A Year in Review
Written by Alexia Springer How has the year 2022 already come and gone? Upon reflection, this year somehow feels like the longest year that so quickly flew by. Much has happened, both in our collective world and in my personal circle. The Ely Folk School has been a major part of my year and it […]
Bois Forte Native Names Map
The Legacy Edition Maps are sold out, thank you to everyone who donated! Standard maps will be available for purchase in 2023 at the Ely Folk School and Bois Forte Heritage Center. TOWER—Mesaba, Biwabik, Kawishiwi, Saganaga—these northern Minnesota place names are among many easily recognized as having native origins associated with the region’s indigenous Ojibwe […]
Make Mittens for Ukraine
The Ely Folk School is making mittens for kids in Ukraine! Why? Because hearty Elyites know that there is no bad weather, just improper preparation and access to good clothing. We are putting that belief to good use and drawing on Ely’s resourcefulness and neighborliness to sew рукавиці (mittens) for children in Ukraine. A project […]
The Teaching Tree
By Seth Huntington Our new birchbark canoe was nearly complete with its first launch a few weeks away. Six new canoe paddles are needed, so the novice paddle maker took the rough sawn tree boards and roughed out six blanks. In time, five of the blanks were carved into usable, but not yet finished paddles. […]
Baby’s First Blueberries: A Quetico Adventure
Written and published by Raven Words Press. Late July is a great time for canoe tripping in the border country—the lakes are warm enough for long swims, the black flies are mostly gone, the mosquitoes usually don’t come out until sunset, and the blueberries are ripe. Picking blueberries always reminds me of the year we […]
The Ely Folk School Mercantile is open
Written by Alexia Springer Some of you may remember a few years back when the Ely Folk School had a mercantile. Unfortunately, I do not but I am pleased to announce that the mercantile is being revived and items are starting to become available for purchase. Slow and steady wins the race due to limited […]
The Magic in Being Creative
Written by Instructor John Kopp Creativity doesn’t come from a piece of us but from the whole of us. I find myself thinking these words as I wonder about the creativity responsible for the class “Writing with Your Child for Your Child”, a class that has as much focus on the joy of being together […]
Celebrating Irish Culture
Written by Nora Rickey Níl an earraigh ach timpeall an chúinne! Or, “spring is just around the corner,” in Irish Gaelic! As a person with Irish heritage, I am always looking for ways to explore my ancestry. In college, I was an Irish studies minor and completed a BFA in drama. I spent many hours […]
Nobody does winter better!
The Ely Winter Festival is a 10-day celebration of winter, life outdoors, and the people who live here. Events have changed over the years, but the passion people have for this event has never faded. Dealing with the cold weather is a common complaint for many. If you live in Ely year round, you have […]
Gaining a Connection to Place Through Cleaning
Written by Nora Rickey, Assistant Program Coordinator I met with Ely Folk School’s volunteer cleaning crew right before we closed for the holidays, and had a lovely time interviewing them about their experience. I asked each member what brought them to the folk school, and what they gained from the experience of volunteering. Each person […]