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His parents and grandparents weren’t any happier with Joe’s boarding school experience than he was. They stubbornly fought for permission for him to attend the local day school in Bagley. They eventually succeeded; however, day school in Bagley wasn’t much better, as Joe felt isolated from and unsupported by both staff and students. At the age of seventeen, he left the reservation and traveled around the United States and Canada, working in Montana and elsewhere, earning enough money to eat and to travel to pow-wows.

In 1942, he enlisted in the United States Army and spent the next three years in the European theater. After World War II, he returned to the United States and again traveled to look for work. For several years he migrated from job to job, but he eventually returned to White Earth. There he lived out the remainder of his life, together with his wife Gertrude, raising their children and making himself available as a community resource. He traveled frequently to speak at schools, pow-wows, and educational forums, always using Ojibwe and speaking about the importance of the language and bicultural living.

He impressed upon me the nature of the struggle for the Ojibwe language—how the language survives and remains intact but is losing speakers. He also inspired many with his wise words about the importance of language. Joe was dedicated to his family, people, and language. He was a true leader—not by command, position, or power, but by his peerless example of genuine goodness.

Gaawiin Giwanitoosiimin Gidinwewininaan

[1] “Haa ganabaj giwanitoomin,” ikidong. “Anishininaabe-izhichigeng giwanitoomin.” Gaawiin ganabaj—i’iw anishinaabemowin geyaabi ayaamagad. Mii go giinawind eta go; giwanishinimin, akina gegoo giwanitoomin. Anishinaabe-izhichigewinan miinawaa go anishinaabe gaa-pi-izhichigewaad mewinzha, geyaabi imaa ayaamagad. Like I heard one old gentleman say, “We’re not losing our language, the language is losing us.”

Gaa-jiikajiwegamaag Ingii-tazhi-ondaadiz Wiigiwaaming

[1] Ahaaw sa naa ingii-odaapinaa sa go asemaa, iidog wa’aw isa inini gaa-miizhid iidog, nawaj igo wii-kikenimid miinawaa go ezhichigeyaan omaa sa gaye niin akiing ayaayaan. Nashke o’ow, gimanidoominaan ingagwejimaa gaye niin ji-wiidookawid omaa sa noongom waa-ani-ayikidoyaan.

[2] Nashke ojibwe-izhinikaazoyaan, Giniw-aanakwad indizhinikaaz. Miinawaa dash o’ow chimookomaanikaazoyaan Joe Auginaush, indizhi-gikenimigoo.

[3] Owidi dash gii-ondaadiziyaan, mii go omaa besho zhaawanong omaa Gaa-jiikajiwegamaag ezhinikaadeg, agaamiing iwidi Gaa-jiikajiwegamaag ezhinikaadeg. Mii iwidi gaa-tazhi-ondaadiziyaan. Iskigamiziganing ingii-tazhi-ondaadiz; 1922 ingii-ondaadiz. Mii dash igo eko-gikendamaan; mii go gii-ayaayaang omaa sa iskigamiziganing. Idash indede iidog gii-ozhige owidi Auginaush Creek ezhinikaadeg, mii iwidi ozhiged.

[4] Mii dash igo apane gii-ayaayaang maagizhaa go ingoji go. Gaawiin ingikendanziin aapiji agindaasoyaan sa ojibwemowining, ingoding gii-inaakonigewaad inga-zhaaganaashiim. Maagizhaa go ingoji go ishwaaso-biboonagiziyaan ingii-apiitiz apii gikendamaan i’iw isa gikendamaan sa akina gegoo gaa-pi-izhiwebak miinawaa go gaa-pi-izhiwebiziyaang. Apane ko ingii-wiijiwaag sa ingitiziimag miinawaa go nookomisag anooj gii-izhaayaang gii-paa-niimi’idiiyaang, miinawaa midewining gii-izhaayaang.

[5] Biinish igo apii ingoji go midaaso-biboonagiziyaan gii-apiitiziyaan; mii apii gaa-maajaayaan gikinoo’amaadii-wigamigong, gii-izhaayaan. Gaawiin ingii-kikendanziin i’iw zhaaganaashiimowin apii gaa-maajaayaan. Iwidi dash Wahpeton, North Dakota ingii-izhiwinigoomin gikinoo’amaagooyaang. Owidi apii gaa-izhi-dagoshinaang, aanish naa gaawiin ingii-kikendanziin i’iw zhaaganaashiimowin. Ingii-kagwaadagitoo ko ingoji go; ingo-biboon ingii-kagwaadagitoon zhaaganaashiimoyaan.

[6] Inashke iwidi gaa-izhaayaang, gaawiin igo ingii-pagidinigoosiimin ji-ojibwemoyaang. Gaawiin gaye ingii-pagidinigoosiimin gegoo ji-nagamoyaang waa-ani-niimi’idiiyaang. Booch dash igo ingii-izhichigemin. Imaa