Re/claiming the past—constructing Ojibwe identity in Minnesota homes

Interviews with 13 Minnesota Ojibwe families in their homes shed light on how domestic spaces can support or suppress efforts to restore social, cultural, spiritual, and temporal continuity. Having lost their past to forced relocation, assimilation, and discriminatory policies, Ojibwe are employing visual and performative cultural expressions like the display of Native objects, craft making, spirituality, traditional foods and eating patterns, and strong family and community connections to re/claim what was lost and to construct their Ojibwe identity. With an understanding of how homes mediate continuity with the past, designers can create culturally sensitive housing solutions that support well-being.