OJIBWAS DISTRICT Welcome to The Ojibwas District. The Ojibwas District serves the Lansing School District (south of Michigan Ave. only), East Lansing, Mason, Dansville, Leslie, Stockbridge, Okemos and Haslett. Map of Ojibwas District The Ojibwas were the largest and most powerful of the Great Lakes tribes. The name has no standard spelling. The Ojibwas and Chippewa are not only the same tribe, but the same word pronounced a little differently due to accent. If an "O" is placed in front of Chippewa (O'chippewa), the similarity can be heard. The heartland of the Ojibwas is around Sault Ste. Marie. Since most Ojibwas live in the northern Great Lakes with a short growing season and poor soil. They were hunter-gatherers who harvested wild rice and maple sugar. They had no salt to preserve food and generally mixed their food with maple syrup as seasoning. They were skilled hunters and trappers. Fishing, especially for sturgeon, was also an important source of food. District News