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The Good Path: Ojibwe Learning and Activity Book for Kids
Ideally suited for classroom use or home reading, this illustrated history of Ojibwe culture focuses on the teachings of the Good Path, nine core values that are the fundamental basis of Ojibwe philosophy: Honor the CreatorHonor EldersHonor WomenHonor Our Elder Brothers (the plant and animal beings)Be PeacefulBe Kind to EveryoneBe Moderate in Our Thoughts, Words, and DeedsBe CourageousKeep Our PromisesKids of all cultures journey through time with the Ojibwe people as their guide to the Good Path and its universal lessons of courage, cooperation, and honor. Through traditional native tales, hear about Grandmother Moon, the mysterious Megis shell, and the souls of plants and animals. Through Ojibwe history, learn how trading posts, treaties, and warfare affected Native Americans. Through activities designed especially for kids, discover fun ways to follow the Good Path's timeless wisdom every day.
- GenresNative American
127 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2002
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October 22, 2024
Lessons begin with traditional stories of the Ojibwe people illustrating an Ojibwe value.
1. The Creator’s Vision; Honor the Creator
The Ojibwe creation story is similar to the one in Genesis except that the Creator puts some of himself into all things, not just humans made in the image of God.
2. The Grandfathers; Honor Elders
Honoring the elders is a good principle, and I love the activity of interviewing elders in your community to find out about what life was like for them. But this chapter is ancient “history” as told by the Wallam Olum, a document largely considered to be a 19th-century white man’s hoax. I wish the authors had couched their history in “some people believe” and referred to archaeological evidence and other supporting sources, rather than exclusively quoting as fact what is so strongly questioned. (The original painted sticks suspiciously disappeared sort of like Joseph Smith’s golden tablets.)
3. Grandmother Moon; Honor Women
The story here is of the first woman, a spirit who had two children, one spirit and one physical, who destroyed each other because of these differences. Then she had two children who were physical, but also had souls—the Anishinaabeg—original people. She returned to the sky, the land of peace, where all will go when they pass into the spirit world. The chapter goes on to discuss the role of women in traditional society and today. The authors point out how women have stepped up when men lost their way after the arrival of Europeans upended traditional culture.
4. The Prophecies; Honor Our Elder Brothers
Our elder brothers are the plants and animals created before us and also endowed with souls. The chapter includes oral traditions of the 7 fire prophecies that tell of the white man coming and the toll that would take on humans and on the environment. The last prophecy is of a new generation finding their way back to the Good Path.
5. The Westward Migration: Be Peaceful
The Ojibwe, Potawatomi and Ottawa peoples strive for peace as they move westward over generations, ending at Madeleine Island, a turtle-shaped island in Lake Superior.
6. The Place of the Yellow-Breasted Woodpecker; Be kind to everyone
Madeleine Island in Ojibwe is the Place of the Yellow-Breasted Woodpecker. This chapter mainly describes life on Madeleine Island before the coming o the light-skinned people. It repeats much of the material found in chapter 3, Grandmother Moon, Honor Women, but repetition makes the information sounds familiar to kids. This chapter adds the four hills of life: infancy, youth, adulthood and being an elder.
7. The Suffering of the Elder Brothers; Be Moderate in Our Thoughts, Words, and Deeds
The chapter opens with the story of how the herd animals, who used to give themselves freely for food, all left the Ojibwe lands and refused to return until the people promised to honor and respect them by not wasting their gifts or spoiling the forest. This leads into an account of how the people forgot their responsibility to be moderate in their thoughts, words and deeds and got caught up in material culture until they had used up all the resources of our “elder brothers” and the fur trade came to an end, leaving them with nothing. By that time the land was lost to “treaties.”
8. The Time of the Sixth Fire; Be Courageous
A very sad account of the impact of European diseases, settler encroachment, and attempts (like boarding schools) to destroy Native culture. While Christianity teaches that all are born with a sinful nature, Ojibwe teach that all are born innocent and we can find that goodness if we look within.
9. The Seventh Generation; Keep Our Promises
The authors assume a dichotomy between believing in Christ and following the good traditions of the elders without considering how Christ might be the fulfillment of Ojibwe dreams. One can hardly blame them when so many wrong things were done to the Ojibwe people in the name of Christ. The “new people” of the 7th fire prophecy are a younger generation, listening to the elders, walking away from drugs and gangs and despair, and living by the values taught in this book.
