Anton Treuer
on Native Healing through Language Revitalization
“You know, our Indigenous kids, they’re hungry. They want to know their history and culture and marry that with their own lived experience. They don’t want to be blamed or shamed for something that they didn’t get to learn through no fault of their own.”
Anton Treuer dares us to push past the discomfort of having raw conversations.
His Ojibwe name, Waagosh, meaning Fox, reflects his wisdom. Growing up on the Leech Lake reservation, Anton developed a deep interest in his Native history and language: "The borderland was more than an awkward physical nexus of races and communities. I was not just another Indian. No Indian really is. We are so often imagined and so infrequently understood.”
Coming from the Eagle clan, Anton Treuer is a renowned author, Ojibwe spiritual leader, language warrior, and Professor of Ojibwe at Bemidji State University. He dedicated his life to unveiling this "nexus" and clarifying the misunderstandings that made growing up Native frustrating at times. Anton shines a light on the path for other Indigenous youth, helping them explore their identity and find the deeper meaning behind it.
To Anton, language revitalization is much more than academics. It is life. Trauma rewires our brains, making us lose our best selves: “Our spirits become wounded or even detached from our day-to-day experiences. But when we learn our languages, we awaken and heal.” The body, mind, and spirit are deeply connected. Coming from generations of denied opportunities, it’s when we reconnect to our cultural richness that we can close the wounds and start healing: “The opposite of addiction is not sobriety, it’s connection. It’s the same with everything else that ails us. When we connect to one another, our communities, and ourselves, we heal. When we ignore those connections or have them severed, we suffer.”
In his book, “Everything You Wanted to Know About Indians but Were Afraid to Ask”, Anton doesn’t shy away from the hardest questions. Humour is his ingredient that makes the uncomfortable a curiosity opportunity: What does the word 'powwow' mean? Did Natives scalp? What is the real story of Thanksgiving? Who was Pocahontas? What happens when a Native and a non-Native person date? Why is there such a fuss about non-Native people wearing Indian costumes for Halloween? His opinions are thoughtful, well-informed, and based on rich experience, but they are simply opinions: “My responses reflect the views of one Native person. I hope you will feel motivated to seek out different opinions from other Native people!”
Every language embodies the unique worldview of a people and is a powerful gateway to self-knowledge. Read Anton Treuer’s answers for Inspirators, treasure your language and remember: “You are the one you’ve been looking for. The world is your map and the compass is inside you.”
Thank you, Anton, for being a Language Warrior!
#INSPIRATORS QUESTIONNAIRE
Name: Anton Treuer
Company / Institution: Bemidji State University
Title: Professor of Ojibwe; Author
Website: https://antontreuer.com/
LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anton-treuer-9a5a239/
Country of origin: USA
Country you currently live in: USA
Your definition of Regeneration: We don’t live in two worlds. We live in one world. We don’t have to code-switch to make it out there. We don’t have to maintain a dual consciousness. People from other cultures don’t have to sacrifice theirs to enter our world, and natives don’t have to sacrifice their cultures to navigate the modern world.
We can be exactly who we are - exactly who the creator wanted us to be - and thrive.
Main business challenge you face: Colonization.
Main driver that keeps you going: Hope.
The trait you most value in others: Integrity.
Passions & little things that bring you joy: Being outdoors!
A starting point for companies or professionals that are beginning the regeneration journey: Every journey starts with the first step, so just take that one!
Most used and abused clichés in sustainability that bother you: Stereotypes of the noble or ignoble savage Native American.
Movies / Documentaries you would watch all over again: Bad River.
Websites / Podcasts you visit frequently: Brene Brown.
Music that makes you (and your heart) sing: Pipestone.
Places you travelled to that left a mark on you: Nigigoonsiminikaaning First Nation, Ontario, CA.
Events we should attend / Best places for networking (online or offline):
I invite you to check out my upcoming events!
Reasons to feel optimistic about our future in 2030: I believe we are capable of solving even the most daunting problems.
Reasons to feel pessimistic about our future in 2030: We need to mobilize for collective action in a time of great division.
Regenerative Leadership qualities much needed today: Integrity!
Your quote that will inspire us:
