Home > An Ojibwa Native Artist > Sweeping the Floor
Sweeping the Floor
I think this image of my mother and I sweeping the floor represents all the tedious little jobs that have to be done by women the world over to keep hearth and home functioning.
At the time, I didn't give much thought to the possibility that housework might also be done by men... it was just something Mom and I did together. If Mom and I went to town together I know that my Dad looked after things around the house, but he always deferred to Mom when the opportunity presented itself.
My brother sometimes helped in the house, but more often than not it was his job to bring in the wood, or sit at the edge of the lake and catch a fish. And of course, boys were trained to hunt from a very young age so he was often out with Dad.
Occasionally, when Mom was busy, I had to do some of the chores by myself. When it came to sweeping the floor I sure didn't bother picking the dirt up with a dust pan...that's what the cracks in the floor boards were for!
In case my mother is somehow reading this, I think it's best if we return to the Nokomis page.
