Ojibwe experience through art

Few things help illustrate a culture like its authentic art and artifacts, and Delano Elementary School students recently enjoyed the opportunity to view and handle a variety of items while learning a bit more about the Ojibwe tribe of Native Americans.

 

Between Thursday, Oct. 26, and Wednesday, Nov. 1, students viewed moccasins, a deer rawhide drum, a fan made of feathers, a beaded belt, a birch bark tray, artwork and many more items from a traveling suitcase put together by the Plains Art Museum in Fargo, North Dakota.

 

School art facilitators Marcie Ludwig and Angie Kurth said the case has been an annual attraction at the school since art standards were updated. The exhibit fulfills a requirement to include Minnesota American Indian tribes and communities.

 

“We like that it provides hands-on artifacts that students can interact with,” Kurth and Ludwig said in a joint statement. “Initially, when kids first see the items, they are excited to learn about the items and interact with them.”

 

The tribe’s connection to its land and the animals on it were evident, from the feather fan and drum to a display about gathering wild rice.

 

“We hope students learn about the Ojibwe culture and how they used nature to enhance artwork,” said Ludwig and Kurth. “We hope to expand our students’ perspectives of other cultures and ways of life. Students get to see actual artifacts and learn what these items are used for.”