|
Indigenous Peoples' Day is a holiday that celebrates and honors Native American people and commemorates their histories and cultures. Today, more states, cities, and communities than ever will observe Indigenous Peoples’ Day in place of or in addition to Columbus Day. We're part of a larger movement to see a more complete and accurate history of the United States taught in our schools and public spaces. Given research showing that the majority of state and local curriculum standards end their study of Native American history before 1900, the importance of celebrating the survival and contemporary experience of Native peoples has never been clearer.
As part of our brand new history gallery, we have been reaching out to many different communities in Flint and Genesee County. One of those communities is the Anishinabe people in Mt. Pleasant. Watch this video to get a sneak-peak at the new history gallery, an eleven thousand square foot space dedicated to telling the story of Flint and Genesee County, from pre-European contact to present day. In this video, you'll have a a behind-the-scenes look at our Learning Lodge, which was built by two Native American artists Ron Paquin and Adam Avery.
|
| More about artist Ron Paquin
Ronald Paquin is an artist whose mastery of a number of Indigenous art practices is well-known. Michigan State University has awarded him a Master Artist Grant nine times and the Ziibiwing Cultural Center of the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe commissioned him to create over 70 items for the collection. His work has been recognized by two different artist awards from the First People’s Fund.
Perhaps his most transcendent work is in the creation of birch bark canoes. When he was awarded a 2013 NACF Artist Fellowship in Traditional Arts, he had made more than 35 canoes. “Canoes are the most fascinating thing Indians ever made – they were transportation, you could portage and sleep under a canoe, it got you to your hunting grounds, fishing grounds and even to where you lived if you moved seasonally,” said Paquin.
|
| More about artist Adam Avery
An extremely accomplished artist in beadwork, Adam began the quillwork leg of his artistry in a class taught at Ziibiwing Center. Adam has been doing quillwork for about three years and has also worked with birch bark through the creation of canoes under the tutelage of Ron Paquin.
|
| | Member Monday is a new perk that takes you behind the scenes with Sloan Museum and Longway Planetarium.
|
| | | Sloan Museum at Courtland Center Mall 4190 E. Court St. Burton, MI 48509 Longway Planetarium 1310 E. Kearsley St. Flint, MI 48503 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
