Bear Paws Cultural Art
Hinckley, Minn.
By Maria Surma Manka | Photography by John Linn
When someone enrolls in a Bear Paws Cultural Art class, the impact reaches far beyond the student. Wanetta Thompson, Bear Paws founder and CEO, explained: “Our goals are to start positive ripple effects and grow the interconnection between tribal lands and surrounding communities.”
Founded in 2023, Bear Paws revitalizes Ojibwe culture through free art classes called Maada’oonidiwag (“sharing knowledge” in Ojibwe). Thompson, an enrolled member of the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe, said that even the challenges of launching Bear Paws rippled into positive opportunities: When she and her friend, Lana Oswaldson, and her daughter, Laikora Thompson, applied for a Blandin Foundation grant to offer art classes, they didn’t have a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit. They needed a fiscal agent—an organization that could accept and be responsible for grant funds on their behalf. Thompson originally turned to the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe to serve as the fiscal host for her grant. Ultimately, with guidance from Kyle Erickson at the Blandin Foundation and the Initiative Foundation’s Zach Tabatt, she partnered with the Initiative Foundation.
“Everything blossomed after that … I get emotional talking about it,” she said. “Everything happens for a reason.”
- Bear Paws offers free art classes at Tribal community centers in Aitkin, Mille Lacs and Pine counties. Each student comes away with a cultural item they learned to make, such as a jingle dress, beadwork, or a pair of moccasins.
- Master artists who teach the classes are sourced from the local community. “There are so many artists and instructors that haven’t been seen,” Thompson said. “I don’t need to look hard for them.”
- Bear Paws’ first classes enrolled up to 120 students, but that made one-on-one time between instructors and learners difficult. Classes are now capped at about 10 people.
- Pre- and post-class evaluations have shown that smaller classes lead to better understanding and retention of knowledge.
- One Bear Paws alumna went on to create her own Ojibwe arts program in her local school district. A pastor invited an Ojibwe elder to speak about spirituality with him and fellow pastors. “When I talk about fostering mutual respect and the ripple effect, our goal is stories like those,” Thompson said.
- One class Thompson hopes to add in the near future is Baaga’adowewin (“lacrosse” in Ojibwe). For each traditional lacrosse stick made, one will be donated to the tribal community where the class is held, she said: “We hope to create a program that will revive the game utilized by our ancestors and educate students about how it was used to resolve conflicts in a non-lethal manner.”
- Contrary to some assumptions that Bear Paws is only for Tribal members, Thompson said everyone is welcome: “We want people to know and to understand our culture. We want to share our culture. That’s what builds understanding.”
- After working in executive positions for Grand Casinos Mille Lacs and Hinkley, along with Mille Lacs Corporate Ventures for 30 years, Thompson didn’t expect to lead a nonprofit. But the ripple effect that began with the Initiative Foundation partnership has been far-reaching. “After meeting people from other social enterprises and getting inspired by them … I thought, ‘Wow, I could help my community,’” she said. “Helping people is really my passion.”
Related Stories
Transition Triumph
A decade ago, Xcel Energy’s planned Sherco closure could have spelled disaster. Thanks to careful planning, the future now looks bright for Becker. Read More
Community Man
Friends and partners celebrate Don Hickman’s 25 years of change-making work. Read More
The Mission: Collaboration
Amy Trombley takes a people-centered approach to community development. Read More