BOOZHOO NANABOOZHOO: Ojibwe Puppet and Music Program
(LITTLE FALLS, MN – January 5, 2022) At 66 letters long, “miinibaashkiminasiganibiitoosijiganibadagwiingweshiganibakwezhigan” is the longest word in the Ojibwe language. It means blueberry pie.
Ojibwe is a lyrical language that is being revitalized by the Native community through creative ways. Ojibwe musician and comedian, Michael Lyons, uses puppets to teach the language, history, and culture of the Ojibwe people.
Through a partnership of Great River Arts, the Morrison County Historical Society, and Great River Children’s Museum, Michael Lyons will be presenting BOOZHOO NANABOOZHOO, his Ojibwe puppet program. The performance will take place on January 27, 2022, at 7 p.m. at Great River Arts in downtown Little Falls, MN.
Prior to the performance, at 6:30 p.m., the Great River Children’s Museum will host a puppet-making activity. All supplies will be provided.
There will also be a brief presentation by artist Adrienne Benjamin, who designed new wayfinding signs for area parks that feature Native history and language. The signs were funded in part by Visit Little Falls and the Region Five Development Commission.
This all-ages program is free and open to the public. Masks are strongly encouraged at this in-person event.
For more information, contact Great River Arts at 320-632-0960 or the Morrison County Historical Society at 320-632-4007.
To see more of Michael Lyons’ work, visit his YouTube channel at MrBoozhoo: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGGEW91TMXHNxiwgI46nx7Q. One of his videos explains how to pronounce blueberry pie in Ojibwe.
