Honoring Native American Heritage Month: Learning, Listening, and Supporting Indigenous Communities

Tribal Council member Raphael Wahwassuck from the Prairie Band Potawatomi (left), Cynthia Kanner from Prairie State Conservation Coalition (center), and Brook McDonald from The Conservation Foundation (right) at Shabbona State Park, DeKalb County. The State of Illinois recently agreed to return this land to the Tribe, the legal owner and part of the original Chief Shabbona reservation. The land will remain a park and open to the public. 

This Native American Heritage Month and always, we recognize that the lands and waters that we steward today (along with our partners and friends) were originally cared for by many Indigenous Peoples and Nations for thousands of years. We know that Native people did not choose to leave these lands in the 1830s and that many still live here today, and we support Native reconnection to the land.

But Native American Heritage is not confined to people of the past. Listening and learning are essential on the journey to connect and build relationships with Indigenous tribes and organizations living in our region. We are so grateful to all who share their time, their own lived experiences, and their thoughtful ideas on how we can all walk together toward understanding in our shared love of local lands and waters.

Keeping our newfound knowledge and resources to ourselves does not move us closer to a deeper connection. With that in mind, we want to share some of the resources we have found especially insightful in understanding this history and finding hope and guidance for the future. Please check out these Indigenous-led courses and books, as well as a few websites to check on events, activities, and exhibits around our area:

• Indian Country 101 by The Whitner Group
• ReHuman by Dr. Lyla June Johnston
• “The Serviceberry” by Robin Wall Kimmerer

And we at The Conservation Foundation recognize and celebrate that the Chicagoland area has vibrant Native communities today, and are not confined to people of the past. We are committed to continuing to build relationships with Indigenous tribes and organizations, and we invite you to join with us to to support, connect, and learn at the many events, activities, and exhibits put on by local Indigenous organizations, including:

• American Indian Center Chicago | Chicago
  • The American Indian Center Chicago recently hosted their first Black and Native Traditional Ecological Knowledge Summit this past July. The event, Rooted: Ancestral Knowledge and Ecological Futures, was a day-long summit that included inspiring panel discussions, powerful opening and closing keynote speakers, and an immersive Knowledge Keepers Series — where participants chose from hands-on learning tracks that engaged deeply with Native and African American Traditional Ecological Knowledge. We were thrilled that The Conservation Foundation’s Will County Program Director Kyla Muhammad was one of the knowledge keepers!
    
• Gichigamiin Indigenous Nations Museum | Evanston
  • This month, Gichigamiin Indigenous Nations Museum celebrated their 48th Annual Benefit where they reflected on the progress made across the region to uplift Great Lakes Indigenous cultures. A member of The Conservation Foundation’s staff attended the event, and all attendees joined in conversation with their guest of honor, Dr. Robin Wall Kimmerer, author of “Braiding Sweetgrass.”
  • Check out the museum’s new Indigenous Gardening and Foodways Initiative that promotes traditional ecological knowledge and aims to revitalize Great Lakes Indigenous food systems.
• Jibek Mbwakawen | Indiana
  • This past summer, in partnership with The Conservation Foundation, Jibek Mbwakawen hosted a public Acoustic Ecology: Nature Connection Through Sound Workshop that explored the intersection of Potawatomi culture, language, environment, and acoustic ecology.
• Midwest SOARRING Foundation | Lockport
  • Last month, The Conservation Foundation was proud to sponsor and attend Midwest SOARRING Foundation’s 29th Annual Harvest Pow Wow at the DuPage County Fairgrounds. Their traditional Powwow is a time to celebrate life, renew friendships, and share Native American culture through dance, drumming, art, and story telling.
  • Midwest SOARRING Foundation, The Village of Glen Ellyn, and the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County are collaborating on the preservation of the historic McKee House as the Native American Cultural and Environmental Center at Churchill Woods Forest Preserve. Operated by the SOARRING Foundation, The Center will be located in the architecturally and historically significant McKee House and will house a Native American museum and a library as well as education and meeting rooms, public gardens, and a traditional longhouse. Learn more about the partnership here.
• Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation | Mayetta, KS
  • This year, Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation, the first federally recognized Native American nation in Illinois, reclaimed Shabbona Lake State Recreation Area more than 175 years after the land was illegally sold by the state. The 1,500 acres of land in DeKalb County will stay open to the public as a park, and the state will provide maintenance. Learn more about the history here.
• Trickster Cultural Center: Native Connections | Schaumburg