The struggle is real. For me as an entrepreneur but more so as an Anishinaabekwe I am constantly working to live in alignment. One thing is for sure, we are handing off the problems and beauty of this home to the next generation. As we grow, learn, change, I am always trying to re align with my Anishinaabe values to live thinking about the next generation. At Heart Berry we do alot of things with our tiny team. From murals to scholarships we are always realigning ourselves back onto this good and beautiful path. Those of us who work in the design world are faced with daily forks in the road about production, ethics, materials, and what in the hell...
Anishinaabe Team Rebuilds and Repairs Relationship with Water We are Canoe People. When I first started saying this I felt weird and got alot of side eye. But I know from time immemorial Anishinaabeg have migrated and thrived on our waterways. From a system of highways to the center of our food system we have always relied upon the water. The memory of this has been systematically taken from us. Through the theft of our children to the boarding schools to the allotment system removing our access to waterways that lie even within our reservation boundaries, our ability to move and live a mino bimaadiziiwin has been under attack for hundreds of years in many ways. As a trail runner...
One of our basic Ojibwe principles is Reciprocity. Whether it's about helping each other during ceremonies, taking care of each other's children, or giving someone a ride to the store, we have always worked together to thrive and during other times to survive. Manoominikewin with Kaasii Houchin As an entrepreneur the push is always to grow grow grow and focus on the profit of the business. But Heart Berry is more than a business, we are a cultural art space. We are working to revitalize moccasin making. We are institutionalizing Ojibwe art. We are always working to re align ourselves to the Heart. Makizinikewin with Elders at Biigidain Housing 15 months ago I attended a scholarship ceremony at Cloquet High...
If you've been following along, we don't really do things the usual way. At Heart Berry we are always aligning and re aligning ourselves with who we are as Ojibwe. When we work and lead from the heart our choices are often different. As the boss I am thinking about how do I want to lead, how do I want to provide opportunities for development not only as staff but development of us as Ojibwes. This past winter we began to offer Ojibwe language study time as paid time at work. My belief is that this reciprocity is what helps us thrive. I want a staff that is connecting, learning, and growing as Ojibwe people, not only as "workers". Who...
