On Monday, October 18, 2004, students and staff members from the Anishinaabe Cultural Center and Gallery in Detroit Lakes, Minnesota, gave a presentation to all students of Red Lake Elementary School at varing times throughout the day. Their focus was on restoring cultural pride in Anishinaabe youth and "Defeating Diabetes."
The Group spoke about traditions, diabetes, and presented a film to the students.
Diabetes is at epidemic levels among Anishinaabe (Ojibwe) people. Diabetes causes kidney failure, blindness, amputations of feet and legs, but it can also be prevented.
A pamplet they presented to students read, "Our people used to eat a traditional diet consisting of venisen, fish, wild rice, squash and wild berries given to us by Mother Earth. In return we thanked her and the animals for feeding us, retaining respect for all of the Creator's creation and gifts. When the White Man came he gave us dead foods to eat, foods with no life in them heavily cooked which kills important enzymes that are in fresh foods. Eating important organs of animals also helped protect our people from diseases, but now days meat bought in stores is far from healthy because of the way the animals have been raised on unhealthy diets instead of the good clean grasses of Mother Earth. So because the Creator gave us the task of protecting Mother Earth we need to work together to protect her and give her the respect and honor for what she has done for us." |
