The Ojibwe Shoulder Bag Kit provides hands-on learning about arts, culture, and history of Ojibwe sovereign nations.
Based on stories from the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe in Central Minnesota, this kit can enrich your lessons on Native culture, wherever you live in the United States or beyond.
Much more than a simple coloring activity, the kit's project serves three main purposes:
Ojibwe Shoulder Bag Kits are intended for K-12 education audiences.
We have aligned this kit with state and national standards and benchmarks for grades 2–7. This link outlines the standards alignment for this packet.
Academic Standards Connections
Cheryl Minnema, Waabaanakwadookwe (White Cloud Woman), is a member of the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe. Her design and story are featured in the kit.
She grew up watching her grandmother, mother, and sisters as they beaded traditional dance outfits. Cheryl is now doing her part to keep traditions alive. She points out: “Now I’m in the position where I can start helping to pass on what I have learned. It means a lot to me, because it’s such a big part of our culture.”
Darren Moose, Sr., Ogemabenez (King Eagle), is a member of the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe. He wrote and recorded the flute music included in the Resource CD. He is also a visual artist who enjoys making dance regalia.
He expresses his philosophy in this way: “It’s not how many notes you play at any given time; it’s what you do with each note.”
