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Ojibwey Calendar

Ojibwe Calendar
By Nick Hockings -
Ojibwe Elder

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CALENDAR OF EVENTS

All virtual programs will be held using Zoom unless otherwise noted. Please register at www.midwestsoarring.org/php/eventreg.php to attend these virtual events via zoom.

PAST EVENTS:

 

 

WINTER SOLSTICE CELEBRATION & LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Saturday, December 18, 2021 11am
Churchhill Woods Forest Preserve
900 West St. Charles Road
Lombard, IL. 60148

Join Midwest SOARRING members to celebrate the winter solstice followed by a land acknowledgement. Your presence is greatly appreciated. Come enjoy beautiful Churchill Woods, the historic McKee House, and the scenic DuPage River with it's island. All are welcome.

Joseph Standing Bear will lead the ceremony. Dress for the weather. Ample parking is available near the shelter. Following the solstice celebration, DuPage County Forest Preserve will hold a land acknowledgement ceremony honoring the original Native peoples of the land.

Bring your friends and family and join our winter gathering. We look forward to seeing you there.

 

SOARRING VIRTUAL ANNUAL MEMBERS MEETING & OPEN HOUSE

Sunday, December 12, 2021 11am Members Meeting - 1-5pm Open House
Midwest SOARRING Cultural Center
133 W. 13th Street
Lockport, IL. 60441

Midwest SOARRING Foundation invites you to attend our annual virtual members meeting on Saturday, December 12 at 11am CT. During the meeting SOARRING's 2021 activities and events will be reviewed, the election of officers will be held, and proposed plans for the next year will be covered.

Now is an excellent time to renew your annual membership. You can pay with a credit card online through PayPal, or snail mail your check to Midwest SOARRING Foundation, P.O. Box 275, Lyons, IL 60534. Your membership supports our many events and speakers.

If you have not already received the Zoom link and you want to attend our annual members meeting sign up for our email newsletter and the Zoom link will be emailed to you. You do need to pre-register to attend the virtual members meeting.

Stop by our Native American Cultural Center that afternoon from 1 to 5pm and enjoy the holiday season at SOARRING's Holiday Open House. Bring a friend. It's an opportunity to shop for holiday gifts at our gift shop, enjoy our exhibits and share each other's good company. Refreshments will be served.

 

VIRTUAL TALK: NO WORD FOR ART: EXPLORING THE INDIGENOUS ROOTS OF CREATIVITY

Friday, November 19, 2021 7pm CST

Indigenous languages in the Great Lakes region of North America did not have a word for art. Visual expression through object and adornment linked people together while accentuating the individuality within indigenous communities. Traditional patterns and designs evolved into a language of its own and in some cases embellishing objects was considered a sacred practice.

Together we will explore the creative process from an indigenous perspective contemporary approaches to indigenous expression and demonstrations of Indigenous techniques will be examined. Traditional teachings will be shared where appropriate.

Naomi Smith is an Indigenous Artist and Educator. She has for over 25 years shared traditional teachings with various communities and groups. Her work focuses on the ways of the Indigenous people of the Great Lakes region from a historical and contemporary perspective often through the story of beads. Naomi’s artwork embraces ancestral designs using quillwork, beadwork and other indigenous methods and materials. She has exhibited her work across Canada and internationally.

“Honouring our traditions is my voice within and beyond my Culture and Community. Traditionally there is no word for “art” in Native languages yet artistry and visual expression are critical in defining who we are as Indigenous people. It is this path I wish to exemplify through my teachings and my work."

This is a Virtual meeting using ZOOM. While we do not charge for our Zoom presentations, we do encourage attendees to consider making a small donation to Midwest SOARRING Foundation. If you have registered for the original offering of this virtual talk, you do not need to reregister. Otherwise, please register for this event here. Zoom details will be mailed to registered attendees a few days prior to the presentation.

 

MIDWEST SOARRING FOUNDATION CALL TO ACTION PRAYER VIGIL FOR ANCIENT MOUND

Saturday, November 13, 2021 3:30pm - 5pm CT
Original Gougar Homestead
Gougar Road and Rte. 30
New Lenox, IL.

We will gather at 3:30pm and at dusk begin a short ceremony of protection for our ancestors. Parking in a park district parking lot is available just north of Gougar Road and at Trinity Services, east side of Gougar Road. We ask you to be respectful, dress for the weather, and bring a candle. (Note: Your candle should be 1/2" in diameter. Please bring a paper cup with an x in the bottom to catch the candle wax drips.)

