Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, Mille Lacs Band

The Mille Lacs Band of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe will collect and preserve oral histories and personal stories from approximately 500 Tribal elders and community members in order to address the disruption of traditional modes of cultural transmission caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Project activities include hiring a new archives assistant position, purchasing recording supplies and equipment, developing a standardized list of interview questions, and engaging Tribal members to record orally transmitted stories and histories according to protocols that address genealogical, cultural, and personal history. The oral histories will be cataloged in the Tribal archives, resulting in a new oral history collection that will help preserve, protect, and share Tribal history and culture for future generations.