Stay Curious. Stay Connected.
MailNewsletters♡Donate Now
Sign up
*Password must be at least 8 characters and contain one uppercase letter, one lowercase letter, one number and one symbol.
Already have an account?
By submitting, you consent that you are at least 18 years of age and to receive information about MPR's or APMG entities' programs and offerings. The personally identifying information you provide will not be sold, shared, or used for purposes other than to communicate with you about MPR, APMG entities, and its sponsors. You may opt-out at any time clicking the unsubscribe link at the bottom of any email communication. View our Privacy Policy.
Sign in to your profile
Forgot Password?
New to MPR News?
Welcome back
to news
for you
Reset Password

Enter the username on file and we'll send you a code to reset your password.

Still require assistance or not sure what your User Name is?
Welcome back
to news
for you
Email Verification

A verification code has been emailed to

Still awaiting the code?

Ojibwe historian Brenda Child explores labor on the reservation

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Log inCreate a free Account

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!
'My Grandfather's Knocking Sticks'
'My Grandfather's Knocking Sticks' by Brenda Child
Book cover courtesy of publisher

For the Ojibwe people, moving to reservations meant the end of economic self-sufficiency. Cut off from their traditional forms of labor and support, the first generation on the Red Lake Reservation struggled to find work. Ojibwe historian Brenda Child tells the story of this generation, and how they confronted the stark economic challenges of World War I and the Great Depression while preserving their identity and culture.

Child's book, "My Grandfather's Knocking Sticks," draws from her own family's story, including from the Bureau of Indian Affairs file on her grandparents' computer. She joins The Daily Circuit to discuss what life was like for her family, as well as for other Ojibwe people around the Great Lakes.

Child will be a guest on the "History Lounge" on Dec. 16. The event is free.