Our purpose is to bring awareness to this ancient mound prevent it from being disturbed for a proposed widening of Gougar Road. The mound was partially disturbed during the road's initial construction.

The Gougar family wants to protect the mound from any further disturbance. They are our strong allies.

We invite you to join our sacred circle of protection.

 

VIRTUAL TALK: BILLY CALDWELL AND THE CHICAGO GREAT LAKES TRAIL - Co-sponsored by College of Dupage Native American Studies Committee

Saturday, November 13, 2021 1pm CST

Author Susan Kelsey will share the story of Billy Caldwell and his journey after leaving the Chicago area after signing treaties to cede over 5,000,000 acres of land to a growing white settlement. His legacy tribe is the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation, and she will provide an update on their story. Her book may be purchased on Amazon.

Susan L. Kelsey is an author of four historical books, including Billy Caldwell (1780-1841) Chicago and the Great Lakes Trail. She lived on the Caldwell Reserve in Chicago and in 1993 became interested in why her Sauganash neighborhood was named after an Indian Chief. Since that time, she has been researching over 28 years and has travelled thousands of miles through Canada and the U.S. to follow the trail of Caldwell. Today, she is producing a documentary film with the Caldwell legacy tribe, the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation. The film will be released early 2023.

This is a Virtual meeting using ZOOM. While we do not charge for our Zoom presentations, we do encourage attendees to consider making a small donation to Midwest SOARRING Foundation. Please register for this event here. Zoom details will be mailed to registered attendees a few days prior to the presentation. A replay of this talk can be viewed on youtube at: youtu.be/IliU1i_dBUA.

 

VIRTUAL TALK: LAKE SUPERIOR OJIBWE TREATIES - THE TREATIES THAT BUILT AMERICA

Saturday, October 23, 2021 1pm CST

In 1837, 1842, and 1854 Ojibwe Bands in northern Wisconsin, northeast Minnesota, and Upper Michigan ceded their lands to the U.S. government. While white settlers were slow to move into the region, these treaties provided essential natural resources for the growth and expansion of the United States. Lumber built the near treeless Great Plains, copper was used in telephone and electrical wires, and iron ore built trains and later cars that allowed for movement of people and goods across the country. Using Ojibwe language and other sources, we will explore why Ojibwe leaders agreed to them as well as the obligations the United States agreed to and what that means for us today.

Erik Martin Redix (Misko-anang) is a member of the Eagle clan from the Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe Reservation in Wisconsin. He is the author of The Murder of Joe White: Ojibwe Leadership and Colonialism in Wisconsin (Michigan State University Press, 2014). He received his Ph.d in History from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities in 2012. He has taught at Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe Community College, Macalester College, and the University of Minnesota-Duluth. He resides on the Grand Portage Ojibwe Reservation in Minnesota and is the Anishinaabe Language Director at Oshki Ogimaag Community School.

This is a Virtual meeting using ZOOM. While we do not charge for our Zoom presentations, we do encourage attendees to consider making a small donation to Midwest SOARRING Foundation. Please register for this event here. Zoom details will be mailed to registered attendees a few days prior to the presentation.

 

NATIVE AMERICAN FALL GATHERING

Sunday, October 3, 2021 10am-5pm CT
I & M Lincoln Landing
9th & Canal Street, Lockport, IL

Everyone is invited to attend the Native American Fall Gathering at the beautiful Lincoln Landing in Lockport. Highlights include Native American dancing and drumming, Aztec dancers Ocelotl-Cihuacoatl, Native musicians, children's activities, craft and food vendors, and a book signing by author Susan Kelsey with her book titled Billy Caldwell: Chicago and the Great Lakes Trail.

Admission: 18 & over $5, Children 8-18 $3, under 8 free.

Event takes place rain or shine. No drugs, alcohol or weapons. Sorry, no pets. Bring lawn chairs. Event subject to change. Face coverings are recommended for everyone's safety.

View the flyer.

PHOTOGRAPHY DISCLAIMER

Notice to all Fall Gathering attendees and participants: There will be professional photographers taking pictures and video recording during the event. With your entrance to the I & M Lincoln Landing, you are giving permission for Midwest SOARRING Foundation to use any photos of you which might appear in future promotional materials or advertising used in conjunction with future events.

 

DOWNERS GROVE PUBLIC LIBRARY LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Saturday, Oct. 2, 2021 10-11:15am CT
Downers Grove Public Library
Fischel Park, Downers Grove, IL.

