The roots of the Metis run deep in the Turtle Mountains and reflect a unique cultural heritage that was developed during the initial blending of European and indigenous cultures during the early 1800s. Metis music blends elements from both traditions but is wholly different from both. Metis fiddling was created for dances and was played around the […]
By Kade Ferris In a Letter from the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, accompanying the Annual Report of the Board of Regents for the year 1879, a very vivid description of the Metis people was given. This description discussed such issues as the Metis homeland and settlements, the tribes from which the Metis derived their […]
By Kade Ferris One of the most reliable sources for defining the territory of the Pembina/Turtle Mountain Ojibwe in what is now North Dakota comes from the 1858 peace agreement, forged between the chiefs and headmen of the band and the Sisseton and Yankton Dakota, called the “Sweet Corn Treaty”. The Sweet Corn Treaty sought […]
We welcome you…The Turtle Mountain Chippewa community is a vibrant multi-cultural community that includes traditions from the Ojibwe (Anishinaabe) people and the Metis/Cree people to create a culture that is both unique and beautifully colorful and vibrant. The Mission of the Turtle Mountain Chippewa Indian Heritage Center is to preserve, promote, and apprise the history, culture, […]
Noted fur trader, Alexander Ross, described a Metis and Ojibwe hunting expedition that took place in 1840. According to Ross, two expeditions were undertaken that year by a group that include about 1,630 men, women, and children. The hunters started their hunt leaving from Red River Colony where they made a stop at Fort Garry […]
Noted fur trader, Alexander Ross, described a Metis and Ojibwe hunting expedition that took place in 1840. According to Ross, two expeditions were undertaken that year by a group that include about 1,630 men, women, and children. The hunters started their hunt leaving from Red River Colony where they made a stop at Fort Garry […]
The Turtle Mountains, or Turtle Mountain, is an area in the the north-central portion of the State of North Dakota and the southwestern portion of the Canadian province of Manitoba. The Turtle Mountains rise to about 2,000 ft (600 m) above sea level, and are about 300 to 400 ft (90 m to 120 m) […]
Turtle Mountain music includes everything from traditional drum songs, to French children’s songs, to fiddle dance tunes to contemporary country and rock ‘n’ roll. Everyone says the Turtle Mountain people are the most musical people in the region, and they’re right. Below are some selected songs from our people.
Below are some local recipes for some traditional dishes from the Turtle Mountains. Li Galette (Bannock bread)3 cups flour1 tsp salt1 tbsp sugar2 tbsp baking powder1/2-cup lard1 1/2 cups cold waterMixKnead 5 to 8 minutesRoll 1/2 thick Bake at 375° F until done Li Galette is a heavy, unleavened bread commonly eaten by Ojibwe and […]
My 7th great grandfather was Ke-che-Waub-Ish-Ash, of the Martin Clan, a war chief under Bi-aus-wah, who was the “Peace Chief” … The following is an interesting account of how he was killed in a battle with the Dakota … From an oral account taken from The HISTORY OF THE OJIBWAY PEOPLE, William W. Warren, Written […]
By Kade Ferris Master fiddler Mike Page was born on June 30, 1939, the son of Jean Baptiste Page and Frances Fayant. One of 14 children, Mike and his family farmed and lived west of Belcourt and northwest of the St. Anthony’s Catholic Church in the foothills of the Turtle Mountains. Jean Baptiste was a fiddler […]
Makadeshib (Black Duck) was a brave warrior and early chief of the Pembina Band of Ojibwe. He maintained his home camps and hunted at Stump Lake and near Fargo, North Dakota during the early years of the 1800s.In about 1824, Makadeshib decided to go to war against the Dakota. He sent around tobacco and raised […]
Native American Hall of Honor is an annual program recognizing Native Americans who have gone above and beyond in representing their tribe and culture. The program is a partnership of the North Dakota Indian Affairs Commission, the State Historical Society of North Dakota, and the State Historical Society Foundation. The program recognizes traditional and contemporary […]
A general decline in the beaver fur trade between 1805 and 1821 resulted in cultural changes among the Cree, Ojibwe, and Métis populations around Red River settlement. Declining game populations and disenchantment with the state of the fur trade led to greater adoption of the horse and a focus on bison hunting. More and more […]
