Progress 09/01/24 to 08/31/25
Outputs
Target Audience:The audience for this project includes Elders, families, youth, and student Red Lake Nation college students from Red Lake Nation Tribal community, Fond du Lac Tribal members and other Tribal communities across Minnesota. The project also partnered with State, Federal, and Tribal agencies, examples include Minnesota American Indian Councile,NRCS, AIFA, 1854 Treaty Authority, MinnesotaDeptment of Agriculture, and Dream of Wild Health to share knowledge,resources and network. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?During this reporting period, the FRTEP Extension educator attended community meetings and events to co-create, deliver and promote the programming along with engaging community members in discussions about future workshops on Ojibwe seasonal harvests. They attended the following professional development opportunities where they shared about Minnesota's FRTEP project, networked with Tribal Colleges and Universitie, other FRTEP programs and Tribal and Federal Ag and NR agencies. They also providedprovided education and outreach. Falcon, Minneapolis, MN Oct 11-13th Intertribal Ag Council Meeting, Las Vegas, Dec 8-12, 2024 Native American Women In Ag and Natural Resources, Pablo MT, April 2-3rd, Delivered a Changing Our Mental and Emotional Trajectory (COMET) workshop. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?A report was created for each of the events listed under accomplishments based on the evaluationand shared with the community. These reports included data from participant feedback along with data that the FRTEP project collected through conversation with participants at the events and through observation. Adraft of the report or story was shared back to the collaborating partner to review before sharing broadly with others in the community. In several cases, an article was written by partners on the event and shared in the local newspaper or newletter. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Looking towards the reporting period, the project plans to continue to foster meaningful connections across Tribal communities by blending knowledge, hands-on learning, and intergenerational engagement. Examples include expanding educational efforts around the traditional harvesting of Ojibwe foods, caring for fruit trees and plants, Snow Snakes programming, value-added recipes, and broader community outreach in partnership with Red Lake Nation and Tribal communities in Minnesota.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Fall 2024 - Youth Whitefish Netting Workshop In collaboration with the 1854 Treaty Authority, we hosted a Youth Whitefish Netting Workshop focused on Ojibwe harvesting rights within the 1854 Treaty area. Twelve youth and their families participated in thisevent, which integrated lessons on treaty history, boating safety, net setting, and fish processing. The workshop aimed to empower youth with traditional harvesting knowledge while fostering a deeper understanding of their rights and responsibilities as stewards of the land and water. Participants described the hands-onworkshop as both enjoyable and impactful. Youth and families were actively engaged in setting and pulling nets, processing whitefish, and learning the appropriate methods for cleaning, storing, and maintaining fishing gear. Many noted that this practical experience helped them connect more meaningfully to the source of their food and Indigenous practices. The workshop nurtured a sense of community and shared purpose. Families came together around significant practices, and many expressed appreciation for the intergenerational and collaborative spirit of the event. Discussions on the 1854 Treaty and the significance of treaty rights were particularly resonant, offering youth a concrete historical context for the activities. Participants reflected on the importance of understanding not just how to net and process fish, but why these practices matter for survival. Feedback from participants also highlighted areas for future growth. Some expressed a desire for more time to refine specific techniques, such as fish processing or net handling. Others requested clearer guidance on permits and legal considerations. Despite these suggestions, overall responses were overwhelmingly positive, emphasizing the educational and value of the experience. The workshop also sparked curiosity about additional learning opportunities related to food sovereignty. Participants expressed strong interest in expanding their knowledge of other traditional practices such as plant gathering, deer processing, and forest-based food systems. This enthusiasm points to the potential for future workshops to deepen community engagement in reclaiming foodways and strengthening resilience. Overall the Whitefish Netting Workshop successfully blended technical instruction with education, empowering youth and families to connect with their heritage while advancing community-driven food goals. It provided not only tangible skills but also a renewed sense of identity, community connection, and stewardship. Winter 2024 - Cultural Outreach The 13 Moons Gichi Manidoo Giizis Pow Wow brought together community members along with representatives of state, federal, and Tribal organizations, and other programs to promote fresh, local, and Indigeneous relevant foods to support community health and provide education on Native agriculture, natural resources and food sovereignty. The FRTEP educator connected with over 300 community membersfrom Minnosota tribes to identifytribal needs in the region. Onerequests was a workshop on using wild rice meal in recipes which resultedin 3 workshops. Snow Snakes Another winter program was the Snow Snakes eventwith Mesabi East Indian Education. Guided by a respected Ojibwe Elder from Red Lake Nation, Indigenous students engaged in an immersive experience that blended traditional games, storytelling, and Ojibwe teachings. Despite weather-related challenges, the event remained a meaningful and memorable cultural gathering. The program featured three variations of the Snow Snake game: the Track Slide, Hoop Toss, and Target (Curling Style) game. Each session began with storytelling that invited personal reflection and honored wintertime oral traditions. Youth then participated in the physical activities using hand-carved wooden snow snakes, gaining coordination and skill while experiencing traditional Ojibwe winter practices in a joyful way. Students expressed strong interest in the Elder's storytelling and the design of the game. Many requested extra time to continue playing after their sessions. Througout the game students quickly improved their techniques with guidance from the Elder. While the track-building component was absent, students remained highly engaged and energized, indicating the program's success in creating knowledge and community bonding. Students