Ojibwe Culture Quotes

In Ojibwe and Cree culture, leadership didn't mean power; it meant caring.

There’s an important distinction between writing about trauma and writing a tragedy. I sought to write about identity, loss, and injustice … and also of love, joy, connection, friendship, hope, laughter, and the beauty and strength in my Ojibwe community. It was paramount to share and celebrate what justice and healing looks like in a tribal community: cultural events, language revitalization, ceremonies, traditional teachings, whisper networks, blanket parties, and numerous other ways tribes have shown resilience in the face of adversity. Growing up, none of the books I’d read featured a Native protagonist. With Daunis, I wanted to give Native teens a hero who looks like them, whose greatest strength is her Ojibwe culture and community.

We don’t live in two worlds. We live in one world. We don’t have to code-switch to make it out there. We don’t have to maintain a dual consciousness. People from other cultures don’t have to sacrifice theirs to enter our world, and natives don’t have to sacrifice their cultures to navigate the modern world. We can be exactly who we are—exactly who the creator wanted us to be—and thrive.

You are a complete, fully realized human being. You are a soul who has a body. You are the one your ancestors were praying for and waiting for through the generations. You have been given a unique set of gifts, and you yourself are a gift to the world.

Connection and culture live inside of us. Having a rich cultural life is not just about looking out and looking for; it is about looking within. We can do that where ever we live. The awakening is healing and empowering.