Native American Center

Past Events

Fall 2023

Indigenous Peoples’ Day (observed) – Tuesday, October 10, 1:00 pm, Library Learning Commons

Since October 9 was mid semester break, classes were not held. Therefore, on Tuesday, October 10, we had an event recognizing Indigenous Peoples’ Day. Austen Lowes, Sault Sainte Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians Chairperson, spoke at 1:00 pm in the Library Commons.

NATIVE AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH

Angeline Boulley – Monday, October 30, Library Learning Commons

Angeline Boulley, New York Times Best Selling author of, The Firekeepers Daughter and Warrior Girl Unearthed, gave a talk about her books on Monday, October 30, at 7:00 pm in the Library Commons. Boulley is a native of Sugar Island, and a member of the Sault Sainte Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians. The Firekeeper’s Daughter has become “One of this year’s most buzzed about young adult novels” (Good Morning America), and has been awarded, among other accolades, A TIME Magazine Best Young Adult Book of All Time Selection, and The Goodreads Best Young Adult Fiction Award for 2021. Warrior Girl Unearthed has won the American Indian Youth Literature Award for Young Adult, 2021 Kids’ Indie Next List Selection, Entertainment Weekly Most Anticipated Books of 2021 Selection, and PopSugar Best March 2021 YA Book Selection. Funding was provided by the Issues and Intellect Fund.

Indigenous Peoples’ Inspired Meal- Thursday, November 9, Quarterdeck

Rock You Mocs – Wednesday, November 15

Rock your Mocs is a worldwide social media event provided as a positive opportunity to be united and celebrate tribal individuality by wearing moccasins.

Double Ball and Shinny, Friday, November 17, Student Activity Center

Spring 2023

Tomantha Slyvester, Something Else

LSSU alumna, Tomantha Slyvester, graduated in 2019. Her residency and play, Something Else, was presented on Thursday, January 26, 2023, through Saturday, January 28, 2023.  Tomantha’s play is about an incarcerated Native American woman on death row as she seeks meaning in her final moments.  Something Else specifically addresses injustice and violence against Indigenous women.  She has performed this piece at the Art of Acting Studio in Los Angeles, California, the Double Edge Theatre in Ashfield, Massachusetts, and at Georgetown University in Washington D.C.

James Vukelich

On Wednesday, February 1, 2023, James Vukelich spoke to an overflow crowd about the Seven Grandfather Teachings. The Native American Center partnered with the Bay Mills Indian Community and Bay Mills Community College to bring him to campus.  Vukelich is an Indigenous author, a social media personality, and the originator of the “Ojibwe Word of the Day” website.  He is a linguist and highly sought after speaker who breaks down the Ojibwe language in a storytelling process for people to understand the meaning behind the words. His speech is available on LakerCast

Snow Snake (Gooniikaa Ginebig)

Snow Snake (Gooniikaa Ginebig) is a traditional Native American Winter game that has been played for centuries by Indigenous people living in the northern United States and Canada. Snow Snakes are carved from wood and can be made in a variety of sizes; the Snow Snake is thrown by each competitor down a track made of snow.  On February 21-22, 2023, a track was built across Pleger Commons, and the Snow Snake competition was held Tuesday, February 28, 2023.

 

Living in Balance: Anishinaabe Star Knowledge

“Living in Balance: Anishinaabe Star Knowledge” was presented in the planetarium in Crawford Hall on March 2, 2023.  The show was developed in partnership with Native Skywatchers and Abrams Planetarium with translations by Alphonse Pitawanakwat and additional translations and voice over by Aarin Dokum, art by Elizabeth LaPensée, music by Exquisite Ghost, and sound recording by John-Paul Chalykoff.

Spring Equinox Potluck – Tuesday, March 21

Spring Equinox Potluck was held in the Native American Center on Tuesday, March 21, 2023.

World Water Day – Wednesday, March 22

World Water Day is a collaboration between CFRE and the Native American Center. We had a viewing of the Batchewanaung Anishinabek Fisheries documentary about Lake Superior indigenous community members revealing the cultural, political, and ecological relationships surrounding their fisheries. It also documents how fishing has changed over time, conflicts with the state around management and regulation, treaty rights, principles of Indigenous law, and the culture and ceremony that are deeply embedded within fishing practices.

