Ojibwe Bird Stories: Binesi-Dibaajimowinan

A collection of Ojibwe bird stories unique to Northern Minnesota. Each story focuses on a particular bird, with Ojibwe names, terms, and phrases featured throughout.

"This book is intended to preserve the oral history, and give students a starting point in understanding the birds and their relationship to the Ojibwe people. It's also intended to convey how vital it is to become conscious of our own important role in our own natural world. An unfortunate effect of the current western model of education has been the demise of the Ojibwe language and culture. For too long, oral tradition has been fading, and has now been all but erased as the proud and essential learning tool it once was. This booklet is a combination of our oral history and the written word, as a vessel to save, revitalize, and teach what information is left. Most legends and stories are unique to individual story tellers, families, bands, and regions.Many well respected, traditional elders agree that our Ojibwe language, culture, and life ways are the key to living a good life and the key to a strong, healthy, and successful community. This must start with our children." ~ From the Introduction