North Dakota Native American Essential Understanding number seven is about Native identity. It states, "Individual and communal identity is defined and supported by shared native languages, kinship systems, Tiospaye, clan structures, traditional teachings, values, sacred laws, and ceremonies. A continuum of tribal identity unique to each individual ranges from assimilated to traditional lifestyle. There is no generic American Indian."
In this episode of Dakota Datebook. We'll listen to Jessie Cree, enrolled member of Turtle Mountain Band of the Chippewa talk about birch bark scrolls and life's purpose.
Jessie Cree:
Well, you have to understand that now it is a different time. Now it's a very different time. All my kids and couple of my boys have passed away. I only have two girls now. But I mean, in my family I still have grandson, granddaughters. But in my family, you have to understand it's a different time. And these people nowadays, even in my time, I was one of the exceptions. I was not the norm. No, I was one of the exceptions who learned these things, who learned all the spiritual things. I even do what they call 'jiisakaan' and that's a shaking tent. And shaking tent is well known all over the place, and that's one of the things I do. I was given four things from the Mide Organization. They called that Midewiwin, the Grand Medicine Lodge.
Okay. When I was a baby, I was given four things and my grandmother and my mother, and they're all a part of that society. But there are many different societies that I'm a part of. I'm not a part of the Midewiwin, but I was given a blessing from the Midewiwin a long time ago when I was one year old. And I do have the scrolls to prove it. I got birch bark scrolls.
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If you'd like to learn more about the North Dakota Native American essential understandings, and to listen to more Indigenous elder interviews, visit teachingsofourelders.org.