Land Back
Gojijiing was created to support Land Back initiatives that are Indigenous-led. For program work, please visit our sister organization at giniw.org.
Our Board
Dennis Jones
Dennis Jones is a Mide spiritual teacher, advisor, and first-language speaker from Nigigoonsiminikaaning First Nation. He was a teaching specialist in at the University of Minnesota for over 30 years, teaching countless students Ojibwe language and culture. He is considered to be the single most important factor in the growth of the language program at the University of Minnesota and in the rebirth of the Ojibwe language across the region. He created and runs an Ojibwe language immersion program in Canada, his home country.
Leon Rattler
Leon Rattler is a member of the Blackfeet Tribe. Leon has 30 years of experience in American Indian Education, cultural curriculum development and tribal leadership. He is a member of many traditional societies including the Southern Blackfeet Crazy Dog Society. He is also a Sundance Leader, Beaver Bundle keeper, traditional artist and dancer, and Vietnam Veteran.
Edye Binesiikwe Washington
Edye Binesiikwe Washington is an Indigenous language advocate, an educator, and a Mide who is a member of the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe. Edye has led several regional efforts to incorporate Indigenous language into public schools, including founding Misaabekong Ojibwe Immersion Program within Duluth Public Schools. Misaabekong serves as a model for other language revitalization efforts across Indian country.
Mary Korpi
Mary Korpi is a lifelong resident of the Rainy River watershed, a grandmother, and a descendant of the Turtle Mountain Band of Ojibwe. She is a dedicated outdoorsman and true fisherman who is committed to sharing land-based skills with the next generation. She currently serves as the project coordinator and camp mother to Giniw Collective.
Tara Houska
Tara Houska is a mother, land defender, and attorney. She is a member of Couchiching First Nation and the founder of Giniw Collective, an Indigenous women and two-spirit led effort committed to environmental justice, decolonial praxis, and life in balance.