The resources, a joint effort between the University’s American Indian Resource Center, Office of Communications and Marketing and eLearning Support, offer an easily-accessible primer for translations of nearly 100 English phrases common to Northern Minnesota into Ojibwe.
The poster features the English words next to their Ojibwe equivalents in nine categories such as “Expressions,” “Trees,” and “North Country.”
The videos feature Bemidji State’s Ojibwe scholar Dr. Anton Treuer, professor of languages and ethnic studies, who provides an audio pronunciation for each of the terms on the poster.
Treuer also provides an audio introduction to the resources, first in Ojibwe and then in English, offering his views on the importance of the Ojibwe language and on the Shared Vision initiative.
Shared Vision is a community effort to address the issue of racial diversity and racial disparity. Shared Vision Bemidji encourages the Bemidji community to work together and expand social, economic, educational, and leadership opportunities for peoples of all races.One of Shared Vision’s first community initiatives encouraged local businesses and organizations to install bi-lingual signage in their buildings to expand awareness of the Ojibwe language in the Bemidji community. Bemidji State University has been participating in this initiative for more than a year, with bi-lingual signs installed in a variety of locations across campus.
“The downloadable poster and video features add to Bemidji State University’s contributions to the Shared Vision initiative,” said Dr. Rose Jones, the University’s director of communications and marketing. “The materials are fun and educational and should be a great resource for people interested in the Ojibwe language.”
See Shared Vision’s Ojibwe language resources at:
• Shared Vision Bemidji:
www.sharedvisionbemidji.com
• Shared Vision – Bemidji State’s American Indian Resource Center: www.bemidjistate.edu/airc/shared_vision .