connected with the teachings, values, and artistic expressions embedded in the Snow Snake tradition. The Elder's presence served as a pedagogical anchor, modeling leadershipand resilience. His willingness to adapt the game space for participants demonstrated how the program fostered emotional safety and mutual respect. Evaluation findings confirmed that the Snow Snakes event not only supported physical activity and learning but also strengthened identity, intergenerational connection, and group cohesion. Recommendations from the evaluation include future integration of snow snake crafting, storytelling zines, forest ecology elements, and multimedia adaptations to further engage younger learners. Building on the success of this event, FRTEP plans to expand the program by integrating a STEAM-based curriculum that uses the Snow Snake tradition as a platform to explore forest ecology and other sciences. This effort will ensure that Indigenous knowledge systems continue to guide and inspire holistic, place-based education for future generations. Spring 2025 - Manoomin Cookie Demonstration The project hosted its first Wild Rice Meal Cookie Demonstration, providing community members with ahands-on learning experience centered on manoomin--wild rice traditionally harvested by the Ojibwe people. As a nutrient-dense, low-fat whole grain, manoomin holds deep cultural and nutritional significance. The event guided participants through the process of grinding wild rice into a fine meal and using it to prepare wild rice manoomin cookies. Participants valued the demonstration for its combination of knowledge, nutrition education, and culinary practice. Survey responses highlighted the interactive nature of the event as a major strength, with attendees praising the opportunity to make cookies from scratch, the engaging presentation style, and the rich storytelling woven throughout the session. Several participants remarked that they had never used wild rice meal before and appreciated learning new ways to incorporate it into everyday recipes such as pancakes, muffins, and meatballs. A number of attendees appreciated the take-home elements of the event, such as cookies and a recipe booklet, which enabled them to continue experimenting and sharing with family members. The event also created space for reflection on traditional foodways. Participants shared memories of harvesting and preparing Ojibwe foods like berries, maple syrup, deer, and manoomin. The demonstration prompted attendees to consider the seasonal meaning behind traditional foods, and several expressed interest in future workshops focused on butchery, fish preparation, red willow tea, and seasonal recipes. Overall, the wild rice meal cookie demonstration successfully blended Ojibwe teachings with practical skills and nutrition education. It provided a welcoming space for both Indigenous and non-Indigenous participants to engage with ancestral knowledge, fostering curiosity, community connection, and renewed appreciation for traditional foods.
Publications
|
Progress 09/01/23 to 08/31/24
Outputs
Target Audience:The project includes participants from Red Lake Nation Tribal community including Elders, families, youth, and Red Lake Nation college students. Other Tribal communities have also participated in this project including Fond du Lac Tribal members and other Tribal communities from Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota. State, Federal, and Tribal agencies from NRCS, AIFA, MN Dept of Ag, and Dream of Wild Health, participated in the conference to share resources and network with Tribal community members. Changes/Problems:The transition in FRTEP professional to a non-Red Lake member brought along some natural challenges as both Red Lake partners and Extension team members had to renegotiate program relationships. New trusting relationships had to be developed, including giving Red Lake members time to grieve the loss of the long-time FRTEP agent and a member of the Red Lake Nation. As indicated by all the programming happening at Red Lake and beyond, Nikki Crowe, FRTEP Extension Professional has done an amazing job building those critical relationships. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?FRTEP Extension Professional attended the Professional Development: Native Women In Agriculture & Natural Resources Symposium. This three-day in-person symposium brought together Native women from across Indian country that are doing work in natural resources and agriculture sectors to discuss topics such as workplace wellness, salary negotiation, women empowerment, leadership skills building, healthy relationship building, and safety. Covering such topics can help provide American Indian/Alaskan Native women the tools and support system to aid in their career journeys, build community and sustain representation within the fields. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Evaluations are conducted with participants and program partners so everyone hears each other's stories and learnings. For example, at the Berry Workshop, two evaluation team members sat with participants and program staff to discuss lessons learned, what they enjoyed, what we should do more of, future learnings, etc. It was clear from this conversation that even elders wanted to know their stories related to traditional ecological knowledge. They wanted more stories of their sovereign ways from Nikki Crowe (Extension FRTEP professional). Some of the outcome discussions about the workshop included: eating fruits and potential effects on diabetes; things from the earth like berries as medicine; the cultural meanings of certain fruits; the value of "doing" including planting and cooking with berries; greater understanding of the natural environments of Red Lake. Things they liked to continue in future programming included having more plant-based options like salads, "getting hands dirty" and do more learn by doing, having flyers that are rooted in culture and welcoming all (open to the public). One grandmother who brought her three grandchildren noted how she rarely had a plant-based diet and didn't get much exercise - so planting and eating a plant-based lunch was important to her and her grandchildren. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?During the next reporting period, we plan to continue to develop relationships with Red Lake community members but will also grow the edges of this work to include other tribal communities based on the need and engagement shared in the current report. We will continue to build educational programming that will bridge generational knowledge across Elders and youth. Through our evaluation process, the community has told us that in future programming they want plant-based options like salads, "getting hands dirty" and do more "learn by doing", having flyers that are rooted in culture and welcoming all (open to the public).
