Today, the Anishinabe people form the second largest population in North America. The Anishinabe have one principle quality of unity that identifies them. The have myths that they believe to have originated from the Great Lakes. They had always known each other as Anishinabek. It was only after the French and the Europeans arrived that they were identified as tribes and identified with different names and different characteristics. They are composed of various tribes including Ojibway, Ottawa, Potawatomi and many others; they may be different, but they are related in many aspects such as their culture and the languages they speak (Roy). The three top tribes were once one and identified as ‘the three fires of the Anishinabe.’ In the present worlds, they are termed as Native Americans or indigenous people.
The Anishinabe people have spread all through the Northern part of the United States and the Southern regions of Canada but are mostly concentrated around the Great Lakes. The Anishinabe community is usually divided themselves in reserves that were occupied by different tribes. Each tribe is politically independent. Each tribe had their way of governance in that they had their laws and policies; they can be seen as a small country. The person in charge of every reserve was a chief or else called ‘ogimaa.' The Chiefs were assisted by a tribal council in the day to day operations of the people. The functions of the tribal council can allude to that of a congressman today ("Facts For Kids: Anishinaabe Indians ").
In these communities, women were accorded the responsibility of farming, cooking, and childcare. The men were mainly hunters and most of all they were to protect their families and community as a whole when they went to war. The communities were paternalistic, but it is evident that both genders took a part in music, art, and story-telling ("Facts For Kids: Anishinaabe Indians "). Despite these facts, as the years have gone by, gender roles have vanished, and many women are leaders and many men are farmers. Where we are now, gender roles are not strictly considered as in the past.
The Anishinabe culture is quite in-depth and interesting. After migration for several years, they settled in the areas around the Great Lakes. They became accomplished farmers, fishermen, and hunters. They grew maize and rice. They also made maple sugar and obtained medicine from the environment (Roy). They have a common practice that has carried on over the years. The rice farmers would row out in birch bark canoes; they would then bend the rice over to the canoes and beat the grain out and later collect it. The practice has carried on until today and is mainly used for commercial purposes.
In essence, the Anishinabe culture has been greatly influenced by the natural terrain because their surrounding encompasses a network of lakes, rivers and coniferous and deciduous woodlands. Before the beginning of their trade with the Europeans, these people wore clothing that was made from animal hides, precisely tanned deer skin. For the women, their jewelry was made from animal bones and shells in some cases (Roy). Winter was hunting time for the men. In spring, it was time to tap the maple. They would gather the sap, which would be turned into maple sugar and later used as a seasoning and a preservative for other foods.
Despite all these descriptions about the culture and the people of Anishinabe origin, it is quite evident that these indigenous population had a close relationship to the environment. This also explains why their clans had animal representation. These representations of animals like the fish, the deer, the ear, the bird and so forth, had mythical annotations. It, therefore, goes without saying that the Anishinabe people had a strong relationship with the environment. They believed that they depended upon the land as the land depended on upon them. Therefore, they did their best to preserve the environment so that it, in turn, would give them the best
I am very passionate about the environment, and so were the people of Anishinabe. They were very keen on preserving the environment (Magazine). Despite the issue of the environment, the Anishinabe have faced other issues. Over the years, from the 1600s, the Anishinabe have also faced other social issues like extinction, cultural degradation, language revitalization, lack of trust in the mainstream medicine and social disparities like high unemployment rates, poor health, and poor education (Roy). Due to these unfortunate factors that have affected them, there has been the need to start social movements that would steer the people towards the right direction and to help improve the situation of the Anishinabe people.
If all these issues were discussed in this document, then I would have to write a whole book, but for now, the focus will have to be on the environment. I am passionate about the environment; in fact, I get quite personal when the issue comes up. The traditions and the ways of life of the Anishinabe people totally depend on the environment, but after their interaction with the French and then the British, some aspects of their culture have changed. Also, their culture gets watered down since they interact and intermarry with foreigners, but even so, there has still been the need to protect the environment. If anything, the indigenous Anishinabe natives should know better since they have studied the various climatic and environmental changes that have occurred in their existence (Magazine). This gives more reason as to why they need to protect the environment.
In 2014, a synthesis report was released after a fifth assessment from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate change. Their findings confirmed that indigenous communities have warned for years that if the balance between humans and their environment is not restored, then the world should expect catastrophic results (Magazine). This warning was given by some indigenous groups, the Anishinabe included, since they have received first-hand effects of environmental change. It is vital to note that even if they warn and not steps are taken to save the environment, then the warnings will hold no water.
There has been the formation of social movements that have campaigned for various social issues affecting the indigenous people and more precisely those that tackle environmental issues. In this document, interest has been drawn to a particular social movement Idle No More (Magazine). This indigenous social movement has made a point to fight for the environment and its needs. This social movement and many others like Indigenous Environmental Network the answers to the question; where are we now? They have become initiatives to help save Mother Nature and the human race from calamities that occur due destruction of the environment.
The main aim of this protest was social and environmental sustainability. Despite this primary goal, there have been may other goals that have been picked up along the way and became their course of action. It all started with teach-ins that protested the passing of parliamentary laws that erode environmental protection legislation and indigenous sovereignty. They also have made it a personal goal to ensure the protection of land, water, air and all creations to benefit future generations.
The movement has also paid keen attention to environmental legislation that majorly affects industries. They have an interest in preventing industrial operations from harming the environment. A good example is the pipelines that are meant to carve through a stretch of ecosystems to deliver tar sand sludge from Canada to the United States; this process would emit pollutants that cause global warming to the environment. This is one of the activities by industries that the INM fight against. On October 1st, they stood against the Imperial Metal Office to demand respect for land defenders on whose land they operate (Magazine). The event was in solidarity with the Secwepemc Land Defenders who are the protectors of salmon, land, and water. The INM has used various methods to achieve some of their goals. They include demonstrations, internet activism, flash mobs, civil disobedience, demonstrations, and in some cases they have used non-violent resistance.
In conclusion, the Anishinabe people are great people. Though they have faced various challenges as the years go by, they have managed to maintain their culture and revitalize their languages. Their connection with the environment has fostered their need to preserve and protect it. The formation of social movements on environment as answered the question: where are we now? On the matter of environmental conservation, the social movements are launching protests and other methods to make them heard in the society and by the government. The environment must be protected for the sake of the generations to come.
Works Cited
"Facts For Kids: Anishinaabe Indians (Anishinabe, Anishinabe)." Bigorrin.org. N.p., 2016. Web.
13 Apr. 2016.
Magazine, Muskrat. "11 Indigenous Resistance Movements You Need To Know". Rabble.ca.
N.p., 2014. Web. 13 Apr. 2016.
Roy, Loriene. "Ojibwa - History, Migration To The Great Lakes". Everyculture.com. N.p., 2016.
Web. 13 Apr. 2016.
