“Ma'iingan Is Just a Misspelling of the Word Wolf”: A Case for Teaching Culture through Language

Framed by the English language and positioned as a distinct subject, Ojibwe culture and language are often appreciated by students rather than taught for a deeper understanding or fluency, or used as the language of instruction in tribal schools. Ojibwe culture and language have been “added on” to existing school curriculum, an approach that changes the meaning of culture. In this article I critique the add‐on approach and propose that teaching through the Indigenous language (immersion) supports cultural and language revitalization in a more fundamental way.