The Ojibwe tribe in the 1450’s was located near the great lakes around northern North America and southern Canada. The Ojibwe family system was of extremely great importance to these tribes. Not only did these tribes somewhat assign responsibility to each clan within the tribe, but they also allowed the community to work in harmony. Specific gender roles contributed to family responsibilities and infrastructure. The family rules, regulations and processes of raising children were of great importance to the social structure of this society. The Ojibwe tribes worked very well together and were somewhat reliant on each other. The way the clan system worked, along with the tradition of the most native Ojibwes allowed this culture to survive and prosper.
Families were called clans in the Ojibwe culture. Clans were named after animals or birds. Seven original clans existed, each representing different responsibilities in the tribe. The crane and loon clan were the chiefs of the tribe. They ran a small, balanced government and ensured that good decisions were made throughout the tribe. The fish clan were the teachers and scholars and helped children develop skills and healthy spirits. They also solved disputes between the crane and loon clan. The Bear clan was the police and legal guardians. They patrolled the land and learned roots and plants around the area for medicinal purposes. The members of the Hoof clan were very gentle people that were responsible for caring for all others of the Ojibwe tribe. They also ensured housing and recreation for others. The Marten clan consisted of the hunters, food gatherers and warriors of the tribe. Last, the members of the Bird clan were the spiritual leaders of the area. They gave visions of well-being, and were known to pursue the highest elevation of the mind. After these seven original clans, other forms of these specific clans were created to accommodate bigger villages. For example, there may be three different Hoof clans (all named after animals with hoofs) and they would all be responsible for caring for others.
Naming is a very important process in the Ojibwe Tribe. People were named after all things in nature. A naming ceremony takes place when a new baby is born, and the soon the be parents will choose a “name giver.” They will also choose two “We-hes” (similar to godparents in our culture). They will protect and advise this child for life. The parents will give the name giver a gift of tobacco, and he/she will give the child a name after care consideration from visions or dreams. In each clan, (which consisted of mainly the nuclear family) they would address each other according to relation. For example, they would address their brother and “brother,” and their mother and “mother” (fairly simple concept).
Marriages among Ojibwe members were quite different than marriage among present day Americans. Some marriages were arranged through older family members (usually parents or guardians), but in other cases, if no marriage was arranged, a man would pick out a woman of interest in the tribe. Inter-clan marriages were prohibited. In the time of 1450, divorce was not permitted, and remarriage was even looked down upon after a husband or wife died. Later, divorce became more acceptable. These marriages were mostly monogamous, as the function of the traditional Ojibwe clan worked best with one mother and one father. When a man and women were to get married, the man would go out and hunt for the biggest kill he could get to present to the woman’s family. This showed the woman’s family that he could provide for their daughter. If the woman’s family accepted the gift, the two would be married, and the groom would move in with the woman’s clan for one or two years until they were ready to start a clan of their own.
Children in this culture were taught bravery, patience, and self control from day one. Children were very submissive to their parents and other elders in the community. Some rules that these children followed were to not interrupt elders, not to laugh if something unusual happens, not to ask or look willfully at another clan’s food, and (a very interesting one) not to walk between and elder and the fire.
The parental roles of the Ojibwe tribe are very expected roles of most native tribes. The mother was responsible for farming, child care, cooking, and making clothing for the clan. The father mostly hunted, provided for, and protected the clan. They were the warriors of the community. Both sexes participated in story telling, artwork, music, and traditional medicines.
The living accommodations for the tribe mostly consisted of units called wigwams. These wigwams were made up of a large, usually round frames. These frames would be wrapped in animal hide and then covered in bark or other natural material. Sometimes these wigwams were teepee shape because roofing material was not available. The nuclear family would live in these wigwams, and as I addressed earlier, sometimes the groom of the daughters.
The Ojibwe culture was very reliant on their clan system, therefore family was of utmost importance. Without the social structure of each clan contributing to their responsibilities, the tribe could not have survived. Within the clan itself, all members had respect for each other allowing the clan to not only prosper within it’s wigwam and provide for it’s own members, but also be a contributing factor the community as a whole.

Johnston, Basil. Ojibway Heritage. Book. Columbia University Press, New York. 1976.

Jones, Rev. Peter. History of the Ojebway Indians. Book. Freeport, New York. 1970.

Landes, Ruth. The Ojibwa Woman. Book. University of Nebraska Press. 1997.

http://www.mpm.edu/wirp/ICW-51.html