2024: Preserving Potawatomi Culture through Quillwork

2023-2024 Artist in Residence: Madelene Big Bear (Bodwéwadmi)

Join us to welcome Madalene Big Bear!

Madalene is a citizen of the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Nation and a culture bearer who enjoys sharing her knowledge in many forms, including stories. Although entertaining, storytelling is also an important way to convey customs, language, history, and identity to descendants and those who are invited to listen. Madalene is also a respected Pokagon culture keeper. A talented professional and artist, she often teaches others about indigenous culture. Her areas of expertise include material culture, contemporary life ways, culinary traditions, art, and storytelling.

SCHEDULE HERE 

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Dates/Times/Locations: 

• Dates and times will vary; please see the schedule and RSVP link 
• Locations will vary; please see the schedule and RSVP link 
  • Potawatomi Confederacy Panel Discussion will take place in Wildcat Room 101 in the Norris University Center

  • Quill harvesting workshop will take place in the outdoor space outside of CNAIR House 515 Clark, Evanston, IL 60208

  • Workshops will take place in room 2-325 in Kresge Hall, 1880 Campus Dr, Evanston, IL 60208 

POTAWATOMI CONFEDERACY PANEL DISCUSSION: LANGUAGE, CULTURE, HISTORIC PRESERVATION AND LEADERSHIP!

Bodwewadmik, who live and work to strengthen the Nation in treaty removed homeland territory, will give an update to the Chicago community. A moderated panel discussion will follow. Invited guests are:

• Corinne Kasper (Pokagon Band) Linguist PhD student, University of Chicago 
• Lakota Hobia (Citizen Band) THPO Director Gun Lake
• Gina Roxas (Prairie Band), Executive Director, Trickster Cultural Center
• Raphael Wahwassuck (Prairie Band), Tribal Council Member, Prairie Band of Potawatomi Nation

When: Saturday April 6th from 10 AM - 1 PM

Where: Norris University Center, 1999 Campus Drive, Evanston, IL 60208 - Wildcat Room 101 (Foor 1) 

Note: Campus parking is free on Saturday 

DIRECTIONS TO NORRIS UNIVERSITY CENTER 

Guest Presenters: 

• Corinne Kasper, (Pokagon Band Potawatomi), University of Chicago

  • Corinne Kasper, Nenweshkwé, is Turtle Clan and an enrolled citizen of the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians and a PhD student in Linguistics. Her research interests include Potawatomi, morphosyntax, semantics, language revitalization, and language and identity. She views linguistics through the lens of her community. She received her BA in linguistics from Dartmouth College.

• Gina Roxas, Executive Director, Trickster Cultural Center

  • Gina Roxas, is of the fish clan and an enrolled member of the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation. Gina has studied the environment through a multifaceted lens of traditional teachings from her Grandmother and family Elders as well as the humanities and science. Gina brings her knowledge and experience to plan, develop, and oversee the implementation, and evaluation of programs that Trickster offers to our community. Gina also manages and facilitates programs that center traditional plant knowledge as it relates to healing, environmental justice and self-determination.

• Raphael Wahwassuck, Member, Tribal Council Member, Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation

  • Raphael Wahwassuck grew up living between Topeka and the Potawatomi reservation for most of his life. He has a degree in Organizational Management and Leadership. In his professional life, Wahwasuck worked in the tribal judicial system for a number of years; he also worked on federal grants for different tribes throughout the country. Currently he serves on the Tribal Council for the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation. He enjoys the opportunity to share his traditions and educate people about his culture.

• Lakota Hobia, THPO, Gun Lake Tribe

  • Lakota Hobia is a member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation (Zhishibéniyêk Bodwéwadmik). She was born and raised outside of Cleveland, Ohio. Hobia received her B.A. in Sociocultural Cultural Anthropology and Ethnicity & Race Studies from Columbia University as well as a M.A. and M.Ed. in Curriculum & Instruction from University of Texas at Austin with a 7-12th grade teaching certification and a graduate portfolio in Native American and Indigenous studies. At that time, she completed her student teaching in central Oklahoma and her graduate thesis titled “Neshnabe Treaty-Making: (Re)Visionings for Indigenous Futurities in Education.” While completing her degrees, Lakota began living and working in Oklahoma for her Tribal Nation, Citizen Potawatomi Nation, in 2011. Upon completing her graduate studies in 2016, she has worked full-time at the Citizen Potawatomi Nation, Nottawaseppi Huron Band of the Potawatomi, and now the Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish Band of Potawatomi Indians. Hobia currently serves as the Tribal Historic Preservation Officer for the Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish Band of Potawatomi Indians (also known as the Gun Lake Tribe). She began working for Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish Band in 2019 and assisted with establishing the Band’s Tribal Historic Preservation Office. She also serves as the Midwestern Representative on the National Association of Tribal Historic Preservation Officers’ Board of Directors and a member of the Michigan State Historic Preservation Review Board.

quill harvesting teaching with jacqulyn robinson

When: Tuesday April 2nd at 10am & Wednesday April 3rd at 10am 

Where: Outside the CNAIR House at 515 Clark St, Evanston, IL 60208

Guest Presenter: Jacqulyn Robinson will demonstrate harvesting quills from green hides 

• Jacqulyn Robinson (Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians)

  • Jacqulyn Robinson, a proud member of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians, resides in Bahweting (Sault Ste. Marie) and is rooted in the Fish Clan of Bootaagani-minising (Drummond Island). Her journey through life's challenges led her to achieve a master’s degree in resilience and determination. As a passionate community advocate, Jacqulyn is deeply committed to preserving and sharing traditional arts and knowledge. She recognized the need for safe spaces for indigenous voices and established the Ozhitoodaa (Let's Create) Craft Circle, fostering unity and cultural exchange.In her leisure time, Jacqulyn immerses herself in beadwork, quillwork, sewing, and promoting food sovereignty through plant-based learning. Her culinary talents extend beyond personal enjoyment as she generously prepares feasts and volunteers to mentor youth, ensuring the passage of cultural heritage to future generations. Through her leadership and dedication, Jacqulyn Robinson enriches her community and leaves a lasting impact on those around her.

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