Why I Joined the NAI Writing Course

Assignment One
Word Count: 560

Why I Joined the Native American Writing Class

I believe that from my birth, in 1946, there has been a special place in my heart for all peoples of all races. I grew up in an incredibly “white” oriented community, where even entertainers of other races were not allowed to remain within the city limits after their gig. Even then I felt it this practice was wrong.

Even though my contact with other races was very limited, my belief continued to strengthen throughout my childhood that color or race had nothing to do with the qualities of individuals. In my mind, the Creator made each and every one of us exactly the same…to have the basics (head, two eyes, two arms, two legs, a brain, etc) What difference did skin color or heritage have to do with it? None, in my eyes.

After high school I attended a college where one of the classes required me to write a lengthy paper on another culture. Being located in Wisconsin, the one I chose was the one I knew the very least about…the Menominee Indians.

I contacted one of the tribal leaders and shared my interest in interviewing a family for my course paper. That visit is and will forever be etched in my mind. The Menominee Indian Reservation was about a three hour drive from my home. Arriving shortly after noon, I stopped for directions. The family I would be interviewing lived just five minutes from town, not far from a lake.

Entering their home, I met the three generations who lived there…grandmother, father and mother, and their three young children. The living room, as the rest of the house, was sparsely furnished. The children had been playing when I arrived but soon sat quietly while I interviewed their elders.

Having been quite ignorant of any race other than my own, my questions covered a broad area of life. The family had welcomed me as their guest and were quite willing to share their Native American life and culture with me. As we chatted, I learned much about what they valued, how they raised their children and how nature provided so much of what they needed for food.

When I left several hours later, I not only had enough new knowledge to write an excellent paper, but I felt I had personally gained an appreciation of the Native American people.

Some twenty-five years later, my husband, son and I moved farther north in Wisconsin and settled in the small town of Minocqua, located just ten miles from Lac du Flambeau, a relatively large Ojibwe community.

By the 1990’s, casino’s began appearing and one of the larger ones was the Lake of the Torches, owned and operated by the Tribal Counsel. I would become an employee of this casino in 1994 and work as a cashier until 2005 when health problems, related to accidents earlier in my life, caused me to stop working.

During my years at the casino, I worked side by side with some awesome Native Americans, and formed a number of truly close friendships with many of them. One even bestowed upon me the great honor of becoming his firstborn’s godmother.

At this point in my life, with more time available, I want to learn more about the history, culture and beliefs of these talented, caring people.