Ojibwe people in northern Minnesota

Bemidji in northern Minnesota/USA is situated between three reservations of the Ojibwe people: Red Lake, White Earth, and Leech Lake. The Ojibwe, or Anishiinabe in their language, just as all Native American peoples, try to make sense of their troubled history on their own land in order to get a grip on their lives in the present and for future generations. Their stories are much more than drugs or domestic violence. Through the protests in Standing Rock and the media coverage about the water protectors, they realized they have a voice, they have power, and they want to have a future worth fighting for. During various assignments for Minnesota Public Radio News I got an idea of their struggles and hopes, their sense of community and caring for the land, and I experienced how warm and welcoming they are while at the same time being skeptical against the surrounding western culture. Ongoing project.