Every year, WSU hosts events through its Expanding Perspectives series to present a diverse range of perspectives and to promote understanding and appreciation for the variety of cultures across campus and in the community.
According to Nahla Lee, WSU Intercultural & Completion Coordinator, “The purpose of these events is to inspire campus dialogue, community engagement, and education and learning.”
February’s event, “The Cultural Toolbox: Traditional Ojibwe Living in the Modern World,” was hosted by Dr. Anton Treuer.
“Today’s Ojibwe people have maintained a dazzling array of deep, beautiful, adaptive ways of connecting to the spiritual, natural, and human beings around them,” Treuer said. “Variations in Ojibwe cultural practices are as diverse as their homelands, but these variations have always followed a distinct path, reflecting an identifiably Ojibwe worldview.”
During the event, Treuer explained the traditional practices of one Ojibwe family carried out through the seasons of the year and across the seasons of life. He also discussed the intimate view of the Ojibwe world and how it reflects a relatable, modern, richly experienced connection to the rest of the planet. This view offered a new perspective on these living traditions, which carry thousands of years of cultural knowledge still in the making.
“Thanks to Treuer’s sharing of his knowledge, expertise, and experiences, we have gained a better understanding and appreciation of the original land that Minnesota is situated on,” said Lee.
For more information about this event, contact Nahla Lee at yeejsuab.lee@winona.edu.
