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Beaded bandolier bag, worn during ceremonial gatherings, c. 1850. |
The Ojibwe pursued a hunting and gathering economy which required them to travel seasonally over a large territory as various resources became available. They adapted their way of life to suit the demands and limitations of their environment. Oral tradition and spiritual practices reinforced and promoted those behaviors which maintained good relations with the manitos (spirits) of the plants and animals upon which the Ojibwe depended for their survival. Material wealth did not enhance the status of an individual in society. Instead, courage, skill, and reverence for the manitos enabled a person to win respect, and enjoy bimaadiziwin (a good way of life). Within this world view, individuals in Ojibwe society exercised diversity of opinion, honing those skills which allowed them to complete daily tasks efficiently, or overcome common problems. Their lives were not idyllic, nor their culture static. Indeed, by the time the Ojibwe arrived in the Chippewa Valley, they were already actively trading with the French and English, acquiring European implements which would dramatically alter their way of life. |