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
The project addresses the issue of preserving and revitalizing Indigenous environmental knowledge and practices among the Red Lake Nation community. By integrating the wisdom of elders and youth, the project aims to co-create and deliver an innovative Tribal natural resource and environmental education program, "Woodland Wisdom." This program leverages Indigenous traditions to enhance community health and promote equity, building on the original Woodland Wisdom initiative's success in merging tribal culture with western science. Those that will be most immediately helped by this project are the Red Lake Nation community members including Elders, families and youth, including Red Lake Nation College students. In addition this project has also included other Tribal communities including Fond du Lac Tribal members and other tribal communities from Michigan, Wisconsin and others in Minnesota. By bridging together these Tribal communities and members it provides a space and place to connect Elders and youth to share, co-create and grow intergenerational Indigenous environmental knowledge and practices. Objective 1: Partner with the Red Lake Nation College, students, elders with traditional knowledge and practices, and Tribal youth and families to develop an Indigenous environmental education curriculum. Red Lake elders and students attended the IAC Regional Food Summit. During this summit Elders presented "hands on educational" sessions that shared traditional knowledge and practices. Students attended these sessions along with others offered at the Summit to increase their knowledge and language skills in Indigenous environmental education. FRTEP Extension Professional continued to build place-based relationships with Red Lake community members, Elders, students along with key staff at Red Lake Nation College. FRTEP Extension Professional, FRTEP evaluation lead and other key staff from University of Minnesota Extension Department of Family, Health and Wellbeing attended an in-person meeting with Red Lake Community to introduce new staff and program goals and objectives. The FRTEP evaluation team also attended educational programming. During this reporting period, the FRTEP Extension Professional has attended community meetings and events to co-create, deliver and promote the programming along with engaging community members in discussions about future workshops on Ojibwe seasonal harvests. Objective 2: In partnership with Tribal college students and elders with Indigenous knowledge and practices, host community-wide experiences where multi-generational family members reconnect to Indigenous traditions and practices. Red Lake Elders students, families and other community members attended several educational events to help to provide valuable perspectives and bridge generational knowledge. This included Indigenous gardening techniques and traditional ecological knowledge through two Berry workshops and attending and presenting hands-on educational programming at Intertribal Agriculture Council (IAC) Regional Food Summit. The Berry Workshop celebrated June's Strawberry moon phase - elders and children and grandchildren came together to learn about berries, including strawberries, and planted strawberry baskets together (see photos). A connection between Red Lake and the urban tribal community was made when some of the strawberry plants were brought from Red Lake and shared with Urban Four Directions medicine garden in St. Paul. Elder June Blue (member of the White Earth Tribal Nations and director of the Four Directions medicine Garden) thanked Red Lake for sharing the "heart berry" and offered a prayer to celebrate the connections. The strawberry beds are now part of the medicine garden. Objective 4: Design and educate students and community members on Environmental advocacy - learn how to become Earth protectors. During this reporting period, the FRTEP Extension Professional delivered a presentation for University of Minnesota Extension American Indian Community of Practice on Ojibwe Netting in the 1837 Treaty Areas. This presentation included a history of Ojibwe US treaty signing, how to pronounce Usufructuary, loss of ceded territory treaty rights by the State governments, the Supreme Court Ruling of the Voigt Decision in 1983, and current treaty activities. This presentation will serve as a foundation for future Environmental advocacy education for Tribal College students and community members. During this reporting period, significant progress was made in developing an Indigenous environmental education and fostering multi-generational connections to Indigenous traditions through events like the Berry Workshop and participation in the IAC Regional Food Summit. Additionally, foundational work for future environmental advocacy education was established through a presentation on Ojibwe treaty rights and history.