The panel speakers were Dean Sayers, Chief of Batchewana First Nation; Whitney Gravelle, President of Executive Council of the Bay Mills Indian Community; and Brad Silet, Lead Fisheries Biologist, Sault Sainte Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians.

Native American Heritage Month – November 2022

Scott Laursen’s photography collection, Maampii (Here)

Scott Laursen displayed his photography collection, Maampii (Here), in the Arts Center Gallery for the month of November.  He also had an open house where faculty, students, staff, and community members had the opportunity to ask him questions about his work on November 10.

LSSU Library’s Resource Page 

The LSSU Library created a Library Resource Page to feature Native American resources of websites, books, movies, music, and podcasts.

Double Ball and Shinny Indigenous Games

The Native American Center hosted traditional Indigenous peoples’ games, double ball and shinny, on November 16.

Tyler Dettloff’s Performance

Tyler Dettloff, Assistant Professor in the School of Arts and Letters, told stories and performed songs from his new album, Reconcile, in the LSSU Arts Center on November 19.

Wild Rice Harvesting

Jefferson Ballew educated our community on the cultural significance and stages in the process of wild rice harvesting at a workshop on November 29.

Fall Semester 2022

Soup Tuesdays

The Native American Center invited the community to share Soup Tuesdays with us every Tuesday during the Fall Semester. A different delectable soup was served every Tuesday from September 20 – November 15, generously provided by faculty and staff for all to enjoy.

Indigenous Meals in the Quarterdeck

Throughout the semester, the Quarterdeck served several meals inspired by Indigenous peoples’ recipes.

 

Orange Shirt Day – September 30, 2022

In honor of Orange Shirt Day on September 30, Dr. Veronica Pasfield spoke in the library about the effects of the residential schools and their legacy. Dr. Veronica Pasfield, an Ojibwa member of the Bay Mills Community, received her doctorate from the University of Michigan in American Culture.  She is a journalist, Independent Curator, and a Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act Officer. Her speech is available for viewing on LakerCast.

Indigenous Peoples’ Day

Indigenous Peoples’ Day was celebrated on Tuesday, October 11, since students and faculty were off campus on October 10 for mid-semester break.  An event recognizing Indigenous Peoples’ Day was held in the library:

Dr. Rodney S. Hanley read the land acknowledgment for the first time. Whitney Gravelle, Bay Mills Chairperson, spoke in the Library Commons about the significance of Indigenous Peoples’ Day: History, Treaties, and Sovereignty. Her speech is available for viewing on LakerCast.

To finish off the day, an Indigenous Peoples’ inspired dinner was served in the Quarterdeck.

Woodland Sky – October 27-29, 2021

 Woodland Sky: Native American Dance Company Woodland Sky visited campus for a residency from October 27-29, 2021 to help launch a series of events in celebration of Native American Heritage Month.  The Woodland Sky Dance Company was supported as part of the National Endowment for the Arts Big Read Grant awarded to LSSU.  The entire campus community was privileged to learn about Native American regalia, dance fitness sessions, and craft activities during the week, with a culminating storytelling and dance performance on Friday evening for the campus and surrounding community.

Native American Heritage Month – November 2021

Native American Art Exhibits

The Arts Center Gallery and Library Gallery: Native American art exhibits were displayed through the month of November in both galleries.

Native American Resource Page

 LSSU Library: the Library Resource Page was created to feature Native American resources of websites, books, movies, music, and podcasts at the following link: https://libguides.lssu.edu/nativeamerican. This resource is regularly maintained and updated.

Indigenous Peoples’ Inspired Meals

Indigenous Meals: the Quarterdeck served two meals highlighting traditional Native American foods including whitefish, venison, three sister’s crop (corn, beans, and squash), and wild rice. Tabletop displays provided descriptions of the foods and informed diners about their historical significance.

Native American Center Open House

Native American Center Open House: the Native American Center (NAC) hosted an open house on November 19, 2021 for the campus community, welcoming visitors to the Center to learn about available resources and the mission of the NAC. A hearty soup was prepared for guests.

Unspoken Documentary and Panel Discussion

Documentary and Discussion: on November 30, 2021, the Library hosted the showing of the documentary, Unspoken: America’s Native American Boarding Schools followed by a panel discussion with content experts, including:

• Veronica Pasfield, an Ojibwa member of the Bay Mills Community, received her doctorate from the University of Michigan in American Culture. She is a journalist, Independent Curator, and a Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act Officer.

