Details

Storyteller: Crystal
Tribe: Fond du Lac Band of Ojibwe
Created: 2018
Location: Duluth, MN
Transcript: Hello, my name is Crystal Brown and I am here to share my story to help my family understand why my thoughts, choices, and actions of today have become my way of life. The most influential people in my life are my mom, husband, my siblings and my late grandmother. They helped me form who I am today. My mom gave me a solid base for having compassion, love, being a caretaker, getting back up after you fall; perseverance and in fighting for what I believe in. My mom lives on the Fond Du Lac reservation. She lives, teaches and speaks the old cultural ways. My Native name is *speaks in Ojibwe* which means "strong spirit woman". My siblings taught me to share, to have teamwork and that it’s ok to disagree. My grandmother gave me stories of her growing up, of picking berries and hazelnuts, and of the power of belief, compassion, patience and kindness. My husband taught me to enjoy the outdoors, to provide food for the family and to be independent while he was away in the military. After a snowmobile ride, I would lay on the snow and look at the stars with my husband. He taught me how to change a tire, a lightbulb, check the oil, shoot a deer or partridge, and chop wood for the fire.

I have lived in 5 states mostly in the Midwest and Florida.  We adjusted to the environment to provide food on the table and love for our family. We fished all year round and hunted with the bow and gun. We gardened and stayed connected to Mother Earth by providing offerings, keeping the family close, and being kind and thankful.

Hearing the stories about growing up the Native way from my mom and relatives has influenced me. My mom makes faceless authentic Native American dolls and sells them at functions that I attend with her. I have made an authentic doll and a dreamcatcher made out of kinicnic; Indian tobacco. I have attended Pow Wows, Native classes, and Native events like “The Great Hurt”, which was presented to the United Nations about posttraumatic stress disorder and living in boarding schools. I have an app on my phone with Native words.  I have lived and seen in this present-day Native Americans being discriminated against, and Native Americans discriminating other Native Americans, even from the same family. This makes me sad, angry and very frustrated.

I would like others to understand my Native culture, to live in the present by continuing hunting, fishing, picking berries, canning the vegetables and providing information for the future by continuing with the classes, attending Native events and keeping my heritage alive and not forgotten. I will tell stories about where my ancestors came from, their sacrifices, their strength, their wisdom and their spirit. It fills the blankness and void and gives me a sense of purpose and pride!