The library invites the Downers Grove community to join in the formal announcement of its Land Acknowledgment. Joseph Standing Bear Schranz, founder and President of the Midwest SOARRING Foundation, will comment on the library’s acknowledgment and its significance. Native dancers will perform a traditional healing dance. After the event, patrons are invited to explore an art exhibit of the Midwest SOARRING Foundation’s photographs and artifacts at the library, join in on a beaded necklace craft and crayon artifact rubbings for kids, and learn more about The REDress Project and The Orange Shirt Society. Additionally, Native Experience Book Bundles will be raffled off and include titles for all ages.

To read the land acknowledgement and learn more visit dglibrary.org/land/

 

PIONEER DAY at STACY'S TAVERN

Sunday, Sept. 26, 2021 1-4:30pm CT
Stacy's Tavern History Center
800 N. Main St., Glen Ellyn, IL 60137

Come see what life was like for the early settlers of Glen Ellyn, on the same spot where early residents lived! Try your hand at 1840's life. There will be live farm animals, craft-making for kids, candle making, corn shelling, apple peeling, pioneer games and toys, learn how to rope a bed, do laundry 1840’s style, experience 1840's school in an outdoor classroom, make rope, tour the Tavern, and much, much more! Adults $8, GEHS Members $6; Children (3-17) $4, GEHS Members Children $3; children under 3 are free.

Chief Joseph Standing Bear will open the event with a blessing at 1 p.m. Native American dancers will be performing at 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. Also new this year: Tim Botts will offer bookmarks with your name written in 19th century style, and artist Wes Douglas will be doing sketches. (This event was previously known as Tavern Day.)

In the event of inclement weather, a decision will be made by 10 a.m. on Sept. 26 if the event will have to be cancelled. Visit gehs.org/calendar-of-events.html or The Glen Ellyn Historical Society Facebook page for weather guidance.

 

FALL EQUINOX CELEBRATION

Wednesday, Sept. 22, 2021 11am CT
Heritage Pioneer Village
Lockport, IL

Join Midwest SOARRING members for a fall equinox celebration led by Joseph Standing Bear Schranz. The event is free and open to the public.

We will meet at the Heritage Pioneer Village, 249 W. 2nd Street, Lockport, IL., near the Medicine Wheel Garden. In the interest of keeping everyone healthy, please wear an appropriate face covering. Stay home if you have been experiencing any flu symptoms in the last two weeks.

 

SOARRING COMMUNITY PICNIC

Saturday, June 26, 2021 11am CT
Dellwood Park, Cardinal Pavillion
Lockport, IL

Mark your calendars! We're going to go outside and spend an afternoon in the sun. We have reserved the Cardinal Pavilion at the top of the hill at Dellwood Park in Lockport for a happy community gathering! This large, hilly and green park is good for hikes, frisbee golf, and we have a nice pavilion to hang out under should the sun shine too bright!

To minimize germs, we will break from our potluck tradition and ask everyone to bring or arrange for your own food. Also, to avoid musical park-benches, bringing your own lawn chair is recommended.

This will be a MASK-OPTIONAL event. If you want to maintain distance, keep your mask on. If you are vaccinated and want to share smiles and hugs, take your mask off! If you're afraid, we understand and will miss you - and look forward to seeing you again when you feel safe to join us! If you have had any symptoms in the 2 weeks before the picnic, please stay home. Masks will be on the honor system.

Everyone is welcome, the event is free, and if you're not sure that includes you, I assure you it does!

This will be a family friendly, drug and alcohol free event.

SUMMER SOLSTICE CELEBRATION

Sunday, June 20, 2021 11am CT

Join Midwest SOARRING members for a summer solstice celebration led by Joseph Standing Bear Schranz. The event is free and open to the public.

We will meet at the Heritage Pioneer Village, 249 W. 2nd Street, Lockport, IL., near the Medicine Wheel Garden. Following the ceremony the Miles Goddard Scholarship will be awarded to two worthy applicants. Coffee and desert will follow. All are welcome.

 

VIRTUAL TALK: BEARS EARS NATIONAL MONUMENT AND IT'S PLACE IN UTAH'S WILDERNESS

Sunday, June 20, 2021 11am CT

Bears Ears National Monument was established by President Obama at in December of 2016 at the urging of the Bears Ears Intertribal Coalition -- Hope, Navajo, Ute, Ute Mountain Ute, and Zuni. In addition to protecting a spectacular natural and cultural landscape it set a first of its kind precedent of co-management between the United States and tribal governments. In December of 2017 President Trump slashed its land area by 85%, carved the remaining portion into two pieces, and eliminated the co-management provision. President Biden has promised to restore the original monument and has created a review process which, hopefully, will bring that about - possibly by the time of our program.

