We arrived in Bemidji last night with 25 hours of car travel, the six-mile-long Mackinac Bridge, a sunset over Lake Michigan, a chilly night on the shore (for a few brave souls), a night on the floor of a church (for the rest of us), a close call (almost running out of gas), a hearty breakfast at “The Navigator” in Munising, and our first glimpse of Ojibwe tribal lands behind us.
Already, some students observed the racism that the Ojibwe in this area face. Upon finding out that we are here to learn about and from the Ojibwe, residents responded with “Why would you want to do that?” and “You better not go to the reservation at night.” Others just shook their heads.
This morning, we received Dr. Anton Treuer, a professor of Ojibwe Language, with a presentation of tobacco leaves. Already, we have learned that in Ojibwe culture, one gives before taking or receiving.
We heard the Ojibwe language for the first time as Dr. Truer introduced himself by clan and location.
“Native people are probably the most imagined but the least understood of minorities in America,” Dr. Treuer said.
Before beginning his presentation of the history of the indigenous peoples of North America, he warned against the two extremes of denigrating or romanticizing native cultures and histories. He then challenged us to think about why Indian history, according to most textbooks, begins somewhere around 1492, “when Columbus sailed the ocean blue.”
It soon became clear that a lot of the “facts” about Indians that we read in our history books are at best theories and at worst lies. There is archeological evidence that indigenous peoples inhabited the Americas 17,000 years ago—long before the supposed migration from Asia during the last ice age. Then there’s the nasty truth that many early discoverers didn’t want to classify indigenous people as humans—so they could be subjugated to slave labor without all of the laborious effort of converting them.
As for Columbus, who is still celebrated as “discovering” the “new world”—he was responsible for the execution of 10,000 native people on the island that now comprises Haiti and the Dominican Republic. They died for failing to produce the gold that Columbus demanded from them.
George Washington, our revered first president, paid revolutionary soldiers with land grants of tribal lands.
What happened in our nation’s history amounts to nothing less than genocide. Ninety-five percent of the indigenous population in North America died of disease and violence after the arrival of Columbus. Countless others have been victims of the poverty, stripping of culture, seizing of lands, and unemployment that the policies of the American government have caused.
It was clear that Dr. Treuer wasn’t telling us this to make us feel bad or to voice his own anger. He said that it is necessary to look at the ugly chapters of our history before healing can occur—just as an unfaithful husband must acknowledge his wrongdoing before he can rebuild trust with his wife.
The rest of the morning included discussions of tribal sovereignty, gender roles, coming-of-age ceremonies, historical tribal warfare, and the role of casinos on reservations today.
This afternoon, we had the opportunity to get outside on a hike led by Michael Wassegijig Price, an ethnobotanist. We explored a peat bog, noting the birches that Ojibwe traditionally used to make canoes and the medicinal plant used to make swamp tea, among others. We also discussed the role that such bogs play in capturing carbon—a crucial function in mitigating global warming. Any time we plucked a plant or took a piece of bark, we offered tobacco as thanks to the giver.
After our hike, we learned about Ojibwe clans. Each is an animal—such as eagles, pike, minks, turtles, and wolves—and each traditionally fills a certain societal role, such as leaders, teachers, warriors, medicine men, and hunters.
Mr. Price also explained that the Ojibwe rank the earth above plants, which are above animals, which are above people. People are ranked last, because they depend upon more for their existence. This ethic strongly informs Ojibwe interactions with the environment.
It is the end of the first day, and already we have been challenged to see ourselves, our history, and our relationship with the environment in a new way. We eagerly anticipate what the next three weeks will bring.
Already, some students observed the racism that the Ojibwe in this area face. Upon finding out that we are here to learn about and from the Ojibwe, residents responded with “Why would you want to do that?” and “You better not go to the reservation at night.” Others just shook their heads.
This morning, we received Dr. Anton Treuer, a professor of Ojibwe Language, with a presentation of tobacco leaves. Already, we have learned that in Ojibwe culture, one gives before taking or receiving.
We heard the Ojibwe language for the first time as Dr. Truer introduced himself by clan and location.
“Native people are probably the most imagined but the least understood of minorities in America,” Dr. Treuer said.
Before beginning his presentation of the history of the indigenous peoples of North America, he warned against the two extremes of denigrating or romanticizing native cultures and histories. He then challenged us to think about why Indian history, according to most textbooks, begins somewhere around 1492, “when Columbus sailed the ocean blue.”
It soon became clear that a lot of the “facts” about Indians that we read in our history books are at best theories and at worst lies. There is archeological evidence that indigenous peoples inhabited the Americas 17,000 years ago—long before the supposed migration from Asia during the last ice age. Then there’s the nasty truth that many early discoverers didn’t want to classify indigenous people as humans—so they could be subjugated to slave labor without all of the laborious effort of converting them.
As for Columbus, who is still celebrated as “discovering” the “new world”—he was responsible for the execution of 10,000 native people on the island that now comprises Haiti and the Dominican Republic. They died for failing to produce the gold that Columbus demanded from them.
George Washington, our revered first president, paid revolutionary soldiers with land grants of tribal lands.
What happened in our nation’s history amounts to nothing less than genocide. Ninety-five percent of the indigenous population in North America died of disease and violence after the arrival of Columbus. Countless others have been victims of the poverty, stripping of culture, seizing of lands, and unemployment that the policies of the American government have caused.
It was clear that Dr. Treuer wasn’t telling us this to make us feel bad or to voice his own anger. He said that it is necessary to look at the ugly chapters of our history before healing can occur—just as an unfaithful husband must acknowledge his wrongdoing before he can rebuild trust with his wife.
The rest of the morning included discussions of tribal sovereignty, gender roles, coming-of-age ceremonies, historical tribal warfare, and the role of casinos on reservations today.
This afternoon, we had the opportunity to get outside on a hike led by Michael Wassegijig Price, an ethnobotanist. We explored a peat bog, noting the birches that Ojibwe traditionally used to make canoes and the medicinal plant used to make swamp tea, among others. We also discussed the role that such bogs play in capturing carbon—a crucial function in mitigating global warming. Any time we plucked a plant or took a piece of bark, we offered tobacco as thanks to the giver.
After our hike, we learned about Ojibwe clans. Each is an animal—such as eagles, pike, minks, turtles, and wolves—and each traditionally fills a certain societal role, such as leaders, teachers, warriors, medicine men, and hunters.
Mr. Price also explained that the Ojibwe rank the earth above plants, which are above animals, which are above people. People are ranked last, because they depend upon more for their existence. This ethic strongly informs Ojibwe interactions with the environment.
It is the end of the first day, and already we have been challenged to see ourselves, our history, and our relationship with the environment in a new way. We eagerly anticipate what the next three weeks will bring.
