About the Event
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The Village Booksmith welcomes Sherman Funmaker, discussing his new book Bear Tracks: Memories of a Ho-Chunk Elder
Sherman Funmaker—poet and musician, designer and teacher, son and brother—shares his life story in his intensely personal debut, Bear Tracks. In this collection of poems and short essays, Funmaker explores themes of childhood and familial ties, finding and leaving home, coming of age, experiencing love and loss, creating art, and seeking belonging.
A Ho-Chunk Nation Bear Clan elder and grandson of renowned Ho-Chunk storyteller Xéhachiwinga (Mountain Wolf Woman), Funmaker illuminates how his Ho-Chunk culture has had a lasting impact on his life, self-expression, and point of view. Confronting hard topics, such as poverty, racism, and personal loss, Funmaker creates space for readers to find resilience and hope for the future while reckoning with the struggles of their past.
Sherman Funmaker is a poet, essayist, and speaker, and an enrolled member of the Ho-Chunk Nation from Baraboo, Wisconsin. After graduating from UW–Baraboo, Funmaker began coaching and collaborating with other writers and creatives in his community. He has presented workshops on storytelling for high school students and adults. In addition to writing, Sherman has a life-long love for music and has worked as a designer, creating custom pieces for his clothing line, Funmaker Custom Clothing. He lives in Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin.
