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Kade Ferris

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Kade Michael Ferris (January 25, 1969 – November 4, 2023), also known as Giniw Wiidokaage, was a Native American anthropologist, Indigenous historian, and blogger based in Minnesota.[1][2][3] A citizen of the Turtle Mountain Chippewa and of Métis descent, he worked for the Red Lake Nation as an archaeologist.[1][4] He was the author of six books on the Ojibwe, Cree, and Métis people.[1] His book, Charles Albert Bender: National Hall of Fame Pitcher (2020), a biography of Chief Bender written for middle school readers, was highly recommended by American Indians in Children's Literature as one of the best books in 2020.[1][5]

Early life and career

Ferris earned a master of science degree in anthropology from North Dakota State University.[6]

Career

During his 30-year career, he worked on a variety of tribal programs.[3] In 2010, Ferris was working as a historic preservation officer for the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa, when human remains belonging to at least five American Indians were discovered near Park River, North Dakota.[7] He was widely cited commenting on the complexity of Métis identity in America.[4][8]

He maintained the Dibaajimowin blog, which features unique stories and historical anecdotes about the Ojibwe and Métis.[9] He also wrote blog posts for the Turtle Mountain of Chippewa Heritage Center.[10] He spoke with Prairie Public Television as elder sharing teachings about the power that young Native people can gain by learning their traditional stories.[11] These teachings are included as part of North Dakota's education standards on Native American curriculum in schools.[12][13] He self-published a number of books on Ojibwe and Metis history, leaders and traditional stories.[1] His book, Charles Albert Bender: National Hall of Fame Pitcher (2020), a biography of Chief Bender written for middle school readers, was highly recommended by American Indians in Children's Literature as one of the best books in 2020.[1][5] The book was included in a guide of reliable Native educational resources for Understand Native Minnesota, an initiative funded by the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community that provides lists of materials that meet Minnesota's academic standards in English language arts.[14]

As an archaeologist for Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa, his work included mapping and protecting culturally important sites on the reservation.[15] In 2019, he won the ESRI tribal story map competition in 2019 for his story map that provides an in-depth look at Indian Land Cessions in Minnesota.[16][17] He said working for tribes provided satisfaction that he could not find in private industries, "I'm only happy when I'm doing tribal resource management. It's more fulfilling. You’re helping get roads and houses built, creating grants and plans to benefit people, not just to satisfy a client and make a profit. I’ve been working for tribal governments by whole life."[16] He also used GIS to map out trading posts and Native villages throughout the upper Midwest as part of his work, saying, "I'm trying to rebuild this historical landscape through research, talking to elders, telling stories, and tying them all together through mapping."[16]

Ferris was known for presenting about Ojibwe and Metis in hopes of clearing up misunderstandings.[18][19][20] In a presentation for a historical society in North Dakota, Ferris said, "People have a misconception about the Ojibwe people in North Dakota. They think that the Ojibwe people are some kind of an afterthought that came with the fur trade. But really they were here before the fur trade and the fur trade came because of the Ojibwe people".[18] Using his previous experience with helping Turtle Mountain establish a buffalo herd, he was credited with helping the Red Lake Band of Chippewa establish a bison farm in 2018 while working as their Tribal Historic Preservation Officer.[21] As part of his work for Red Lake, he created educational materials as part of honoring the Treaty of Old Crossing, which is a tribal holiday for the tribe.[20]

In 2021, He advised the Clay County Historical Society in Moorhead, Minnesota on their programming on Indigenous people for their 150 years ago exhibition called Makoce kin ihdago manipi (Dakota language: They leave marks as they come through here).[22] That work included providing the Metis translations of signage throughout the history center.[23] Ferris featured colorizations of historic Native leaders as part of the Dibaajimowin showcase in the Makoce kin ihdago manipi exhibition (March 2022-January 2023).[9] The manager of the historical society Gabby Clavo said his exhibition was important because "The colorization really shows off the importance of the dress and regalia the Native American people would wear. The black and white images don’t give the same visual impact to the viewer."[24]

Reviews

In a review for American Indians in Children's Literature, Jean Mendoza commended Ferris's description of major league baseball in the early 20th century and his discussion of the "micro-aggressions and even blatant aggression" he endured as a non-white athlete, but added that the book left the reader wondering about his life outside career in sports.[5]

Personal life and death

He died of cancer on November 4, 2023.[3]

