Ojibwe is an indigenous language of Minnesota and the heritage language of more than 200,000 people who reside in the United States and Canada. But today, due to a history of repression, the language is endangered. It is the mission of the Ojibwe Language Program at the University of Minnesota to help preserve, document and revitalize the language.
An ongoing community-University partnership is deepening cultural and educational resources for students at Leech Lake Early Childhood Development. Combining the idea of outdoor learning with Ojibwe language and cultural teachings, the program fosters meaningful connections for children and the wider community.
Leech Lake Early Childhood Development operates five locations, serving children and families both on and off the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe Reservation.
Back in 2018, the staff set out to explore new opportunities for their students, with the hope to further incorporate outdoor play, the Ojibwe language, multigenerational spaces and indigenous food. That’s when Leech Lake Early Childhood sought a collaboration with the University of Minnesota Extension’s Regional Sustainable Development Partnerships (RSDP).
After exploring how best to support Leech Lake Early Childhood, RSDP funded the hiring of a graduate student to conduct a literature review on outdoor learning for Native and Indigenous children.
The study demonstrated the need for a special outdoor space at Leech Lake Early Childhood Development where kids could connect with nature. This research inspired an RSDP-funded graduate student and community effort to plan and design the Megwayaak trail, among several other projects.
Revitalizing identity on the Megwayaak trail
It’s a misty morning in Cass Lake when a group of young students emerges from their school building and steps out into their classroom. Today, the Megwayaak trail is where these 3-year-olds from Leech Lake Early Childhood Development will start their lessons.
An Ojibwe word, “Megwayaak” (meg-way-aak), roughly translates to “in the woods.” Aptly, the trail winds along the edge of three acres filled with aspen, birch, pine, balsam fir and maple.
The wooded grove is situated behind the program’s Cass Lake area location, on the outer edge of the Chippewa National Forest, and tucked within the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe lands.
In thick, sturdy coveralls of vibrant red, green and yellow, the little explorers scamper past the treeline and onto the familiar trail.
Along the way, each step reveals something new—a plot of mushrooms, sweet-smelling flowers and a wiggly worm. It’s an immersive classroom where lessons unfold organically.
Through newly developed classroom activity guides and guidance from their teachers, the students are introduced to the Ojibwe words for the world around them—waabigwan (flower), mitig (tree) and niibish (leaf).
Based on connections initiated by RSDP, academics from the University of Minnesota’s Ojibwe Language Department helped create the guides customized for the program’s early learners. They incorporate Ojibwe language and cultural knowledge, helping students explore the natural world in a way that is culturally meaningful.
A journey of collaboration
“I think the long-term partnership between Leech Lake Early Childhood and RSDP has been possible and successful in large part because of the trusting relationship it all started with,” reflects Molly Zins, RSDP's central executive director. “Long before we started talking about a project idea, we spent time visiting and learning about the community's shared vision and goals.”
“Each phase seemed to build on the next, eventually leading us to this year’s work with the activity guides and the Ojibwe Language Program Department.” says Zins. “Department member Zoe Brown brought vital expertise to the work and advised an Ojibwe Language Department graduate student who also put in a lot of wonderful work.”
In 2024, RSDP also helped to design a second trail in Bena, another Leech Lake community.
The trails and accompanying learning guides are expanding outdoor learning opportunities for students and the broader community.
“Early childhood is really multi-layer,” explains Claire Chase, Leech Lake SNAP-Ed coordinator. “Not only are we working with kids, but there’s a huge family and community component. On the Megwayak trail, we also have events that bring in elders to focus on indigenous foods or other topics.”
Leech Lake SNAP-Ed Educator Sherri Seelye agrees, saying, “So not only are the kids like being exposed to that but our community as a whole. Adults and older children still get to meet others from the community and create relationships with them. So that they can go out and they go sugarbushing together. They'll go ricing together.”
The trail is a reminder of the deep connection between culture, language and the land. The Megwayaak trail is not just an educational tool—it’s a path forward, guiding a new generation to embrace their heritage while looking to the future.
Reflecting on what the trail provides the community, Chase says, “It’s like bringing back a broken piece of us. That’s the only way I can describe it.”
Revitalizing an endangered language
Learn more about these efforts
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