Strawberry Moon

Strawberry Moon (Ode'min Giizis) is the month of June. This song was written by Tara Williamson, Opaskwayak Cree Nation. The flowers and fruit of wild strawberries are one of the first of the season in Manitoba and this song celebrates the beginning of summer. Ode'min literally means heartberry and, like a beautiful heart, strawberries represent kindness, sweetness, love.

Ode'min Giizis, ambe omaa            Strawberry (heartberry) moon, come here       

Ode'min Giizis, ambe omaa Strawberry (heartberry) moon, come here     

Ode'min Giizis, ambe omaa Strawberry (heartberry) moon, come here     

Ambe omaa, ambe omaa Come here, come here

There’ll be no more frost by the strawberry moon

We’ll take our first swim on a cool night in June

And all that is sweet and all that is kind

Will grow like a heart from the end of a vine

Ode'min Giizis, ambe omaa                         

Ode'min Giizis, ambe omaa

Ode'min Giizis, ambe omaa

Ambe omaa, ambe omaa

Niijiiwaaganag, ndinawe                    Friends, family

Nishiime gaye nimisenh                    Our younger siblings and our older siblings

Biindigeg, oh biindigeg                     Everyone come in

Biindigeg, oh biindigeg Everyone come in

Ode'min Giizis, ambe omaa           

Ode'min Giizis, ambe omaa

Ode'min Giizis, ambe omaa

Ambe omaa, ambe omaa

Ode'min Giizis, ambe omaa           

Ode'min Giizis, ambe omaa

Ode'min Giizis, ambe omaa

Ambe omaa, ambe omaa