Subscription box for educators aims to boost Indigenous knowledge and pride

MINNEAPOLIS -- You've seen subscription boxes for things like dog toys and treats to clothing and food. Now there's a subscription box for teachers and families to spread Indigenous knowledge to our smallest learners.

Barb Fabre said infusing Ojibwe lessons seamlessly has always been a challenge. 

"I'm a tribal member of the White Earth Nation here in Minnesota and I worked there for about 30 years in childcare," she said. "There was always a void around bringing culture in the classroom. ... Sometimes teachers, they don't have time for that sometimes if they're non-Native themselves. They're not comfortable with that."

That's where the Indigebox comes in. It's a seasonal subscription box for kids from birth to 8 years old, filled with lesson plans and hands-on activities teaching Ojibwe culture, language, traditions, and history.

"We have books in there, activities that are scaled for children, like creating a wigwam. We provide the story of the wigwam, we provide materials for children to create their wigwam," Fabre said.

From collecting maple syrup to Native foods, Fabre says the lessons instill a sense of pride in Native children and arouse curiosity in other learners.

"We actually put some wild rice in there. We had stories around that. It's a sensory thing; they could eat it and feel it," Fabre said.

Fabre says the feedback from parents and educators speaks for itself.

"We're trying to restore that and have our children be very proud of themselves, be proud that they're Native American, of their heritage," she said. "We want our indigenous stories and teachings to be authentic and accurate."

The box is designed for all children up to a third-grade level. Teachers order it, but parents can as well. The box comes with activities for up to 20 students. All of the Indigebox cultural items are purchased from local artists and crafters.

You can order the upcoming seasonal box online. To learn more about Indigebox, click here.