Minnesota Native Americans

My connections to the Ojibwe community meant that I grew up hearing many of the stories that are part of the Ojibwe oral traditions.

Minnesota Native Americans are almost exclusively either Ojibwe or Dakota with the Ojibwe predominating. This reflects the balance of power that was achieved between them by the time the European settlers began to appropriate their lands.

The Dakota now have four reservations, all less than three acres.

The larger, Ojibwe tribes occupy seven reservations, none smaller than 48,000 acres.

Minnesota is home to more bands of the Ojibwe or Chippewa nation than any other state. According to Ojibwe oral tradition they originally settled up and down the East Coast. Those who do not share this traditional view think it is more likely the Ojibwe lived next to Hudson's Bay and moved southward.

Minnesota Ojibwe culture is deeply ingrained in our family history. I spent many of my growing up years on Native American reservations. I lived on the Leech Lake reservation, the White Earth reservation and near the Red Lake reservation.

Most of my friends in those years were Ojibwe children and my best friend from those wonderful days is still one of my best friends.

The Pond-Dakota Mission Park is a place where you can explore some of Minnesota's Native American history and the connection to early missionaries. Gideon and Samuel Pond worked with the Dakota people during the mid-nineteenth century teaching people to farm and interpeting the Bible and other works into the native languages. the Gideon and Agnes Pond House is a facinating look at early Minnesota life.

That part of my history continues to inform my interest in Ojibwe history, culture and spirituality. There is a beautiful video that, I think, expresses much of what I feel and remember about that part of my life. It is not in Ojibwe, but the theme is one I deeply feel.

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