Ojibwe terms for spider, spiderweb and net charm

[Lisette Pétiquay]

Il me reste le primaire la grille plus les secteurs privé je crois

De : ALGONQUIANA [mailto:ALGONQUIANA at LISTSERV.LINGUISTLIST.ORG] De la part de Mary Ann Corbiere
Envoyé : 16 avril 2014 10:32
À : ALGONQUIANA at LISTSERV.LINGUISTLIST.ORG
Objet : Ojibwe terms for spider, spiderweb and net charm

Aanii.

I have heard two variations for 'spider' from Ojibwek from communities in the Manitoulin area and from those around the north and eastern shores of Lake Huron.

These are esbikenh and sabkeshiinh. These seem to be built on the word for net, sap (or sab), and mean 'the netmaker' (the noun being formed much the same way that eknoomaagenh is formed; sab-ke means 'he/she makes nets'.

Some say 'esbikenh-sabiins' for spiderweb, but another term I heard is 'esbikenh-nabiig'igaans'. The second part of that is related to 'naabii'ige', a verb used to describe the activities of knitting or crocheting -- not that we actually imagine that spiders are wielding knitting needles or crochet hooks :)

The topic of dreamcatchers and their components has not come up in any of the workshops I've had with the speakers from the various communities. But like others have commented, dreamcatchers are primarily crafts produced for tourists although some of the younger Native people revitalizing their Native identity may attach cultural/spiritual significance to them. So, nothing has come up that could be regarded as meaning 'net charms'.

M. Naokwegijig-Corbiere

>>> <g.fulford at ICLOUD.COM<mailto:g.fulford at ICLOUD.COM>> 04/15/14 6:12 PM >>>
Hello All -

I am presently revising a paper on spiders and net charms that builds on Cath Oberholtzer’s 2012 book Dream Catchers: Legend, Lore and Artifacts (Richmond Hill ON, Firefly Books).  I seek your help in determining the correct terms for the Swampy Cree, East Cree and Ojibwe terms for spider, spiderweb and what Cath called “net charms” and what have come to be known as “dream catchers”.  Can you help?  Any dictionary or other published sources for these terms, together with the system you are using for transcription would be particularly helpful.

Kihchi miikwech!

George Fulford
University of Winnipeg


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