The Cultural Toolbox: Traditional Ojibwe Living in the Modern World

Variations in Ojibwe cultural practices are as diverse as the territory they have called home. But throughout Ojibwe country, the people have—against all odds—maintained a dazzling array of deep, beautiful, adaptive ways of connecting and relating to the spiritual, natural, and human beings of these places. Like every other culture, Ojibwe culture has changed over time. These changes have always followed a distinct path, reflecting an identifiably Ojibwe worldview. While the world around, in, and connected to Ojibwe spaces continues to envelop a myriad of cultures and peoples, the Ojibwe have found a way to stay recognizable to their ancestors.

Anton Treuer provides the personal stories of one Ojibwe family's hunting, gathering, harvesting, and cultural practices and beliefs—without violating protected secrets. This insider's view of the Ojibwe world reflects a relatable, modern, richly experienced connection to the rest of the planet. It also opens up a new way of understanding these living traditions, which carry thousands of years of cultural knowledge still in the making.