Birchbark House

elder

an older member of a community who is respected for his or her knowledge and wisdom

oral history

stories passed down from generation to generation

tradition

values and beliefs passed from generation to generation

property

anything of value that is owned or controlled

band (tribe)

a small kinship-based group of foragers who hunt and gather for a living over a particular territory

Mni Sota Makoce

Dakota term that inspired the name of the state of Minnesota. It means, "land where the waters are so clear they reflect the clouds in the sky."

Dakota

Name of the oldest tribal members to inhabit Minnesota territory; means "friends" or "allies"

seasons

each of the four divisions of the year (spring, summer, autumn, and winter) marked by particular weather patterns and daylight hours, resulting from the earth's changing position with regard to the sun.

Resources

A source or supply or support

indigenous

native to a certain area

treaty

A formal agreement between two or more sovereign states

Anishinaabe

Means "original people." Another term used to refer to the Ojibwe

Ojibwe

An early American Indian group living in northeastern Minnesota. According to oral history, migrated to Minnesota from an area near the Atlantic Ocean - another term used for Anishinaabe

kinship

A social bond based on common ancestry, marriage, or adoption

territory

an area of land under the control of a state or country

migrate

to move from one place to another

reservation

land set aside by the United States government for Native Americans

settler

a person who settles in a new colony or moves into new country or area, often to use and live off the land

settlement

a small community of people living in a new place

sovereignty

ability of a group to govern its territory free from the control of others

citizenship

the rights and duties of people who are part of a group

colonialism

the practice of acquiring full or partial control over another country, occupying it with settlers, and exploiting it for money, power, and resources