Anishinaabeg of Lake Superior

Catalog description

This course familiarizes students with the culture, history, and contemporary state of the Ojibwe in the Lake Superior region. Topics include Ojibwe worldview, oral tradition, migration, and interactions with foreign nations. We explore precontact religion, culture, agriculture, and geography, the roots and results of historical trauma, the revitalization of Ojibwe language, religion, government, and social structures, as well as the reclamation of land and sovereignty. Students will engage with local Ojibwe communities to gain firsthand perspective and explore contemporary Ojibwe music, fine art, and literature. AMIN/PE 1052 1 lab credit American Indian Hand Games This course provides an introduction to the history, rules, etiquette and skills of American Indian Hand Games. Hand games are a highly competitive game of skill and chance. The course focuses on both traditional styles of American Indian Hand Games played at the American Indian Higher Education Consortium Student Conference (AIHEC): Fathead and Cheyenne style. A traditional form of game among Indigenous people, the course also provides cultural awareness. AMIN 1061 1 lab credit Ojibwe Seasonal Activities This course facilitates participation in Ojibwe seasonal activities that are physical in nature allowing for a broad range of physical abilities. Students are encouraged to select activities that acquaint and/or further engage them in the traditional processes, protocols and skills necessary to participate in the selected seasonal activity (e.g. canoeing, gardening, hide tanning, maple sugaring, wild rice or plant harvesting, pow-wow dancing, etc.). Appropriate activities are hands-on and participatory. Anishinaabe knowledge is not required but will be learned throughout the process as the student engages in the activity and learning outcomes. This course is an Independent-study style course. Each activity is prearranged with the instructor. Students propose to instructor what the activity is, when and where the activity will take place and how they will achieve the necessary learning outcomes. This course fulfills PE requirements and can be retaken with different seasonal activities (for a total of up to 3 credits) AMIN/ART 1075 3 credits (1 lecture, 2 lab) Introduction to Jewelry An exploration of the design, materials and technical processes of jewelry fabrication. Focus is on use of natural materials and found objects with particular emphasis on Indigenous American Indian reference and cultural traditions. (This course does not address hot metal fabrication techniques such as silver soldering or casting.)