Details

Storyteller: Val
Tribe: Red Lake Band of Ojibwe
Created: 2018
Location: Minneapolis, MN
Transcript: I come from a family of twelve children and was raised by both of my parents. Lillian and Arnold Stand. I have 7 sisters and 4 brothers. Of my siblings, 2 are in the spirit world along with my dad. I have three grown children, two daughters and one son. I also have five Grandchildren, two Granddaughters and three Grandsons. I love my family with all of my heart.

My parents when I was young use to speak Ojibwe to each other. when we went to the rez and visited their family, I would hear them speak Ojibwe. My parents took us on family trips, they took us fishing, hunting and ricing, they taught us to hand parch the wild rice. I watched my dad skin a deer. We ate traditional foods a lot more back then. Also, we did a lot together. I attended Phillips Jr High, which was Native American prevalent. I felt good there and it was a good time in my life. They offered Ojibwe language which I loved and learned to speak enough for greeting and learned to listen and know what the conversation is about. To this day I recall many words and can kind of understand a conversation. I used to be able to have some conversation because I took the Ojibwe class for three years. My father use to help with the maple sugar camp each year in the spring at Heart of the Earth Survival School, My mom Lillian taught us all life skills and to cook a good dinner.

I lived in South Minneapolis pretty much my entire life. I also lived up north in the Cloquet area for 2 and a half years, and then moved back to the cities. I’ve never lived on the reservation.

Going back to my Children my oldest Rachel who is 31, Kristen who is 30, and Alex who is 26. We love doing things together. Such as road trips, going to powwows, attending Unity walks, family events together, supporting one another on our different journeys. Even attending birthday parties together, off reservation activities and Being close to our families is who we are. It identifies us as a family and that we show unity together. We joke a lot, we support one another, and we have a close bond that only we can only understand.

One of the reasons for wanting to do a digital story is for my family, including my “Grands,” (Grandchildren) which includes Amara who is 15, Aaron “Jr” who is about to be 13, Jayden who is 8, Aadon “King” who is 7, and Ava Valerie who is 6. I love spending time with them, going hiking, trips to Duluth, powwows, or just having them spend the night. 

One thing that I love to role model, is physical activity, I want them to remember me as being able to keep up with them, doing things such as hiking, walking, running, and not doing things because I can’t do them with them. I don’t want to inhibit me physically. I want to take care of my body the best that I can. That means exercising and eating as healthy as I can. That’s my family...