Our Giinawiind and Gimaajii kids participated in the Fond du Lac Band Gitigaan’s Gitigaan Wiikondiyag Garden Feast today. We played traditional lacrosse for a couple hours, went swimming at Kiwenz Campground, then toured the Gitigaan garden and ate food from the Feast. It was a full eventful day. Miigwech to Giinawiind and Gimaajii Youth program staff Kayla Jackson for bringing these youth to this event where they got to learn about and reconnect with culture, traditions, Indigenous food and to the land. The youth also volunteered and helped at the event as well. Photos by Ivy Vainio  Artist Shaun Chosa led art class with Giinawiind Giginitaawigi’gomin: Together We Grow program youth and Gimaajii Mino Bimaadizimin youth. Shaun Chosa is a Turtle Mountain Band of Ojibwe tribal member. Photos by Ivy Vainio.  Photos by Ivy Vainio Youth learned to make traditional Anishinaabe wild rice poles through AICHO’s Giinawiind Giginitaawigi’gomin: Together We Grow Youth Program. Through this hands-on workshop, guided by Michaa Aubid (East Lake Anishinaabe) and Veronica Skinaway (Sandy Lake Anishinaabe), program participants learned the importance of treaty rights, how to operate power tools and how to knock rice with rice knockers. This knowledge is important when participating in the wild rice harvest, called manoominike in Anishinaabemowin. If we are to preserve culture, we must continue to create it.” - Johan Huizing, historian Last year, the program youth learned how to make wild rice knockers in a workshop taught by 1854 Treaty Authority, passing harvesting knowledge to the youth. In September, the Giinawiind Giginitaawigi’gomin program will participate in the annual manoominike with Ron Willis, under the Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College CYFAR Grant activity. AICHO says miigwech to Michaa Aubid and Veronica Skinaway for teaching our program youth and staff about manoominike, the Anishinaabe words connected to harvesting rice and for allowing our youth to make ricing poles.
Miigwech to AICHO staff Ivy Vainio for coordinating this cultural activity with assistance from Giinawiind Giginitaawigi’gomin program coordinator Kayla Jackson, Gimaajii Mino Bimaadizimin Children’s Program coordinator Mia Menendez and Cheryl Stone and AICHO’s property caretaker Scott Thompson. This event was funded in part by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture, Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association of Minnesota, and the Minnesota Department of Human Services Behavioral Health Division. Reconnect: AICHO Youth field trip to Indigenous farm to learn traditional medicines and foods7/1/2022
 Photos by Ivy Vainio To learn about medicinal properties of various Indigenous plant infusions, Anishinaabe food and traditions, AICHO youth visited the Native Wise LLC farm on the Fond du Lac Band of Ojibwe Reservation on June 30, 2022  David and Patra Wise fo Native Wise LLC guided youth from both the Giinawiind Giginitaawigi’gomin: Together We Grow Youth Program and Gimaajii Mino Bimaadizimin Children’s Program came together in making a salve. Youth chose two Indigenous plant infusions to make into salves.  David took the group on a nature walk and introduced numerous Indigenous plants they walked past and explained the traditional uses of the plants.  After the walk, the group ate smoked moose sausage with jalepeño and cheese, all made on the farm, wild rice hotdish made with moose meat and home processed beef burger.  Such a wonderful time for everyone, especially our youth who were connected to Anishinaabeg cultural foods, plants, traditions, stories, and wisdom. We are grateful.  AICHO says miigwech to David and Patra for sharing their knowledge to AICHO youth. Photo by Patience Thompson, 13 year-old Giinawiind Giginitaawigi’gomin program participant.  Miigwech to Giinawiind Giginitaawigi’gomin program coordinator Kayla Jackson and AICHO staff Ivy Vainio for organizing the field trip, and miigwech to Gimaajii Mino Bimaadizimin Children’s Program coordinators Mia Menendez and Cheryl Stone and intern Ellie Waring for assisting. Photo by Channing Powers, 10 year-old Giinawiind Giginitaawigi’gomin program participant. Programs are funded in part by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture, Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association of Minnesota, Minnesota Department of Human Services Behavioral Health Division, Northland Foundation, United Way, Sheltering Arms Child Development and Family Support, and Statewide Health Improvement Partnership.
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