Louise Erdrich - Books and Islands in Ojibwe Country

Northern Lights

Lastly, this. Traditional Ojibwe people do not speak the names of those who have gone to the spirit world. Elders often shrug, hum, or look away when those names come into the conversation. After a generation, those names can be given to a close family member. That keeps the name alive. It is said that the person securely in the spirit world, visible dancing in the northern lights, is very happy to hear their name spoken by the living. But not using the names of the dead when referring to them, at least for some time, makes sense to me. It is a way of dealing with sorrow over the grievous loss of someone you love. I wasn’t raised that way, but it makes sense.

It is not, as some say, because you are calling their spirit back. It is not, as some say, because the spirit might grow troubled and return. I think it is because not speaking the person’s name keeps their spirit closer. It is somehow comforting not to speak of the person by name, but just to think of him leaping up rocks, scowling in his piercing way as he concentrates, smiling in delight or kindness, laughing in surprise, carrying his child on his shoulders. Mii’iw.

To Ojibwe speakers and language experts — I tried my best to get it right and went over the book in 2002 with Tobasonakwutiban. He told me the words that describe shades of feeling. I spelled them as I heard them. The Ojibwe is a mixture of Canadian and Southern dialects. Any mistakes are mine. The names of plants are found in Plants Used by the Great Lakes Ojibwa , James E. Meeker, Joan E. Elias, John A. Heim. Published by Great Lakes Fish and Wildlife Commission. The words for “computer” and “rhinoceros” were given to me by Nawiigizisiban, Jim Clark. Again, I spelled them as I heard them, and included them because they are delightful. I would like to thank everyone mentioned in these pages. Miigwech.

LOUISE ERDRICH is a native of North Dakota, where she was raised by her Ojibwe — French mother and German — American father. She is the author of fourteen novels as well as volumes of poetry, short stories, children’s books, and a memoir of early motherhood. Her novel The Round House won the National Book Award, and The Plague of Doves was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize and won the Anisfield — Wolf Book Award. Her novel Love Medicine won the National Book Critics Circle Award. Louise Erdrich lives in Minnesota and is the owner of Birchbark Books, an independent bookstore.