Indigenous Wisconsin | Wisconsin Historical Society

Indigenous Wisconsin

Celebrate BIG History Indigenous Wisconsin

Celebrate Indigenous History and the First Nations of Wisconsin

Explore and learn about the history, culture, and contemporary status of the Native Nations and Indigenous people who call Wisconsin home.

Browse featured resources from the Wisconsin Historical Society and our partners, including high quality educational material for teachers, as well as books written by and about Native people from the Wisconsin Historical Society Press.

Ojibwe Storytelling Series

Winter is storytelling season

Free Virtual Storytelling

In Ojibwe culture, winter is storytelling season. The Wisconsin Historical Society celebrates by featuring Ojibwe storytellers in a virtual series launched in early 2022. 

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Ojibwe Storytelling Series. Michael Laughing Fox Charette of Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa. Edith Leoso a Bad River Tribal Member. Biskakone 'Greg' Johnson of Lac du Flambeau of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians. Leon 'Ozaawaagosh' C. Valliere of Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa.

Native Nations of Wisconsin

Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa

Seal of the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians

BADRIVER-NSN.GOV

Constitution

History

Newsletter Drum Beats

Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Chippewa

Seal of the Lac Courte Orielles Band of Lake Superior Chippewa

LCO-NSN.GOV

Constitution

History

News LCO News | WOJB 88.9 FM

Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa

Seal of the Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa

LDFTRIBE.COM

About

Constitution

News

Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa

Seal of the Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa

REDCLIFF-NSN.GOV

About

Constitution

Newsletter Miisaninawiind

Sokaogon Chippewa Community

Seal of the Sokaogon Chippewa Community

SOKAOGONCHIPPEWA.COM

History

Constitution

Newsletter Min-Wadjimowin

St. Croix Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin

Seal of the St. Croix Chippewa Community

STCCIW.COM

About

Constitution

News The Vision

Stockbridge-Munsee Band of Mohican Indians

Seal of the Stockbridge-Munsee Band of Mohican Indians

MOHICAN-NSN.GOV

Constitution

History

News Mohican News

A woman dressed in red and rainbow regalia with many beaded floral pieces and beaded collar, stands proud in the foreground of a croud blurry behind her. She has a long beaded headband with feathers on her head, her hair braided tightly with two wrapped braids down her front.

Wisconsin Powwows

Powwows are tribal or community-based events that celebrate Native heritage through traditional singing and dancing.

The powwows listed on this page are open to the public. We encourage anyone who would like to learn more about Wisconsin Native people to attend and enjoy these public events.

Please remember to be respectful to the local communities, their laws, and customs.

Learn More

Tribal Centers & Cultural Museums

Cultural Center, Library, & Museum

Forest County Potawatomi

Ho-Chunk Nation Museum and Cultural Center

Ho-Chunk Nation

George W. Brown Jr. Ojibwe Museum & Cultural Center

Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa

Menominee Cultural Museum

Menominee Nation

Oneida Nation Museum

Oneida Nation

Wisconsin Historical Society Resources

Wisconsin Historical Society Press Books by Native Authors

Rebel Poet

Book by

Louis V. Clark 'Two Shoes'

(Oneida)

Teaching Materials

Rebel Poet

Book by

Louis V. Clark 'Two Shoes'

(Oneida)

People of the Big Voice: Photographs of Ho-Chunk Families by Charles Van Schaick, 1879–1942

Book by

  • Tom Jones (Ho-Chunk)
  • Michael Schmudlach
  • Matthew Daniel Mason
  • Amy Lonetree (Ho-Chunk)
  • George A. Greendeer (Ho-Chunk)
Picture of all the coloring books by Cassie

Ojibwe Coloring Book Series by

Cassie Brown

(Keweenaw Bay Ojibwe)

Picture of Little Hawk and the Lone Wolf: A Memoir

Book by

Raymond Kaquatosh

(Menominee)

Picture of Good Seeds: A Menominee Indian Food Memoir

Book by

Thomas Pecore Weso

(Menominee)

Seventh Generation Earth Ethics: Native Voices of Wisconsin

Book by

Patty Loew

(Bad River Ojibwe)

Native People of Wisconsin: Revised and Expanded Edition

Book by

Patty Loew

(Bad River Ojibwe)

Teaching Materials

Book by

Patty Loew

(Bad River Ojibwe)

Teaching Materials

Picture of The Story of Act 31: How Native History Came to Wisconsin Classrooms

Book by

JP Leary

(Cherokee & Delaware)

Electa Quinney: Stockbridge Teacher

Book by

Karyn Saemann

Mountain Wolf Woman: A Ho-Chunk Girlhood

Book by

Diane Holliday

Wisconsin Indians (Revised and Expanded)

Book by

Nancy Oestreich Lurie

Picture of The Bingo Queens of Oneida: How Two Moms Started Tribal Gaming in Wisconsin

Book by

Mike Hoeft

Skunk Hill: A Native Ceremonial Community in Wisconsin

Book by

Robert A. Birmingham

Hidden Thunder: Rock Art of the Upper Midwest

Book by

Geri Schrab & Robert Boszhardt

 
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Resources for Teachers & Administrators

Highlighted Resources from our Partners

Walter Bresette

Red Cliff Band of the Lake Superior Chippewa (Ojibwe)

Walter led rallies in the 1980s and 1990s to educate others on how the rights the Ojibwe retained in 1800s treaties with the United States still hold true today.

From the Wisconsin Biographies series

Chief Oshkosh

Menominee

Chief Oshkosh faced difficult choices as he led his people through trying times. He spoke out for the health of his people and the conservation of their forest.

From the Wisconsin Biographies series

Markers, Monuments, and Meaning - Wisconsin's Built Environment

Learn about the role of monumental art in Wisconsin and investigate the current controversy over historical monuments and markers with panelists Aaron Bird Bear (Mandan, Hidatsa, Dine) and Kacie Lucchini Butcher.

Moderated by Christian Øverland, the Ruth and Hartley Barker Director and CEO of the Wisconsin Historical Society, and Dr. Robert Smith, professor of history and director of Marquette University’s Center for Urban Research, Teaching, and Outreach.

September 30, 2020

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You can find out more about our history in these pages focusing on other monthly celebrations!

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History is a story with many voices, always growing and evolving — a story we tell together.

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