Culture & Traditions

Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe Culture

as told by Mille Lacs Band Members

Ancestors of today’s Ojibwe people lived in family clans. Before the advent of telephones or mail service, the clans’ patriarchs designated people to carry their news to other Ojibwe families. This way of sharing news became known as the “moccasin telegraph” (referring to the moccasins the Indian people wore at that time). Today, Mille Lacs Band members share their stories about the Ojibwe culture, history and traditions through a local newspaper column called the Moccasin Telegraph. Below are their stories.

The success of this column, led to the creation of “Perspectives,” which is a series of columns by the next generation of Band members. In this series, Band members describe what it is like to be an American Indian today.

	Kelly Applegate Tradition of watching purple martins
	Wesley Ballinger Revitalizing the Ojibwe language
	Marie Bengston The best things in life Coming home, physically and culturally
	Millie Benjamin Becoming a woman Ojibwe funerals Tobacco on our journey through life Traditional Ojibwe crafts Using tobacco to pray for others
	LeAnn Benjamin Learning about Ojibwe traditions at school and at home
	Perry Benjamin Learning and teaching traditions
	Lana Burdette Passing down Ojibwe traditions
	Melissa Boyd Learning from my Elders
	Jim Clark Always moving, always camping Anishinaabe entertainment As long as we hear those drums Getting familiar with each other Keeping the Ojibwe language alive My memories of Indian school Our reservation is our cultural home Respecting each others' beliefs Teaching people about Anishinaabe The Center of the Moon Tobacco as a gift and offering Language is a brick wall Trees and birds Looking beyond race to individuals
	Isabelle Eubanks Grandma and Aunt Rose
	Gahbow Family Singing on the drum
	Janet Gahbow Traditions I learned from my grandparents
	Marene Hedstrom Traditional ceremonies when I was a child
	Viola Hendren Between Ojibwe and English Grandmother's crafts
	Carol Hernandez How my personal battle with smoking led me to educate
	Clara Jackson Stories shared restore history, culture
	Curt Kalk How my grandfather taught me to care for the land Reservation is more than just land I will always be here
	Loretta Kegg-Kalk Growing up with traditions Sharing traditions with children and grandchildren
	Syngen Kanassatega Perspectives: Going out and coming home to the Reservation Perspectives: Carrying on the Ojibwe language and culture
	Betty Kegg What my mother taught me
	David Matrious Sharing the Ojibwe culture through my work Returning to my cultural roots
	Cheryl Minnema Bead working hands
	Joe Nayquonabe Sr. How the drum helped me with my sobriety
	Joe Nayquonabe, Jr. My dad's impact on my education and lifelong learning Learning all sides of my heritage
	Rose Noonday Childhood memories Everyone loves my frybread
	Lynelle Northbird On the powwow trail
	Sarah Oswaldson Our migration story
	Erik Parsons Its never too late to learn traditions
	Renee Pewaush Perspectives: Serving my country and my tribe
	Lee Staples Ceremonial drums and ceremonial dances Ceremonies for our children Relationship to the environment The role of woman Winter legends start with snowfall Spirituality Part I Spirituality Part II
	Ben Sam Perspectives: Showing respect to the Creator Perspectives: What it means to have Native pride
	Dorothy Sam Taking pride in heritage
	Kelly Sam Why I'm learning the Ojibwe language Welcome to “Perspectives: The Band’s Next Generation” My family story
	Leonard Sam Hunting, an important way of life Ricing and fishing
	Mary Sam History of American Indian voting rights
	Darrell Shingobe Perfecting the mix of sports, culture and youth Lacrosse: A Native American sport
	Larry Smallwood Gifts received in dreams and visions Ojibwe names are spiritual names Preserving our Language and Culture II Respecting all people's ways Respecting the Creator's creation Special gifts to help others Sweat lodges are for purification The jingle dress as dreamed The meaning of powwows
	Beatrice Taylor My life Ojibwe elders Old-style cooking Quilting Sewing Sharing Summer gathering Teaching grandchildren the language The migration story The rhythm of ricing Growing up among nature
	Carol Towle and Elizabeth Towle Scott Learning together and from each other A shared interest in politics
	Dr. Arne Vainio My Native Voice Observing the world one experiment at a time
	Kenny Weyaus Coming home Fall ricing Sharing cultures at the Mille Lacs Indian Museum Springtime sugarbushing Summer traditions Traditional roles in Ojibwe society Winter traditions Our place to stay
	Natalie Weyaus Growing up on the reservation Always interested in learning Coming together