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Miigwech
Nish kwe is a shortened translation of “Anishinaabe woman.” Daunis prays daily to be a strong Nish kwe, like Auntie Teddie.
Nish Kwewag/Nish Kwe Quotes in Firekeeper’s Daughter
The Firekeeper’s Daughter quotes below are all either spoken by Nish Kwewag/Nish Kwe or refer to Nish Kwewag/Nish Kwe. For each quote, you can also see the other terms and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Chapter 36
Quotes
I am overcome with deep gratitude as I sit here next to Auntie before the fire. Auntie has shown me how to be a strong Nish kwe—full of love, anger, humor, sorrow, and joy. Not as something perfect: She is a woman who is complex and sometimes exhausted, but mostly brave. She loves imperfect people fiercely.
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Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 43
Quotes
Nibwaakaawin. Auntie told me the translation, breaking down each part of the word so it made perfect sense: To be wise is to live with an abundance of sight.
My whole life I’ve wanted to be like my aunt. The way a person dreams about being a ballerina, but not of broken toes and years of practice. I wanted to be a strong and wise Nish kwe, never considering how that abundance of sight would be earned.
I wanted to find out who was involved in the meth madness that took Lily and Uncle David. Robin and Heather, too. And the kids in Minnesota who got so sick from meth-X.
The person I was searching for this whole time was Levi.
Wisdom is not bestowed. In its raw state, it is the heartbreak of knowing things you wish you didn’t.
Chapter 55
Quotes
I am so tired. The weight of my expendability is crushing.
Not everyone gets justice. Least of all Nish kwewag.
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Nish Kwewag/Nish Kwe Term Timeline in Firekeeper’s Daughter
The timeline below shows where the term Nish Kwewag/Nish Kwe appears in Firekeeper’s Daughter. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 36
...Daunis by taking her blueberry picking. At the end of the year, all of Daunis’s Nish kwe relatives came to celebrate her passage into womanhood. Now, Daunis is grateful to Auntie, who’s...
(full context)
Chapter 43
...knows now that she didn’t realize how hard it would be to be a strong Nish kwe . She’s been searching for Levi this whole time. He’s hurt so many people, and...
(full context)
Chapter 57
...on one per day for a year as Auntie taught her about being a strong Nish kwe . She puts on a leather belt from Gramma Pearl, a beaded bag from Auntie,...
(full context)
