This is a student presentation at Blake School. Contact Anna Reid, areid@blakeschool.org.

In this talk, author and Ojibwe scholar Anton Treuer explores the meaning and importance of fishing, hunting, and gathering rights retained in treaties between Native Nations and the United States. Drawing on history, law, and lived experience, Treuer explains that treaties were not land-giveaway documents, but nation-to-nation agreements in which tribes reserved essential rights to sustain their people, cultures, and ways of life.

Through clear storytelling and real-world examples, Treuer shows how these rights continue to shape life in the Great Lakes region today—from spearfishing and wild rice harvesting to contemporary court cases and public debates. He also addresses common misconceptions about treaty rights, helping audiences understand why these rights are legal, enduring, and rooted in both survival and sovereignty.