Description
We Are at Home: Pictures of the Ojibwe People is a stunning collection of more than 200 archival photographs of Minnesota Ojibwe men, women and children taken by a variety of photographers from the 1860s to around 1950. The images range from daguerreotypes to studio portraits to snapshots, and reflect the staged images created by non-Ojibwe photographers, as well as the highly personal Ojibwe family photograph albums. The author of this amazing collection is an independent historian who painstakingly worked for 20 years researching the background and circumstances of the photographers and, more importantly, the people photographed. The text and images are organized around several themes such as Dikinaaganan / cradleboards, Ogimaag / leaders, Nindabimin / we are at home, Biboonagad / a year goes by, Bimaadiziwin / the circle of life, Anishinaabeg / the people, and Manaaji'iwewin / respect. The author has done extensive genealogical research with the family members of Ojibwe people pictured in these historical images. The book reflects the wish to move beyond the stoical, staged, and stereotypical images of studio portraits and into the stories and contexts behind each image. Ojibwe scholar Gerald Vizenor provides a compelling foreword that sets the stage for the content and images. There is an extensive index and bibliography. Highly recommended. A hardcover edition is also available.