A few weeks ago, in Tettegouche State Park, I saw a flash of miskozaawizi (orange) and waabishkaa (white) in a zhingwaak (pine tree). I thought it was a red ajidamoo (squirrel), but then I realized it was a waabizheshi (pine marten). As I was scrambling to get my gloves off to take a picture, he ran down the branch after seeing an ajidamoo (squirrel) and jumped after it. A few minutes passed with a ruckus, and I realized the waabizheshi (pine marten) wasn’t saying boozhoo (hello).
Later that day, I was talking to nindede (my dad) about it, and in true deadpan gichi-anishinaabe (elder) tone, he said, “The marten has to eat, too.” It’s only the second time I’ve seen a waabizheshi (pine marten), and I wanted to honor that moment in a new piece.
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