable words. English is notorious for having an abundance of only one syllable words like a, am, an, are, be, by, broom, call, day, do, form, hear, her, ect. However, linguists think otherwise. Examples include "ad," "act," "at," "best," "book," and "like." Each of those words actually have two sounds or two syllables. However, they are near silent. They theorize they shortened words like "at." Originally it may have been "at-ti." However, human languages commenced with one syllable sounds. So it's "a" first then it evolved to "at." Next it evolved to "at-ti." English is an isolate language. If you try to learn Ojibwa Language now you can't. It is not possible to learn Ojibwa Language. You would have to be born into a family that spoke only Ojibwa to speak Ojibwa Language or go to school for years to learn to speak Ojibwa Language. And remember, Ojibwa Language had at least 1/4 of it's words as one syllable words in 1826.
In 1849, Baraga told reporters information about Ojibwa Language that will flabbergast anyone that knows Ojibwa Language as it is spoken today. He called Ojibwa Language one of this worlds most perfect languages and that it was a monosyllabic language. Today, Ojibwa Language is one of this worlds most imperfect languages to learn and definitely not monosyllabic. Below is that 1849 newspaper article. We know Ojibwa Language has been violated. In 18th century America, many whites living east of Appalachian Mountains knew how to speak Ojibwa Language. There was a reason for that. Trade contact and 10,000's of whites taken captive by Ojibwa Soldiers, between 1750 and 1815. Many were returned to the Americans. Upon their return, English leaders noticed their accent was different. They also knew they looked upon the English as being foreign. English leaders also noticed they were taller than white Europeans. About just as tall as natives!
Ojibwa People are not speaking their ancestors language as it was intended to be spoken. They are speaking a language that has been violated and is impossible to learn. If you have an exceptional memory, you may be able to learn Ojibwa Language. Nearly everyone will try than forget it. It's too difficult. However, Ojibwa and white historians, did preserve how Ojibwa Language was spoken, so we would know. They beat Ojibwa children when they spoke Ojibwa in school. That's how Ojibwa Language changed!