• Joshua Hudson, an Ojibwa member of the Bay Mills Indian Community, and Assistant Health and Human Service Director for the Bay Mills Health Center. Mr. Hudson previously served as the Project Director for the National Native Network at the Inter-Tribal Council of Michigan, and served as a Judge for the Bay Mills Healing to Wellness Court and the Court of Appeals. He is a Fellow of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation’s Community Leadership Network and has previously worked within Native Boarding Schools Initiatives.

• Cathy White is an Associate Professor in the LSSU School of Education. Dr. White is a strong proponent and leader of several initiatives at LSSU to increase support and awareness of diversity, including those connected to our own Native American populations. She teaches diversity awareness in her Teacher Education classes, ensuring that our graduating teachers are well informed and equipped to address the cultural and social-emotional needs of their students.

Spring Semester 2022

Snow Snake

Snow Snake (Gooniikaa Ginebig): Snow Snake is a traditional Native American Winter game played by Indigenous people living in the northern United States and Canada for centuries.  Snow Snakes are carved from wood and can be made in a variety of sizes; the Snow Snake is thrown down a track made of snow by each competitor.  Beginning on February 28, 2022, a Snow Snake track was built across Pleger Commons, and a Snow Snake competition was held on March 3, 2022 for students, staff, and faculty. Staff members from the Bay Mills Boys and Girls Club volunteered their time to assist with the track construction and the competition.

Angeline Boulley, The Firekeepers Daughter

Angeline Boulley on Campus: on March 2, 2022, LSSU hosted New York Times Best Selling author, Angeline Boulley, for an evening to discuss her acclaimed book, The Firekeepers Daughter.  Ms. Boulley is a native of Sugar Island, and a member of the Sault Sainte Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians.  The Firekeeper’s Daughter has become “One of this year’s most buzzed about young adult novels” (Good Morning America), and has been awarded, among other accolades, a TIME Magazine Best Young Adult Book of All Time Selection, and The Goodreads Best Young Adult Fiction Award for 2021.  An overflow crowd of faculty, staff, students, and community members attended this special event.

Indigenous Peoples’ Inspired Meals

Food in the Quarterdeck: The Quarterdeck served two Indigenous recipe inspired meals in April.

On Tuesday, April 5, 2022, the Quarterdeck served Indian Tacos, a popular dish across North America, oftentimes found at powwows and gatherings.  Indian Tacos start with a piece of fry bread layered with a seasoned meat and bean mixture, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and cheese.

On Thursday, April 7, 2022, the Quarterdeck served traditional recipes from the southwest region.  This dinner menu consisted of Apache Stew: peppers, chilies, hominy and venison; Wild Rice Sauté: wild rice with mushrooms, onion and corn; Chipotle Shrimp with Mango Sauce: shrimp seasoned with chipotle chile powder, served with mangos, honey and lime juice; and Blue Corn Bread with Peaches: blue corn meal with a hint of sugar or honey, accompanied by macerated peaches.

Maple Tree Tapping

Maple Tree Tapping: on April 7, 2022 the NAC invited the campus community to participate in the tapping of maple trees on campus; participants had the opportunity to try the maple sap collected from the trees.

Lacrosse (baagaadowe)

Lacrosse (baagaadowe): on April 13, 2022 an event was held to explore the game of lacrosse, or baagaadowe, a game developed by Indigenous nations of the Northeast. The game was historically played as a social event where tribes would gather for trade, sport, and more. An event was held in the Student Activities Center that provided students, staff and faculty a history of the game, a lesson on techniques, and ended with a game of lacrosse between participants.

Leslie Belleau – LSSU Writers Series

Leslie Belleau on Campus: on April 14, 2022, LSSU hosted award winning poet and author, Lesley Belleau as part of the LSSU Writers Series.  Ms. Belleau is an Anishnaabekwe writer, educator, and activist from the Ojibway Nation of Ketegaunseebee (Garden River First Nation), located outside of Bawating in Sault Sainte Marie, Ontario. Ms. Belleau’s talk was titled, “Voices Through the Burial Grounds: Discussing Contemporary Indigenous Women’s Poetics on Turtle Island.”  Her talk is available on LakerCast.

Chili and Frybread Lunch

Chili and Frybread Lunch: on April 21, 2022 the Native American Center hosted an end of the semester chili and frybread lunch for students, staff, and faculty. This event welcomed returning and new students and staff to the Center for an opportunity to gather and visit.