Ojibwe Sugaring Season

Iskigamizigewin (the work of the sugar-makers)

In late March (onaabani-giizis, ‘the month of the crust on the snow’), just before sap begins to run (maajigaa), the Ojibwe family takes the necessary equipment out of its storage place (asanjigoowigamig) in the sugar camp (iskigamizigan) and taps (ozhiga’ige) each maple tree (ininaatig) that is large and healthy enough to be productive. They make a slanting slash (ozhiga’igan) through the bark into the sapwood and, at the bottom of the incision, drive in a wood spile (negwaakwaan), from which the sap (wiishkobaaboo sweet water’, ziinzibaakwadaaboo sugar water’) drips into a birchbark sap bucket (biskitenaagan, ‘bent dish’). If the weather is good (mizhakwad)—freezing nights and mild days—the sap drips fast (gizhiigaa), and the woman collects (naadoobii) the sap in a gathering bucket (nadooban) and stores it in large birchbark troughs (sing. atoobaan). Ice that forms on the sap overnight is removed; the ice is almost pure water, so the sugar content of the remaining sap increases, which reduces the amount of boiling (ombigamizigan) needed to make sugar (ziinzibaakwad).

The sugar-making woman (iskigamizigekwe) runs the sap through a strainer (zhaabobiiginigan) and boils it (iskigamizige, or ombigamizige) in a kettle (akik), which is hung over the fire by a hook (agoodakikwan) from the pole (iskigamiziganaatig) of the sap-boiling frame (iskigamiziganaak). (Before the arrival of iron kettles about 300 years ago, sap was boiled by hot rocks in a trough.) When the sap has thickened enough, it is transferred to a wooden trough (nase’inaagan), where the woman stirs (nase’ige, or naseyaawangwe) the heavy syrup (zhiiwaagamizigan) with her hands or with a wooden paddle (gaashkakokwe’igan) until it crystallizes. The granular sugar (nase’igan) is stored in a waterproof birchbark container (makak), where it will keep well for several months. With a wooden ladle (mitigwemikwaan), she pours (ziiga’ige) some of the heavy syrup into molds (such as the upper bill of a duck) and makes it into solid cake-sugar (ziiga’igan); she also makes some of it into taffy-like sugar (called bigiwizigan, from bigiw ‘pitch’, for its gummy chewiness).

As Spring (ziigwan) advances and the maples begin to bud, the last good sap runs (ishkwaaga). The sap becomes cloudy (waakwaagami; possible meaning ‘it is liquid like fish spawn [in appearance]’) and tastes bad (ishkwaagapogwad); at that point, the sugar-maker finishes up her sap-boiling (ishkwaagamizige). When all the sugar has been packaged, the equipment is stored, and the sugar-making lodge (iskigamizigewigamig) is closed up. The family leaves the place of maples (ininaatigong) until next April (iskigamizige-giizis, ‘sugaring month’).

Pronunciation

a: uh (like the ‘a’ in about)

aa: ah (father)

e: ay (hay)

i: ih (bit)

ii: ee (beet)

o: o (obey), oo (book)

oo: o (boat), oo (boot)

‘: (glottal stop, like the catch between the syllables in uh-oh)

The other consonants are roughly as in English.

Alan Hartley, April 2011