When he was a child, Rick Anderson’s grandmother would take him down to the rocky shores of Burntside Lake, near where she was born, to make an offering of tobacco. It was a lesson in respecting the water.
“She taught us that water is alive, that it has a spirit,” he said. “Water is very powerful. It gives us life, but it can also take it away.”
Anderson, a lifelong resident of Ely and a member of the Bois Forte Band of Ojibwe, feels a deep connection to the area.
“For all water, and especially Burntside Lake, it’s such a special place,” he said. “There’s a long tradition of Native people living [here].”
Water is also integral to his life, not just as a resource, but as a fundamental part of his identity and daily activities. He depends on water for fishing, hunting, gathering wild rice, and transportation.
“Water gives us so many things,” he said. “We rely on it so much that it deserves great respect. We must honor it, not abuse it.”
Learn more in the We Are Water MN exhibit
Anderson shared his story as a part of We Are Water MN, a traveling exhibit and community engagement initiative that explores Minnesotans’ relationship with water. Ely Folk School will host the exhibit from April 24 to June 16, 2025.
The culture of Ely is deeply connected to water. The region is known for its diverse boreal forest ecosystems and wetlands, which provide habitat for an abundance of freshwater fish and wildlife. Travelers from around the world come to Ely as a launching point for excursions into the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, an area comprising more than 1,000 lakes, with world-renowned canoeing, camping, fishing, and remote wilderness access. Many of the lakes and streams in this area have excellent water quality but are vulnerable to degradation from human land uses, climate change, and pollutants.
Visit the We Are Water exhibit
The We Are Water Exhibit in Ely presents local stories and explores Minnesotans' connection to water. The exhibit runs from April 24 to June 16 at the Community Hub.
Visit the exhibit to hear local stories and learn more about water in Minnesota from April 24 through June 16 at the Community Hub at 760 Miners Drive E, in Ely.
Exhibit hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily with extended evening hours during select events.
Admission is free.
About We Are Water MN
We are Water MN is led by the Minnesota Humanities Center in partnership with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency; the Minnesota Historical Society; the Board of Water and Soil Resources; the Minnesota Departments of Agriculture, Health, and Natural Resources; and University of Minnesota Extension.
The program is funded in part with money from the Clean Water, Land & Legacy Fund — which was created with the vote of the people of Minnesota on Nov. 4, 2008 — and by the National Endowment for the Humanities.