Ojibwe Calendar
By Nick Hockings -
Ojibwe Elder
Past Events >
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
For up to date events join the Midwest SOARRING Foundation email newsletter list for upcoming calendar event notifications click here.
UPCOMING EVENTS:
HEALING CEREMONY AT FIRE CIRCLE
Sunday, June 29, 2025 12pm
Heritage Village Medicine Wheel Garden Circle
249 W. Second Street
Lockport, IL.60441
Led by Midwest SOARRING Foundation President Joseph Standing Bear, this ceremony offers a space for spiritual and emotional healing. All are welcome—whether you are seeking healing for yourself, for a loved one, or simply wish to stand in support of those in need. Together, we will gather in community, reconnect with the medicine of the fire, and lift our prayers for strength, renewal, and wellness.
Please dress for the weather and bring a chair or blanket for your comfort.
SOARRING FIELD TRIP: MINOHSAYAKI 'PAINTED ROBES'- A PEEWAALIA AND MYAAMIA STORY OF RECLAMATION
RESCHEDULED:Saturday, June 28, 2025 Noon
Illinois State Musuem
Lockport Gallery
201 W. 10th Street
Lockport, IL.60441
Midwest SOARRING Foundation invites you to join us for a special field trip to the Illinois State Museum Lockport Gallery to experience Minohsayaki ‘Painted Robes’: A Peewaalia and Myaamia Story of Reclamation. This exhibit shares the powerful story of collaboration between the Peewaaliaki (Peoria Tribe), Myaamiaki (Miami Tribe), and non-Native scholars as they work together to reclaim the ancestral tradition of hide painting.
Through historical reflection and revitalized artistry, Minohsayaki shines a light on cultural preservation, intergenerational knowledge, and Indigenous resilience.
We will meet at the gallery entrance at 12:00 PM. This event is free and open to all—come learn, witness, and walk with us on this journey of reclamation.
SOARRING WOMEN'S CIRCLE
RESCHEDULED: Saturday, June 28, 2025 2-4pm
Heritage Village Medicine Wheel Garden Circle
249 W. Second Street
Lockport, IL.60441
SOARRING's Women's Circle is open to all women seeking connection, healing, and sisterhood. Our theme is “Return to the Fire – Reconnecting with Nature, Spirit, and Sisterhood,” and we’ll gather in community to reflect, create, and share under the sky.
As part of this first gathering, we’ll also work together to help maintain and tend the fire circle—a physical act of care and stewardship for the land we gather on. Please bring gloves, a shovel if you have one, and wear clothes you don’t mind getting a little dirty. After sprucing up the space, we’ll build a fire together to open our time in ceremony.
We’ll continue with the Haudenosaunee Thanksgiving Address, followed by nature-inspired art, empowerment rituals, and a healing circle. Whether it’s your first time or you’ve been with us before, you are welcome here.
Mark your calendars—SOARRING Women’s Circle will meet on the first Saturday of each month moving forward. I can’t wait to begin this journey with you. Let me know if you’re planning to attend!
Questions? Email Amy Byrne at amy.byrne@midwestsoarring.org
NATIVE PAGES BOOK CIRCLE
Saturday, June 21, 2025 2-4pm
Heritage Village Medicine Wheel Garden Circle
249 W. Second Street
Lockport, IL.60441
This month, we will discuss Carry: A Memoir of Survival on Stolen Land by Toni Jensen - a profound and lyrical work that blends personal narrative with cultural and political critique. Through a series of interconnected essays, Jensen - who is Métisc-examines the pervasive presence of gun violence in America and how it intersects with the history of colonization, systemic racism, and the lived experiences of Indigenous women. With precision and grace, she explores what it means to navigate the world in a Native body, unpacking silence, survival, and resistance across landscapes both personal and historical. Carry is not just a memoir - it’s a meditation on memory, place, and power, and it calls readers to bear witness.
Whether you’ve read the entire book or are just beginning, all are welcome. Come ready to listen, reflect, and engage in a meaningful discussion. Newcomers to the circle are warmly encouraged to attend. Let’s gather in community and conversation.
Questions? Email Amy Byrne at amy.byrne@midwestsoarring.org
CALL TO ACTION: STANDING BEAR MARKET VOLUNTEERS/VENDORS NEEDED
2nd and 4th Saturdays of the month - June 14 to Sept. 13, 2025 10-4pm
Metra Train Station Parking Lot
249 W. Second Street
Lockport, IL.60441
Midwest SOARRING Foundation is seeking volunteers to help make our Standing Bear Market events run smoothly! Markets are held on the 2nd and 4th Saturdays of the month from June 14 through September 13, 2025, from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM at the Metra Train Station parking lot, just a short walk from our Cultural Center at 133 W. 13th Street, Lockport, IL 60441.