Publications
|
Progress 09/01/22 to 08/31/23
Outputs
Target Audience:During this reporting period, Woodland Wisdom: Building Healthy Relationships with People, Land, Water and Indigenous Traditions project served the following audiences: Red Lake Nation College students; Red Lake Nation community members including Elders, families and youth; and Red Lake Nation Cultural Teachers. Changes/Problems:The Minnesota FRTEP team suffered a tragic loss during this reporting period. Shirley Nordrum, PD/Agent, passed away unexpectedly in May 2023. Shirley played the role of both Project Director but also the educator (agent) on the grant along with her Red Lake Nation Tribal cCollege and community. Dr. Mary Jo Katras (formerly CO-I) was officially moved to the Project Director role. Dr. Katras along with Dr. Mary Marczak , evaluation lead of the project, has been working to reposition this work in the Red Lake community. They have been in contact and will be meeting with the Red Lake Nation Tribal College. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?During this reporting period,the FRTEP agent/PI attended several webinars related to environmental education. One webinar was "The connection between healthysoiland healthy communities" by theNorth Central Region Water Network. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?During this reporting period, the FRTEP PD/Agent has been continuously engaged with the community. As stated above, 20 Red Lake Nation Tribal College students and 2 Red Lake Elder advisors came together over a full day to co-create learning opportunities and future programming to connect Red Lake families and nature. The outcomes of the events were shared with the community resulting in a request for additional programming in Year 2 to continue to developIndigenous environmental education that is co-created with the Red Lake community. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?The plan for Year 2 is listed below. Withthe passing of the FRTEP PD/Agent, the project team is meeting with members of Red Lake and Red Lake Nation College to discuss the implementation plan. Continue to recruit Red Lake Nation college students to participate in seasonal gatherings and co-create curriculum for Woodland wisdom, second cohort to test design of curriculum. Continue to partnerwith Tribal college students and Elders host community-wide experiences toconnects multi-generational family members toIndigenous traditions and practices. Begin to write the WoodlandWisdom curriculum through a co-creation process with the community. The FRTEP PD/Agent had a request fromRed Lake community member to increase programing. It was proposed in Year 2 to engage the community in citizen science projects around indigenous pollinator survey in agroforestry and co-create educational materialswith thecommunity.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
The current Woodland Wisdom project utilizes and adapts an integrative model to develop curriculum and learning resources around Indigenous environmental education that can be used to support student learning at the Red Lake Nation Tribal College. Additionally, the FRTEP Extension component ensures students are learning along with multi-generation community members and elders to develop and sustain training of future student mentors. In Year 1, three major events were held to live out the Woodland Wisdom model: Objective 1:Partner with the Red Lake Nation College, students, elders with traditional knowledge and practices, and Tribal youth and families to develop an Indigenous environmental education curriculum. During this reporting period,20 Red Lake Nation Tribal College students and 2 Red Lake Elder advisors came together over a full day to co-create learning opportunities and future programming to connect Red Lake families and nature. This was the first step in the development of an Indigenous environmental education curriculum. Objective 2: In partnership with Tribal college students and elders with Indigenous knowledge and practices, host community-wide experiences where multi-generational family members reconnect to Indigenous traditions and practices. During this reporting period, the first learning event was held outdoors in northern Minnesota in January with multigenerational participants including moms, dads, uncles, grandparents and children of all ages. Twenty-eight participants from seven families spent two days (15 hours total) learning a traditional Ojibwe game of Snow Snakes. The first day was spent learning about and making snow snakes and the second day they played the game. Even though the temperature approached 0 degrees, families loved the experience and wanted to do this monthly. The knowledge and processes gained through this eventwill be incorporated into the Woodland Wisdom Curriculum. A second learning event was scheduledfor May, The Red Willow Basket Making event. Up to 40 Red Lake members were signed up to participate. Unfortunately,our FRTEP agent/PI started to feel sick as she was harvesting the Red Willow for the basket making event and could not finish, later that day she passed away unexpectedly. Objective 3: Design and educate students and community members on Environmental advocacy - learn how to become Earth protectors. During this reporting period,the FRTEP agent/PI worked with key community organizations and individuals to work on water and land protection. The FRTEP agent worked with the Source Water Protection Collaborative in the region, presenting on the Rights of Nature - Rights of Manoomin to audiences in Red Lake and beyond. Additionally, the FRTEP agent was working with key partners to revive the Leech Lake to Red Lake trail - a foot trail used by the two Tribes to communicate, trade, hunt and travel.
Publications
|