Nashke Native Games celebrates partnership bringing more of its Ojibwe language games to store shelves
MINNEAPOLIS — A Minnesota-based business is celebrating a partnership that is bringing its language games to more shelves this holiday season and beyond.
Nashke Native Games, founded by local educator Tony Drews, aims to make entertaining games that are focused on teaching and preserving the Ojibwe language and culture.
Drews says he was working in the Indian Education program with young students, and realized that their knowledge of Ojibwe language and culture was not where it should be. Teaching with a chalkboard was going nowhere.
"So, we developed these games to teach and excite our Ojibwe youth," Drews said. "They're learning and having fun, and it builds to their Native identity."
All games can be played in English, but the tools are there to play it all in the Ojibwe language.
"It's not a real big lift. Some of our games, just up to four words. You can play the whole game in Ojibwe," Drews said.
Nashke offers its games on its website, and has also partnered with community organizations. Birch Bark Books in Minneapolis and Blue Hummingbird Woman in St. Paul offer some of Nashke's games.
A recent partnership with Games by James is further amplifying the reach of the games.
"We're super excited with the relationship we have with Games by James," Drews said. "Our mission is to increase awareness in the power of learning the Ojibwe language and Games by James has really gotten behind our mission."
The Bineshiiyag (birds) game — Nashke's take on Go Fish — will be available at Games By James stores in Roseville, Mall of America, St. Cloud, Minnetonka, and Southdale stores.
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Nashke Native Games will be releasing more games soon. That includes Giiwen (she or he goes home or returns), which is a cross between Sorry and Trouble, slated to be available by the new year.
A portion of Nashke Native Games's profits are donated to Native youth in scholarships and other investments in the Native American community.