Through the Aanjibimaadizing Project, an initiative of the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe, 15 first speakers have teamed with linguists, teachers, and Ojibwe language experts to create this new literature for Ojibwe language learners. Conceived and presented only in Ojibwe, the stories reflect a rare authenticity as they convey cultural values, increase vocabulary, and reinforce identity. Akawe Niwii-tibaajim (First of All, I’m Telling a Story) was written for teachers, students, and Ojibwe language and culture enthusiasts ages fourteen and above.

In eighty brief original reminiscences and cultural stories, elders of the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe transmit a storehouse of experience and memories, wisdom and foolishness, and complex identity. Join Waasigwan (Shining Feather) as he navigates racism against blacks in an Ojibwe community, learn about the cultural nuances of an Ojibwe naming ceremony, and experience the deeper meanings in the Ojibwe wild rice harvest. This is traditional storytelling and Ojibwe cultural sharing at its finest. These are the stories that make us who we are. Agindaasodaa (let’s read)!