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23 Ojibwe Quotes, Sayings & Proverbs Everyone Should Know

Ojibwe people use a lot of sayings and expressions in daily life which offer advice and even sometimes have hidden meanings.

Check out these proverbs and quotes below to gain some insight into Ojibwe beliefs and ways of thinking. 

Below I’ve listed famous Ojibwe quotes, inspiring Ojibwe sayings and common Ojibwe proverbs.

Famous Ojibwe Quotes & Ojibwe Sayings

Below I’ve listed the most famous Ojibwe quotes as well as some common Ojibwe sayings. These are used often in day to day life.

Please note: Ojibwe is also referred to as Chippewa so this list is also Chippewa quotes and Chippewa proverbs.

  1. Man belongs to the Earth, Earth does not belong to man.
Famous Ojibwe saying which reads 'man belongs to the earth, earth does not belong to man'.
  1. It is less of a problem to be poor, than to be dishonest.
  1. May you be strengthened by yesterday’s rain, walk straight in tomorrow’s wind and cherish each moment of the sun today. 
  1. Not every sweet root gives birth to sweet grass.
  1. ‘Let us be the ancestors our descendants will thank’. – Winona Laduke
  1. ‘I do not think the measure of a civilization is how tall its concrete buildings are, but rather how well its people have learnt to relate to their environment and fellow man’. – Sun Bear 
  1. Sacred one, teach us love, compassion and honor. Teach us to heal the earth and heal each other. – Ojibwe prayer
  1. ‘Ojibwe prophecy speaks of a time during the seventh fire when our people will have a choice between two paths. The first path is well worn and scorched. The second path is new and green. It is our choice as communities and as individuals how we will proceed’. – Winona Laduke
  1. It may be that one little root of the sacred tree still lives. Nourish it, then when it blooms, fill it with singing birds.
  1. I ask for wisdom and strength, not to be superior to my brothers, but to be able to fight my greatest enemy, myself. – Ojibwe prayer
  1. There comes a time when we must stop crying and wringing our hands and get on with the healing that we are so much in need of.
  1. Everything on Earth has a purpose, every disease a herb to cure it and every person a mission. 

Beautiful Ojibwe Quotes & Ojibwe Proverbs

Below I’ve listed a range of famous and inspirational Ojibwe quotes and Ojibwe proverbs.

  1. No tree has branches so foolish as to fight among themselves.
Famous Ojibwe saying which reads 'no tree has branches so foolish as to fight among themselves'.
  1. Listen to the wind, it talks. Listen to the silence, it speaks. Listen to your heart, it knows.
  1. Treat the Earth and all that dwell upon it with respect.
  1. Always respect the land.
  1. Dedicate a share of your efforts to the greater good.
  1. It is good to tell one’s heart.
  1. No one else can represent your conscience.
  1. Most of us do not look as handsome to others as we do to ourselves.
  1. What the people believe is true.
  1. Toward calm and shady places I am walking on the Earth.
  1. Sometimes I go about pitying myself and all the while I am being carried across the sky by beautiful clouds.

Thanks for reading this post on the best Ojibwe quotes about life, famous Ojibwe sayings and fascinating Ojibwe proverbs.

These Ojibwe quotes & sayings give an interesting insight into the Ojibwe beliefs and language.

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