Dr. Anton Treuer’s passion for the Ojibwe language goes beyond the purview of academic study. As an assistant professor of Ojibwe language in the Languages and Ethnic Studies Department at Bemidji State University in Minnesota, Treuer’s personal and professional life revolves around the study and preservation of the language and culture.
Surprisingly, Treuer is not an Ojibwe native speaker. He learned the language as an adult when he returned to his homeland in and around the Leech Lake Ojibwe Reservation in Minnesota. He believes maintaining the language is tied to the survival of Ojibwe tribal identity.
“Language is a fundamental attribute of tribal sovereignty,” he says. Without language, Treuer believes all tribal peoples lose an essential cornerstone to their identities.
For Ojibwe people, Treuer says, spoken language is the only tool used to officiate ceremonies. Traditionally, Ojibwe is not written.
“Our belief is that Ojibwe (language) is what our soul understands. It is embedded in our sense of identity,” he says.
This was not always the case. After high school, Treuer recalls his main goal was to get out of his hometown of Bemidji to pursue a career in law or politics. After finishing his bachelor’s at Princeton University, he returned home with a determination to learn more about his Ojibwe background. He devoted himself to cultural activities and soon encountered Archie Mosay, a traditional Ojibwe elder. Under Mosay’s tutelage he found the path he continues to follow today.
Dennis Jones, professor of Ojibwe language at the University of Minnesota, regards Treuer as a language genius.
