CARLTON — A weekend soiree was more than an occasion to dress to the nines.
The inaugural Minokonayedaa Chi-aadizookewaad — “let’s all dress ourselves up nicely as our great legends are being told” — storytelling gala drew about 250-300 people to the Black Bear Casino on Saturday evening to hear Ojibwe stories told in Ojibwemowin and English.
If “gala” didn’t suggest a black-tie affair, then the red carpet and faux paparazzi mobbing guests with photographs and questions about their outfits’ designers certainly did. But the dress code was deliberately broad: attendees could dress in a tuxedo, ribbon skirt, jingle dress, prom dress, or any other fancy attire they felt was warranted, according to Naawakwe, an Ojibwemowin project manager at the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa and one of the gala’s organizers.
“This storytelling gala is a wonderful reason to dress ourselves up in the nicest way that we determine for ourselves and have the opportunity to learn from, gain from, what we might call living legends that will be shared with us by some very gifted individuals who have the gift to share those legends,” Naawakwe told the News Tribune on Thursday, Feb. 16. “We have always valued dressing ourselves up and, I dare say, decorating ourselves in a way that distinguishes us, who we are.”
Some Ojibwe stories are meant to only be told when there’s snow on the ground or after the sun has set. Other stories have a sort-of steward who has studied and listened to them at length and has the exclusive right to tell them, so to speak.
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Naawakwe said the stories told on Saturday were up to the storytellers themselves: Niigaanibinesiikwe, Niib, and Migizi, who switched between English and Ojibwemowin.
Niigaanibinesiikwe told a story about the birth of Wenabozho, an Ojibwe cultural hero and trickster.
Niib spoke about blackbirds, ants, mice, and rice worms.
And Migizi recounted the death of Wenabozho’s nephew.
The gala was organized by staff at the Ojibwe band’s language program. They plan to make it an annual event.
“We love the language and our culture so much. … We wanted to put a really unique event together for our community,” said Nenaaw, the band’s Anishinaabemowin coordinator. “Not just our community, but the Ojibwe community.”
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