Facts 

Language: English, Ojibwe

Population:

Red Lake is one of the only truly sovereign Indian reservations in the United States.

The Red Lake Band use a clan system for families. The children go into their father's clan. There are seven clans in the Red Lake Band: Bear, Eagle, Kingfisher, Otter, Turtle, Marten, and Bullhead. The symbols of the clans are on the Red Lake Nation flag.

Flag:

The Red Lake Band of Chippewa Indians have their own unique flag for their nation. Both upper and lower Red Lake are depicted with pine trees at the bottom to represent the forest of northern Minnesota. The seven animal clans of Red Lake are on the top. The circle surrounding the lake with the two eagle feathers symbolize the warrior shields of the past.

Sugar Bush: Iskigamizigan

Powwow:

Ojibwemowin: Speak Ojibwe

Ojibwe People:

The Ojibwe people were simple that lived with nature. There was a time and place for doing things. The daily lives were guided by the legends. These legends were told from the time the snow first covered the ground until it melted in the spring. Then it was time for work. The time that the legends were told could be thought of as the school year. Story tellers were held with high respect.

Modern Day Life of the Red Lake Ojibwe :

One of the biggest employers on the reservation is the 7 Clans Casino. The tribe owns three casinos in Red Lake, Thief River Falls, and Warroad, MN. We live in houses that have running water and heat. The children go to school. There is a local school district on the reservation. 99% of the students are American Indian.

Niminoominike-Ricing: 

The Ojibwe word for ricing is niminoominike (nee-mi-noo-min-ikay)

Legend: In the seven fires legend of the Ojibwe, the 3rd prophet came to tell the Anishinabe or Ojibwe the place where they would live. "In the time of the third fire, the Anishinabe will find the path to their chosen ground, a land in the west to which they must move their families. This will be the land where food grows on water."

Facts:

• Wild rice grows in shallow water near the shore.
• Traditionally a 2-person team would go out in a canoe.
• One person uses a long push pole to propel through the tall rice stalks.
• The other person uses two knocking sticks: one to bend the rice stalks over and the other to tap them so rice falls into the canoe.

How it is processed:

1.  spread to dry
2. rice is roasted or parched over a fire
3. parched rice is placed on wood lined pit and a person jigs or dances on it
4. someone fans or winnows the rice into the wind so the hulls blow away 

Look at the images together and discuss what you see:

Dramatic play center:

A canoe, knockers, and wild rice will be in the dramatic play area. Students will get the opportunity to try ricing. This center will be left out for at least one week for the children to explore during free play.