Janis A. Fairbanks: Lessons Learned and Memories of Her Ojibwe Grandma

About this episode

Janis A. Fairbanks discusses her memoir about lessons learned from her Ojibwe grandmother and her journey as a writer.

Today, we are excited to welcome Janis A. Fairbanks to Native Lights . Janis is a member of the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa. She recently released a book called Sugar Bush Babies: Stories of My Ojibwe Grandmother , a memoir in lessons learned from her grandmother during the era of Indian Relocation. Janis also has a doctorate in Ojibwe language, literature and history. She is currently the chair of the Language Advisory Board for the Fond du Lac Band. Janis talks about a lifetime devoted to writing, a talent that she uncovered as a second grader trying to fit in. She wrote stories that enchanted her classmates, who called her "Ye Olde Storyteller." That recognition encouraged her to keep writing. One of the most important and influential people in Janis's life was her grandmother. She always arrived with a bag, holding oranges and other goodies for the grandkids, and with stories. One was about her grandmother's birth at a sugarbush camp in a pit lined with cedar. Janis collected this and other stories in her memoir Sugar Bush Babies . In our conversation, she also shares what it's like to be the mom of a five-month-old puppy, why some memories stick and other…

People in this episode

Hosts: Leah Lemm, Cole Premo

Guest: Janis A. Fairbanks

Topics covered

• Ojibwe culture
• memoir
• writing
• family stories
• Indian Relocation

Keywords

• Ojibwe
• grandmother
• memoir
• writing
• Indian Relocation
• stories
• sugarbush

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa

Books & works: Sugar Bush Babies: Stories of My Ojibwe Grandmother

More episodes of Native Lights: Where Indigenous Voices Shine

• Aleyna Morales: Baking and Believing in Herself · June 4, 2026 · 29 min
• Adam Savariego: The Power of Asking Questions · May 14, 2026 · 29 min
• Dr. Antony Stately: Building Health Equity in Indigenous Communities · March 26, 2026 · 29 min
• Gary Farmer: Living Life on Screen for 50 Years · March 12, 2026 · 29 min
• David Amitrano: Witnessing · February 26, 2026 · 29 min
• Nikki Love (Pieratos): Keeping Relatives and Neighbors Safe in Uncertain Times · January 22, 2026 · 28 min