Anishinaabe Way: Lives, Words and Stories of Ojibwe People

Turtle Mountain Anishinaabe writer and poet Heid Erdrich has just completed a recipe book and memoir titled "Original Local: Indigenous Foods, Stories and Recipes from the Upper Midwest" (Minnesota Historical Society Press, 2013). In this segment, she discusses the realm of indigenous foods, the importance of protecting traditional foods in relation to Native culture, and she shares her introduction to a recipe from the book for a dish inspired by her visits to the North Shore of Lake Superior. Signed copies of her book are available at Birchbark Books in Minneapolis. This book and many other books by Heid Erdrich can also be found at Drury Lane Books in Grand Marais, MN. "Anishinaabe Way" is produced by Staci Drouillard.

Cook County Anishinaabe language and culture teacher Tom Jack is from Lake of the Woods in Ontario. In this segment, he speaks with producer Staci Drouillard about his personal experience with the Residential School System in Canada and how that experience has shaped his view of education and teaching. He also explains the role that the Anishinaabe language plays in defining both historical and modern educational concepts.

Milt Powell grew up on the Canadian side of Saganaga Lake where he lived with his family on what was once known as "Powell's Bay."  In this segment, he tells the story of his Uncle Frank Powell's acquisition of an airplane, his father's experience as a Wilderness Ranger at Quetico Provincial Park and how the wilderness designation affected him personally. Milt's wife Alice Powell also shares a story about when Jack Powell came to town for the first time in 40 years.

A conversation with the poet Czarina Crow. In this segment, Anishinaabe Cook County High School student Czarina Crow shares a poem and talks about where she finds inspiration, poetry as an exploration of characters outside of her own experience, and why she likes poetry better than other kinds of writing.

Johnson Loud Jr. is a potter, a painter, and an Episcopal Priest who has served his parish at Prairie Island, Minnesota for 15 years. He is from the Red Lake Ojibwe Reservation in Northern Minnesota. He was recently in Cook County along with his colleague Robert Two Bulls, for an art show and a series of religious seminars. In this interview with WTIP producer Staci Drouillard, he discusses the connection between his art and his work as an Episcopal priest.

Me'tis artist Christi Belcourt lives near Manitoulin Island, Ontario. She creates intricate paintings inspired by the traditional beading process and woodland style of beadwork design. In this edition of "Anishinaabe Way: Lives, Words and Stories of Ojibwe People," she shares her influences, her art and her artistic process. She also talks about her current work co-coordinating the project "Walking With Our Sisters," a Commemorative Art Installation for the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women of Canada.

It is estimated that 600+ native women in Canada have gone missing or have been murdered in the last 20 years. Many have vanished without a trace with little to no concern paid by the media, the general public or politicians. For this project, 600+ moccasin tops (vamps) are being created by hundreds of people to create one large collaborative art piece that will be installed for the public in various galleries and sites. They will be installed in a winding path of beaded vamps on cloth over a gallery floor. The exhibit is currently booked to tour across Canada and perhaps into the United States. For more about this project including the exhibition schedule, visit the "Walking With Our Sisters" Facebook page.