Paige Hemry

ENG 315WI
Tues, Thurs at 11AM
Part I: Seeing Culture

The Prompts:

Organizing a Rich Environment for Anishinabe Learners:

1. The lodges they build honor their connection to all of creation. The teaching lodge
provides the setting for life-long learning. The children learn of original spirituality. They
learn through ceremonies, prayers, songs, stories, and wiigwaas scrolls. The mitigwakik
dewewigan (water drum) is the primary teacher as it holds the songs and teaching of
original spirituality.
2. Essential to teaching and learning was: fire, water, tobacco, cedar, sage, sweet grass,
shakers, pipers, copper vessels, megis (shell), wooden bowls, decorated animal pelts,
and hides.
3. Midewiwin is from the heart way of life, which is their original spirituality.

Understanding How Language & Literacy Develop:

4. During the Three Fires Confederacy, The Ojibwe were the Keepers of Songs and
Ceremonies.
5. The heritage language of the Anishinabe people is Anishinabemowin.
6. Blood Memory is the center of strength for the Anishinabe people. It ties them to their
ancestors and to the Earth. Their elders tell them about their innate ability to
understand and absorb. They use blood memory to relearn their language as well.
7. Dodems (clans) were established as animal, fish, and bird clans. This showed them how
to live in harmony with creation. They sacrificed themselves for food and clothing for
the people.
8. Children represent their future while elders teach the young ones the important lessons
of life and culture. Then, one day, the children become the elders and the cycle repeats.
9. The Seven Teachings are love, respect, bravery, honesty, humility, wisdom, and truth.
They believe it is up to them, the New People of the Seventh Fire, to give the Seven
Teachings to the world.

Building an Outsider View of the Anishinabe Community:

10. Sovereignty is self governing and is an inherent right for tribal nations today.
11. During the treaty era, tribal leaders were threatened, given presents, and piled with
liquor during treaty negotiations. Promises were made. An interpreter, hired by the
Government, translated the negotiations between the two nations. Gifts were brought
to the table as gestures of goodwill, such as alcohol. These gifts were provided in
 exchange for land. Government policies included efforts to remove them from their
land. Genocide, small pox, and forced removal were ways to secure Michigan territory.
12. Children were forced to march like soldiers in Government boarding schools. They were
also taught Christianity and were forbidden to speak their native language, causing
them to assimilate.
13. The legacy of treaty violations, forced removal from land, separation from family,
language, and culture shaped families’ relationships to public schools, curriculum, and
practices to a large extent. They have unwavering commitment to their families and
community. They still view their youth as a crucial part of their society that will one day
be leaders. Their veterans who fought, continue to set high standards. The community
continues to rely on the knowledge of their elders. They practice oral history and
preserve the songs and stories of their people through time.