This book is much more consciously religious than The Sacred Tree which seemed to strive to communicate to non-religious indigenous people. The authors try not to be sexist, but switch from “he” to “he/she” to “it” in reference to the Creator. “Activities” tend to consist of discussion questions or research topics. No trying a new skill or even a traditional recipe. That said, the values are excellent, and I learned a lot about the Ojibwe perspective on them.
1. The Creator’s Vision; Honor the Creator
The Ojibwe creation story is similar to the one in Genesis except that the Creator puts some of himself into all things, not just humans made in the image of God.
2. The Grandfathers; Honor Elders
Honoring the elders is a good principle, and I love the activity of interviewing elders in your community to find out about what life was like for them. But this chapter is ancient “history” as told by the Wallam Olum, a document largely considered to be a 19th-century white man’s hoax. I wish the authors had couched their history in “some people believe” and referred to archaeological evidence and other supporting sources, rather than exclusively quoting as fact what is so strongly questioned. (The original painted sticks suspiciously disappeared sort of like Joseph Smith’s golden tablets.)
3. Grandmother Moon; Honor Women
The story here is of the first woman, a spirit who had two children, one spirit and one physical, who destroyed each other because of these differences. Then she had two children who were physical, but also had souls—the Anishinaabeg—original people. She returned to the sky, the land of peace, where all will go when they pass into the spirit world. The chapter goes on to discuss the role of women in traditional society and today. The authors point out how women have stepped up when men lost their way after the arrival of Europeans upended traditional culture.
4. The Prophecies; Honor Our Elder Brothers
Our elder brothers are the plants and animals created before us and also endowed with souls. The chapter includes oral traditions of the 7 fire prophecies that tell of the white man coming and the toll that would take on humans and on the environment. The last prophecy is of a new generation finding their way back to the Good Path.
5. The Westward Migration: Be Peaceful
The Ojibwe, Potawatomi and Ottawa peoples strive for peace as they move westward over generations, ending at Madeleine Island, a turtle-shaped island in Lake Superior.
6. The Place of the Yellow-Breasted Woodpecker; Be kind to everyone
Madeleine Island in Ojibwe is the Place of the Yellow-Breasted Woodpecker. This chapter mainly describes life on Madeleine Island before the coming o the light-skinned people. It repeats much of the material found in chapter 3, Grandmother Moon, Honor Women, but repetition makes the information sounds familiar to kids. This chapter adds the four hills of life: infancy, youth, adulthood and being an elder.
7. The Suffering of the Elder Brothers; Be Moderate in Our Thoughts, Words, and Deeds
The chapter opens with the story of how the herd animals, who used to give themselves freely for food, all left the Ojibwe lands and refused to return until the people promised to honor and respect them by not wasting their gifts or spoiling the forest. This leads into an account of how the people forgot their responsibility to be moderate in their thoughts, words and deeds and got caught up in material culture until they had used up all the resources of our “elder brothers” and the fur trade came to an end, leaving them with nothing. By that time the land was lost to “treaties.”
8. The Time of the Sixth Fire; Be Courageous
A very sad account of the impact of European diseases, settler encroachment, and attempts (like boarding schools) to destroy Native culture. While Christianity teaches that all are born with a sinful nature, Ojibwe teach that all are born innocent and we can find that goodness if we look within.
9. The Seventh Generation; Keep Our Promises
The authors assume a dichotomy between believing in Christ and following the good traditions of the elders without considering how Christ might be the fulfillment of Ojibwe dreams. One can hardly blame them when so many wrong things were done to the Ojibwe people in the name of Christ. The “new people” of the 7th fire prophecy are a younger generation, listening to the elders, walking away from drugs and gangs and despair, and living by the values taught in this book.
This book is much more consciously religious than The Sacred Tree which seemed to strive to communicate to non-religious indigenous people. The authors try not to be sexist, but switch from “he” to “he/she” to “it” in reference to the Creator. “Activities” tend to consist of discussion questions or research topics. No trying a new skill or even a traditional recipe. That said, the values are excellent, and I learned a lot about the Ojibwe perspective on them.
December 14, 2012
I love this book! I have owned it for years. This book is about the Ojibwe people and many cultural aspects. This book explains the 9 values of the Ojibwe people. To include a few; Honor elders, Honor women, Be peaceful, Be kind to everyone, even those with whom we disagree, and etc... This book has wonderful illustrations and information about the Ojibwe people. I would utilize this book in an elementary classrooom. These values will be a huge part of my classroom. This book also includes many activities for students to explore.
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