In recognition of Indigenous Peoples Day, we are pleased share a list of resources recently curated by our partners, advisors and friends within Michigan’s tribal communities.

The list was compiled as part of our inaugural Michigan Anishinaabe Heritage Day program, which was held as a webinar on Sept. 24. More than 300 people joined Shannon Martin, Colleen Medicine and Eric Hemenway as they shared the experiences and contributions of Michigan’s Anishinaabe people that make up an important part of our state’s heritage.

Topics covered during the program included cultural preservation, food sovereignty, historical interpretation, environmental stewardship and language revitalization. The presenters also provided several resources that take a deeper look into many of these subjects.

We encourage you, on this Indigenous Peoples Day, to spend some time exploring resources that “honor the historic, cultural and contemporary significance of Indigenous peoples and their ancestral lands … and celebrate their contributions to communities throughout Michigan,” as Gov. Whitmer noted in her 2019 Indigenous Peoples Day proclamation.

• 2020 Michigan Anishinaabe Heritage Day: This hour-and-a-half long program, which was recorded as a live webinar on Sept. 24, 2020, features presentations from Shannon Martin, Colleen Medicine and Eric Hemenway. The program was made possible in part by a grant from the Michigan Humanities Council: https://vimeo.com/466254012
• Zibi Yajdan - The River Tells It: This film, created by the Match-e-be-nash-she-wish Band of Pottawatomi Indians, recounts the July 2010 Enbridge oil spill in the Kalamazoo River and the tribe's efforts to restore the natural habitat - and traditional lifeways and culture: https://youtu.be/kiNbTUPLeUs
• Mnomen (Wild Rice) - The Food That Grows on Water: In this film, the Match-e-be-nash-she-wish Band of Pottawatomi Indians share the importance and restoration of wild rice: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aCKz-0J9i7s&t=104s
• How Native Americans Are Saving Vegetables from Extinction: Rare strains of corn, beans, squash and other native crops might have been lost forever if not for the protection efforts of the Potawatomi and Ojibwe tribes and the Jijak Foundation in Hopkins, Michigan. This film documents the salvation efforts of these tribes and the creation of a seed-lending library, which is creating a comeback of native foods for both diet and traditional ceremonies. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3kygsQWk2I
• Sault Tribe Language and Culture Recorded Language Lessons: The language and culture team at the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians have an active Anishinaabemowin learning program. Past lessons can be viewed at this website: https://bit.ly/33AObIQ. Also, follow them on Facebook for more language resources: @SaultTribeLanguageCulture
• Anishinaabemowin Michigan Place Names: Developed for the 2020 Anishinaabe Heritage Day program, this 18-minute video introduces viewers to many present-day place names that have their root in the Anishinaabemowin language: https://vimeo.com/466707507/7951cba52e
• Ziibiwing Center for Anishinabe Culture & Lifeways: The Ziibiwing Center promotes the “belief that the culture, diversity and spirit of the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe of Michigan and other Great Lakes Anishinabek must be recognized, perpetuated, communicated and supported.” http://www.sagchip.org/ziibiwing/ Follow the center on Facebook at @ZiibiwingCenter.
• Inter-Tribal Council of Michigan: One of the best places to learn about Michigan’s indigenous communities is at their tribal websites and through their social media. You can learn more about Michigan's 12 federally recognized tribes and find links to the tribal websites here: https://www.itcmi.org/

Information on the Michigan History Center’s work with Michigan’s tribal nations can be found in this recent Showcasing the DNR article.