This project will support the inaugural season of the Culture Workers Collaborative (CWC), a cohort program for Minnesota culture bearers seeking to lead their communities in amplifying cultural heritage, building identity, and increasing cultural self-determination. Over the course of the program, culture bearers will 1) participate in 15 monthly professional development sessions; 2) carry out a series of 31 culturally diverse humanities activities that empower their communities in building identity and culture.
Finnish-American artist Diane Jarvi, in cooperation with local historical and educational groups, will establish ongoing community kantele (Finnish folk harp) and Finnish folk music workshops, and initiate Finn Hall style cultural gatherings in Cokato, Minnesota.
Ojibwemotaadidaa Omaa Gidakiiminaang - Complete staff field trainings led by elder-first speakers focused on ricing, trapping, sugar bush and basket-making. Produce high quality audio files of the language of each cultural activity and develop immersion curriculum for each incorporating the audio. Apply, test and disseminate the curriculum through workshops focused on each activity. Develop searchable archives for the audio files in teh Fond du Lac College Library.
Project Goals and Objectives: With this proposal, 1) we seek to increase Ojibwe proficiency intergenerational language speaking opportunities for community members within our camp and afterwards. 2) We want to develop teaching materials for outdoor activities for use in any camp setting, and 3) Provide a model for professional development of language camp staff.
The Ojibwe Aanikeginde-mazina’iganan project will create classroom literacy readers for Grades K-5. These readers will be printed only in Ojibwe with the teacher’s editions including English translations to assist teachers so they can help students develop understanding. The readers will be printed in the standard Double-Vowel Orthography. First Language Speakers will be the primary sources of language for the classroom literacy readers.
The Fond du Lac Tribal College will provide two-day language immersion weekends for students and teachers having intermediate level fluency. They will be offered one weekend each month for eight months from September 2011 through April 2012. The weekends will focus on participatory activities including individual and small group discussions, skits, meal preparation, games, and field trips to seasonal camps. A wing of the college dormitory will also be set aside for language students to speak Ojibwe together and participate in language enrichment programming.
2010 Activities:
Offer Fond du Lac Family language camp. Receive training for Ojibwe language immersion teaching. Develop Ojibwe immersion curriculum. Publish 2,000 copies of Daga Anishinaabemodaa with illustrations and audio CD. Establish feeder college and pre K-12 school network. Draft guidelines and establish elder-student apprenticeships. Set up and announce website. Accept students and pre K-12 teachers for Ottertail language camp for summer 2011 and promise financial support. Evaluate all grant activities.
To construct an exhibit building adjacent to the fire tower now located on the Beltrami County Fairgrounds. The new building will replicate an authentic 1950s ranger station and will house an exhibit of Minnesota forest fire service activity, Ojibwa cultural history, a display of Paul Bunyan legends and artifacts, and space for historical, cultural and environmental education.
