Bam’idizowigamig is an Ojibwemowin word meaning “a place for supporting oneself”
Bam’idizowigamig, or Creator’s Place, is a non-profit non-religious organization. The location of the small manufacturing center run by the non-profit is in the village of Pine Point, which is part of the White Earth Nation.
Bam’idizowigamig Creator’s Place is designed to be a comfortable place of work and welcome. A place to earn supplemental income while using and improving skills. There will be part-time jobs for adults in woodworking, screen printing, marketing, and food preparation. On-the-job training will be provided. A community kitchen will be available for the community to use. For those who have skills or products they would like to use for creating or expanding their own business, Bam’idizowigamig Creator’s Place can provide technical support and training at no cost. One of the main purposes of Bam’idizowigamig is to reduce recidivism. We believe we can best do that by providing a positive place of work and support for those re-entering the community from incarceration.
History
The idea for Bam’idizowigamig Creator’s Place came from a small Friday woodworking workshop led by Jean Kruft at the Pine Point Clubhouse. During those workshops Jean started to understand that many people in the village have skills and talents without a place to put them to use. This led to the dream of a flexible schedule work center in Pine Point. Funding to start the project became available through an inheritance from Jean’s late cousin Albert Koloski. Now the dream is becoming a reality.
Impact
Bam’idizowigamig Creator’s Place is a non-profit non-religious organization inspired by the Creator’s words, “love your neighbor.”
Purposes of the organization are:
- Provide on-the-job education and training in Pine Point
- Support economic development in Pine Point
- Combat cyclical incarceration and recidivism
Pine Point Community
The Ojibwe word Bam’idizowigamig means “a place to support oneself”. Bam’idizowigamig Creator’s Place is located in the small reservation village of Pine Point., MN. Pine Point is located at the remote South-East corner of the White Earth Nation Reservation . It is a 30 minute drive to the nearest center of employment. Even though there are many skilled artisans in the village, there is nowhere to sell their work. The poverty rate in Pine Point is close to 70% , with a per-capita income of $7485.00. The crime rate is 50% higher than the national average. Drug and alcohol abuse negatively impacts the community every single day and has resulted in many many deaths. But Pine Point is also “home” to a fine community of people, many of whom are related, and who care deeply for one another and the land to which they belong.
Vision
Our vision is that Bam’idizowigamig Creator’s Place will be a place of positive hope within the community. A place that allows people to stay in their home town and still be engaged in productive, satisfying work.
Our goal is that Bam’idizowigamig Creator’s Place becomes self sustaining in five years or less. We will work to achieve that goal by producing items of excellent quality at reasonable prices.
