Fletcher on Nanaboozhoo and Derrick Bell Go for a Walk

Matthew L. M. Fletcher, University of Michigan Law School, has published Nanaboozhoo and Derrick Bell Go for a Walk. Here is the abstract.

When the Anishinaabeg were new to Anishinaabewaki, they knew little about how to fend for themselves. The animals and plants took pity on them and taught the Anishinaabeg. One winter, as the food stores of the Anishinaabeg were running out, an ininaatig (maple tree) saw an Anishinaabe innini (man) weakly scavenge for food. The ininaatig decided to offer part of itself to the Anishinaabeg. The ininaatig told the innini to cut off a branch. Ininaatigwabo, delicious, thick maple syrup, oozed from the stump. There was enough to feed the innini for many days. And there were many, many ininaatigoog (maple trees) to feed all of the Anishinaabeg until the end of spring and into the summer. The ininaatigwabo was so plentiful, delicious, and easy to harvest that the Anishinaabeg became lazy and fat. They did not farm, hunt, or fish in the summertime like they usually did. As fall approached, the Anishinaabeg had done nothing to prepare for the winter. Nanaboozhoo approached and saw the Anishinaabeg laying under the ininaatigoog, drinking the ininaatigwabo and doing little else. He said, "This will not do." He decided to teach the Anishinaabeg a lesson. He visited a nearby river and took many gallons of water to the tops of the ininaatigoog. He poured the water into the trees until they were saturated. The ininaatigwabo became more watery and bland. After that action, it would take many gallons of sap to make the delicious ininaatigwabo. The Anishinaabeg would have to work for their harvest. And they would also return to their regular activities.

Download the essay from SSRN at the link.