by John Dowd
Last Saturday, the Historic St. Mary’s Mission and Museum held another of a serious of presentations they call their Saturday Series. These talks are presented by Humanities Montana, and bring a variety of related topics to the Mission. Last week’s speaker was Louise Ogemahgeshig Fischer. Fischer is a Native American of relation to several tribes including the Ojibwe/Chippewa, as well as being a Anishinaabe traditional healer and is registered with the Minnesota Cree tribe.
Fischer spoke on Native American spirituality, and the importance of their clothing and objects, which were all fashioned from the land around them. Fischer explained that decorated and crafted objects have power to native peoples and “when you’re looking at the bead work, you’re really looking at the spirit of that person.”
According to Fischer, there are over 500 federally recognized tribes in America, and in reality there were historically many more than that. These tribes were often as different from each other as countries in Europe, and their material culture was at least as rich.
Fischer also spoke on sacred plants that were used to bless people, items and events as well as were used in the creation of clothing and inspired various patterns used in the artwork on clothing and items. Some of these spiritually important plants were tobacco, cedar, sage and sweetgrass. Other plants used were cattails, bitterroot and much more. She explained that everything in the spiritual view of native peoples had spirit and power. Often, these and other things were traded across the continent. Shells from the West Coast made their way inland, volcanic obsidian traveled east and north from places like Yellowstone and Oregon, and beads from Europe were found throughout the Americas.
Sinew from animals was dried, then rehydrated and separated into fibers used in the creation of arrows, stitching and bow strings. She explained that everything worn was something taken from the land, and spiritual offerings were made for them.
She spoke also on the cultural significance of objects, such as the feather of an eagle. Eagle feathers, she explained, are important to all the tribes of the Americas. There are even certain protocols to follow, such as if a person were to drop a feather, only a war veteran could retrieve it for them. She also told the story of people who would capture eagles for their feathers. One way this was done was by posting up on a high point, digging a hole in the ground there, and placing bait. Once an eagle flew there and landed to eat the bait, the hunter would reach from his hole and grab the eagle by the feet. She showed a photo by a famous photographer, Edward S. Curtis, that pictured a Native man holding an eagle he had reportedly just captured in this way.
Fischer does talks all over the state, as well as the West and Midwest. She does sweat lodge ceremonies and is active in Native American culture today. She is a presenter for Humanities Montana, and has done so for many years.
Historic St. Mary’s Mission and Museum can be reached by calling (406)777-5734. They plan on having more events like this, and encourage people to visit the mission and the museum to learn more about the history of the place and the area.