Emily Branigan

ENG 315WI
February 7, 2018

Seeing Culture Assignment: Ziibiwing Center Visit

Organizing a Rich Environment for Anishinabe Learners

 What was the purpose of the teaching lodge? What did children learn? How were they
taught? Who taught them?
The purpose of the teaching lodge, known as the kinoomaagegamik, was to hold the songs and
teachings of spirituality. The Anishinabe viewed teaching lodges as “settings for life-long
learning.” People, especially children, gathered to hear stories, sing songs, and worship in the
teaching lodge. Children learned about spirituality by reading from wiigwas (birchbark scrolls).
They were taught by elders and by the primary teacher, the mitigwakik dewewigan (water drum).
 What materials were essential to teaching and learning?
The materials that were essential to teaching and learning were the mitigwakik dewewigan and
ceremonial drums, wiigwas, shakers, offerings, megis, copper vessels and other containers, and
hides for sitting on.
 What is Midewiwin?
Midewiwin is “from the heart way of life.” Midewiwin encompasses spirituality and how to live
with, and honor, all of Creation. This is still practiced by the Anishinabe today.

Understanding How Language & Literacy Develop

Knowledge Construction (How Learning Happens)
 Within the three fires confederacy of the Anishinabe, what is the role of the Ojibway?
The Ojibway were the Keepers of songs and ceremonies.
 What is the heritage language of the Anishinabe people?
The heritage language of the Anishinabe was Anishinabemowin.
 What is blood memory and how is it a resource for learning?
Blood memory is known as “the thread that ties us to ancestors to Earth and to Spiritual beliefs.”
It consists of songs, language, ceremonial practices, and emotions that were given by the Creator
at birth. As the prophecy goes, as more Anishinabek recall blood memories, language and
spirituality will be spoken for the next Seven Generations.
Personal and Sociocultural Influences
 What is the Anishinabe clan system and why is it important?
The Anishinabe clan system (Dodem) is represented by animals, fish, and birds. The clan system
originated when these creatures promised the Creator that they would take are of the
Anishinabek and show them how to live in harmony. Anishinabek still identify as clans of
various animals, fish, and birds. This system is still practiced today. This is important because it
protects the Anishinabe culture and the individuals within the culture.
 How are children viewed in the Anishinabe culture? How are elders viewed?
Children in the Anishinabe culture are viewed as vital to carrying the language and tradition to
future generations. The elders are also viewed as vital for passing it down to younger
generations. Both children and elders have crucial roles for keeping the culture and language
alive.
 What are the Seven Teachings of the Anishinabe? How are they taught today?
The Seven Teachings are: Love, respect, bravery, honesty, humility, wisdom, and truth. They are
taught today by parents, elders, and older siblings. They are best taught when shown by example
and through storytelling.

Building an Outsider View of the Anishinabe Community

 What is the concept of sovereignty? Why would the Anishinabe interpret the founding of
the U.S. as ironic?
The term sovereignty holds several meanings within the Anishinabe community. They are:
o Maintaining treaties. Although the Anishinabe have been taken advantage of
through the works of several treaties, the Saginaw Chippewa tribe finds
sovereignty in keeping treaties within Isabella county so that sacred reservation
land can be maintained.
o Standing together. The Anishinabe ancestors set the foundation for maintaining
sovereignty status with the light-skinned U.S. government. Today, clans and
tribes maintain that sovereignty by coming together to keep their culture alive.
o Tribal. Anishinabe tribes have sovereignty in governing membership. In 1937, the
Saginaw Chippewa tribe established the Tribal Constitution, which abides by this
example of sovereignty.
o Gaming. Surprisingly, operating and maintaining the Soaring Eagle casino is a
major example of sovereignty. According to the Ziibiwing exhibit, “Gaming is
 allowed on federally recognized reservations because of our sovereign status as a
separate nation.
All of these examples of sovereignty have one major common factor: the Anishinabe stand
together as a separate people to protect one another and to keep their culture, language, and
traditions alive. The founding of the U.S. could be interpreted as ironic because the creators of
the Constitution emphasized sovereignty and how “all men are created equal.” As history shows,
this was never, and still isn’t, a true statement.
 What happened during the treaty era? What were typical conditions under which treaties
were negotiated? What government policies were used to remove Anishinabe people
from the lands?
During the treaty era, the Anishinabe were horribly taken advantage of. It was typical for tribal
leaders to be bribed with presents during negotiations. If they didn’t abide, they were threatened.
Tribal leaders were often given alcohol, since it was a foreign product, and manipulated into
signing treaties with white people. Sometimes, government representatives would provide
“translators” for the Anishinabe. These “translators” were often dishonest and lied to tribal
leaders about the true intentions behind negotiated treaties. The results of most of these treaties,
such as the Saginaw Treaty (1819), was the forced removal of tribes from their land. The more
treaties that were put into place, the further westward Native Americans were forced from their
homeland.
 What happened at government boarding schools?
Children were forced to attend a segregated boarding school starting at age 5 or 6. Some children
had to leave their homes and travel hundreds of miles to the nearest school. Students were forced
to wear uniforms and march like soldiers. They were taught Christianity and were forbidden to
speak their primary language. Every Sunday, they marched to church.
 How would this legacy of treaty violations, forced removal from land, and separation
from family, language, and culture shape families’ relationships to public schools, its
curriculum, and practices?
With the “baggage” that U.S. history has dropped on the Anishinabe, I can imagine that there
could be a mistrust with the public school system. The culture of these people was ripped right
out of their hands because of the choices that white people made. School is a place where
children spend hours out of each day. There are still people to this day who have attended Indian
boarding schools as children and still hold a grudge against public schools. In addition to this,
school attendance is heavily mandated and required by law. Many public schools are not open to
teaching different cultures. In fact, history books skew the U.S. history facts and skip over many
events in which the U.S. government had made horrible decisions, such as manipulating tribes
during treaty-signing. Anishinabe families may have learned to forgive history’s baggage, but I
would not blame them if they still have any mistrust in the public school systems.