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The Way a Grandmother Holds Us

Artwork by Sam Zimmerman.

This newest piece celebrates my nookomis (grandmother). I told my indede (dad) recently that I wasn’t sure if I baawaajige (dreamt) about my nookomis (grandmother) or if she visited me. I’ve always felt her close when Gii-kwiinawi-inendam gii-pi-wiindamawind gichi-aakozinid ookomisan (I’m sick). When I had appendicitis in college and it burst, she visited me in a baawaajige (dream) in the hospital after surgery.

This newest piece celebrates that zaagi’idiwin (love) shared between a nookomis (grandmother) and her oozhisimaag (grandchild). There are naanimidana nishwaaswi (58) anangoog (stars) in the giizhig (sky) for her age when she journeyed on. She had midaaswi ashi niiwin (14) noozhisag (grandchildren) that are captured in the number of zhingwaakwag (pine trees) in the background. I may have gotten carried away with the beadwork on the dikinaagan (cradleboard).

Follow my studio on Facebook and Instagram @CraneSuperior or if you have ideas for a North Shore painting, cranesuperiorstudio@gmail.com.

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