I felt truly privileged to experience Cultural Days with the Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa on their Reservation on the shores of Lake Superior. It was a beautiful day to celebrate their culture. In addition to all of the dancing, chanting and beautiful regalia pictured here, there were also stations set up to learn more about the culture of the Anishinaabe people. I helped render down bear fat and learned about its healing qualities, drank cedar and wintergreen tea and ate smoked fish, fried walleye and bear cracklins. I also learned about birch-bark basket making, heard some wonderful flute and drum music and watched some traditional gambling games. My favorite experience of the day was throwing a spear using an atlatl which is something I had only ever seen in museums before. I have been very fortunate in my life to have experienced Native American culture in several different parts of the country, and to be able to attend a festival like this one is truly special. The people of the Red Cliff Band were particularly welcoming and really helped me understand their culture better for which I am forever grateful. They even got me to join in on several of their spot dances which was just wonderful. It’s a different experience to be inside the circle looking out than outside the circle looking in. I hope you enjoy these photos which will give you a glimpse into the magic of the day.
