On a cold November night at the Yellowjacket Union students and community members were able to learn games traditionally played by the Ojibwe people.
The event was hosted by Native Nations Student Organization in collaboration with the Indigenous Cultures Resource Center. The games played at the event were Dish (Begesi), Moccasin and Lacrosse (Baaga’adowewin). The games were chosen based on availability and being able to be learned.
Attendees Learning Lacrosse in the YU Great Room
Photo By: Evan Ludwig
“These games were chosen because of availability and also getting straight down to the point, and I love these games,” said Dillion Krisik who was running the Lacrosse game.
Those who attended the lacrosse portion were able to learn how to pick up the ball, how to pass and shoot and how to score. They were also taught the traditional customs that the Ojibwe people would do before each game starts. While the activity of Lacrosse was going on one side of the wall on the other side attendees were able to learn the much calmer games of Dish and Moccasin.
In learning these games Krisik made it clear that we are doing so because we are on the land of the Ojibwe people, and we should celebrate that culture.
“I feel it’s important because this is the land the Ojibwe people belong to,” said Krisik.
Knowing that this land is where these games were once played will help us learn and continue to represent Ojibwe culture.