Notable publications

  • Charles Albert Bender: National Hall of Fame Pitcher (Minnesota Native American Lives) (2020)[25]
  • "Michif Foodways: A Remembrance by Elder Sandra Houle". 2023. Pawaatamihk 1(1): 37–40[26]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f "Kade Ferris' Gift for Inspiring through Children's Literature". Minnesota Native News. March 18, 2021. Retrieved July 3, 2024.
  2. ^ Hilleary, Cecily (January 11, 2019). "Native Americans Sound Off on Shutdown, Border Wall". Voice of America. ProQuest 2166203723. Retrieved July 3, 2024 – via ProQuest.
  3. ^ a b c "Kade Michael Ferris". Red Lake Nation News. November 9, 2023. Retrieved July 3, 2024.
  4. ^ a b Hilleary, Cecily (July 11, 2018). "'We Know Who We Are' - The Complex Issue of Métis Identity". Voice of America. Retrieved November 16, 2023.
  5. ^ a b c Mendoza, Jean (May 12, 2021). "HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! Charles Albert Bender: National Hall of Fame Pitcher". American Indians in Children's Literature. Retrieved July 4, 2024.
  6. ^ "Stigler Lecture Series, 2013–2014". University of Arkansas, Fulbright College of Arts & Sciences. Retrieved July 3, 2024.
  7. ^ "Bones found in ND belonged to American Indians". Bismarck Tribune. July 18, 2010. ProQuest 613788387. Retrieved July 3, 2024 – via ProQuest.
  8. ^ Taylor, Molly-Ann P. (Spring–Summer 2023). "Navigating the Medicine Line: A Review of Hogue's Métis Borderlanders". Borders in Globalization Review. 4 (2): 155–156. doi:10.18357/bigr42202321518.
  9. ^ a b "Dibaajimowin". Historical and Cultural Society of Clay County. January 6, 2023. Retrieved July 4, 2024.
  10. ^ "Heritage Blog". Turtle Mountain Chippewa Heritage Center. June 13, 2023. Retrieved July 4, 2024.
  11. ^ "Dakota Datebook: Teachings of Our Elders". PBS LearningMedia. June 15, 2023. Retrieved July 4, 2024.
  12. ^ "Introduction with Kade Ferris". Teachings of Our Elders -. April 30, 2019. Retrieved July 4, 2024.
  13. ^ "Kade Ferris". Teachings of Our Elders. April 30, 2019. Retrieved July 4, 2024.
  14. ^ "A Guide to Reliable Native American-Related Teaching Resources: with Reference to Minnesota K-12 Academic Standards in English Language Arts" (PDF). Retrieved July 4, 2024.
  15. ^ "Preliminary Assessment of Potential for Wind Energy Technology on the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Reservation" (PDF). Retrieved July 4, 2024.
  16. ^ a b c Beimers, Henry (April 28, 2022). "Decolonizing the Map of Minnesota". ArcGIS StoryMaps. Retrieved July 4, 2024.
  17. ^ "Story Map Series". rlne.maps.arcgis.com. Archived from the original on October 31, 2022. Retrieved July 4, 2024.
  18. ^ a b Horn, Andrew (November 24, 2019). "Archaeologist presents history of Turtle Mountain tribe". KFYR. Retrieved July 4, 2024.
  19. ^ Goodrich, Kristine (August 29, 2021). "New American Indian group bringing cultural events to Mankato". Yahoo Entertainment. Retrieved July 4, 2024.
  20. ^ a b Meuers, Michael (November 9, 2021). "P2". Red Lake Nation News. Retrieved July 4, 2024.
  21. ^ Bowen, Joe (December 2, 2018). "Where the 'mashkode bizhiki' roam: Red Lake Nation plans a bison farm". Bemidji Pioneer. Retrieved July 4, 2024.
  22. ^ "Ihdago Manipi – Clay County at 150 exhibit". The Fm Extra. Retrieved July 4, 2024.
  23. ^ "Indigenous Signs at the Hjemkomst Center". The Fm Extra. Retrieved July 4, 2024.
  24. ^ "Hjemkomst exhibits focus on region's African American and Native American influences". The Arts Partnership: Cultivating Community Through The Arts. July 25, 2022. Retrieved July 4, 2024.
  25. ^ "Minnesota Native American Lives book series launches for elementary students". Indian Country Today. November 20, 2020. Retrieved July 3, 2024.
  26. ^ "Michif Foodways: A Remembrance by Elder Sandra Houle". I-Portal: Indigenous Studies Portal. Retrieved July 3, 2024 – via University of Saskatchewan Library.
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