Volunteer shifts are available between 8:00 AM and 4:00 PM, and you can choose a shorter time slot that works for you.
We Need Help With
- Setting up and taking down MSF tents and tables
- Guiding visitors to vendors
- Helping manage traffic flow
- Staffing the MSF membership table
This is a great way to give back, meet new people, and support MSF’s mission while contributing to a vibrant community market featuring a wide range of local vendors. Please note: Volunteers under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian at all times.
Please use this Google Form link to sign up for shifts Register here
Or contact Amy Byrne for questions or to sign up at at amy.byrne@midwestsoarring.org or (815) 262-6102.
Midwest SOARRING is seeking vendors for our Standing Bear Markets, held on the 2nd and 4th Saturdays of the month from June 14 through September 13, 2025, from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM at the Metra Train Station parking lot, just a short walk from our Cultural Center at 133 W. 13th Street, Lockport, IL 60441.
Vendors Wanted
- Seeking vendors to sell a wide variety of items, including Native American
- made products, handmade goods, food, and farm produce.
- Free admission. Free parking for the public.
- Set-up 8am-9:30am. Take down by 4pm.
- No refunds after setup.
- No drugs, alcohol, weapons.
- Market takes place rain or shine.
- $30 for10x10 booth, bring your own setup & food.
- No electrical provided. No liability for missing items.
- Payment at time of entrance at train station. Cash only.
Questions? Contact Amy Byrne atamy.byrne@midwestsoarring.org or (815) 262-6102. To request an application contact Samantha Thompson 1lostcoyote@gmail.com
MEDICINE WHEEL GARDEN KEEPERS
Saturday, June 7, 2025 4pm
Heritage Village Medicine Wheel Garden Circle
249 W. Second Street
Lockport, IL.60441
Join us as we launch a new community-centered gardening group dedicated to the care and preservation of our Medicine Wheel Garden at Heritage Village. We’ll meet twice a month to tend the garden, deepen our relationship with the land, and learn from one another in a spirit of respect and stewardship.
The Medicine Wheel Garden is designed in the shape of a traditional medicine wheel, with four quadrants representing the four directions, the cycles of life, and our connection to all living things. Two quadrants are planted with sweetgrass and two with prairie sage, both of which hold deep cultural and spiritual significance in Native traditions.
Plant List
- Sweetgrass (Hierochloë odorata) is known as the hair of Mother Earth and is used for purification, healing, and bringing in positive energy.
- Prairie sage (Artemisia ludoviciana) is a powerful medicine used for protection, cleansing, and prayer.
Our first gathering will be held on Saturday, June 7, 2025 at 4:00 PM, following the SOARRING Women’s Circle. We’ll begin with an introduction to the garden, share our intentions for this new group, and do some light tending of the space. Please bring gloves, water, and any tools you’d like to use or share. All are welcome—whether you’re a seasoned gardener or simply drawn to caring for this special place.
MEDICINE WHEEL GARDEN KEEPERS
RESCHEDULED: Thursday, May 22, 2025 5-7pm
Heritage Village Medicine Wheel Garden Circle
249 W. Second Street
Lockport, IL.60441
Join us in tending to our Medicine Wheel garden at Heritage Village. All are welcome to plant sweetgrass with us, and learn about our Medicine Wheel project for this year. Everyone will be able to take home some sweetgrass, too. Please bring your hand tools and water bottles, and dress for the weather.
We would be honored to incorporate any native plants you may be interested in donating to this special garden project. Please text Vicky with any questions or information regarding the native plants you may be bringing: 630-386-1247.
SOARRING INVITATION: THE GREAT LISTENING
January 28, 2025 from 4pm - 9pm
Elgin Community College
Room B180 & Zoom
1700 Spartan Drive
Elgin, IL.60123
Part two of Ancestral & Intercultural Healing with Dr. Lyla June Johnston will feature the famous Diné scholar, musician, and community leader, who brings teachings in this continued community conversation focused on intercultural and intergenerational healing, traditional land stewardship practices, and Indigenous rights.
Feel free to attend via Zoom or in-person. Those who attend in person will get to experience the delicious baked goods of previous Midwest SOARRING Princess Abaigeal Dempsey and Dempsey Cookie House!
Past Events >