Bears Ears has also served as a model for alliance of Tribes with regional and national conservation organizations who stepped up in support of Intertribal Coalition's proposal. The region is central to a larger network of remaining wild lands within the boundaries of the state of Utah. The largest network of unprotected wilderness in the lower 48 states of the U.S. There is a vigorous national campaign to protect those places as well --preserving the wild lands and ancient sacred places while helping the land to help humanity in our struggles with climate change.

Our speaker is Clayton Daughenbaugh, Organizing Director for the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance. SUWA is a close ally of the Intertribal Coalition and a central player in the Utah wilderness protection effort.

If you missed the April presentation on the Bears Ears National Monument it was recorded. Please visit this link to watch it..

 

VIRTUAL TALK: BIRD FEEDING WITHOUT BIRDFEEDERS

Tuesday, April 6, 2021 7pm CT

How did seed-eating birds eat before bird feeders? This presentation on restoring native landscaping in your yard reveals how valuable native plants are to our native birds. Kate will showcase Forest Preserve native landscapes as well as her own suburban yard to give you plenty of inspiration. She will also discuss which native plants attract the insects needed for our birds to feed their young. Even seed-eating birds feed insects to their young. And the birds agree - it’s not too early to be planning your native garden. Information will be provided on native plant sources, upcoming native plant sales, and on sites that help you identify and track the birds in your landscape. There will be a presentation for approximately 45 minutes followed by a question and answer period.

Not from Northern Illinois? No problem! Although the places she lives and works are used as examples, Kate can discuss and direct you to native plant resources appropriate for your part of the country.

Kate Caldwell is an Interpretive Naturalist at Plum Creek Nature Center near Beecher, IL, one of the jewels managed by the Forest Preserve District of Will County. She extends the use of native landscaping to her own suburban yard.

This is a Virtual meeting using ZOOM. While we do not charge for our Zoom presentations, we do encourage attendees to consider making a small donation to Midwest SOARRING Foundation. Please register for this event here. Zoom details will be mailed to registered attendees a few days prior to the presentation.

 

VIRTUAL TALK: BUFFALO FIELD CAMPAIGN:
Restoring wild, migratory bison to the Yellowstone Ecosystem

Saturday, March 27, 2021 1pm CT

Midwest SOARRING Foundation invites you to attend an online Zoom presentation given by James Holt, Executive Director of the Buffalo Field Campaign. James was raised on the Nez Perce Reservation in Lapwai, Idaho where he lives today. His family lifestyle is one of tradition. James was taught to hunt and fish early on, to help pick berries and dig roots, to be a provider. He was given the belief that his relationship with the natural world is sacred, and was given the responsibility of being a warrior for Mother Earth. James childhood background compliments his education as he holds a B.S. in Environmental Science and a Certificate in Diversity and Stratification.

This presentation will explore the ecosystem services of wild, migratory bison in the Yellowstone Ecosystem, the issues surrounding bison management, the influence of tribes on management, and the Buffalo Field Campaign's grassroots, science-based solutions for these issues.

A brief overview will be provided of the history of the Buffalo Field Campaign along with a description of the ecological services provided by wild bison as a keystone species in the Yellowstone region. This will be followed by adiscussion of the current hurdles the Campaign is working to overcome in advocating for Brother Buffalo as our National Mammal, and the only continuously-wild herd of bison in the lower 48 states.

Indigenous goals for Yellowstone bison are founded in culture, subsistence, and on-reservation health and wellbeing. Tribal actions are facilitated by treaty-reserved hunting rights and on-reservation bison restoration. As such, an overview of how the Campaign interacts with tribes and supports their efforts will also be provided. The Campaign supports tribal sovereignty, while prioritizing wild, migratory bison and the environment. The Buffalo Field Campaign envisions a management structure where Yellowstone bison are free to roam the region naturally fulfilling their ecological niche, and building resilience against climate change and habitat degradation.

This is a Virtual meeting using ZOOM. While we do not charge for our Zoom presentations, we do encourage attendees to consider making a small donation to Midwest SOARRING Foundation. Please register for this event here. Zoom details will be mailed to registered attendees a few days prior to the presentation.

 

NATIVE ADVOCACY ROUNDTABLE:
Native Americans of Glen Ellyn - Past, Present, and Future

Tuesday, March 23, 2021 from 6:30-8:00pm CT

College of DuPage Native American Studies Committee, Glen Ellyn Library, and Glen Ellyn Historical Society are presenting a program to address the strong Native presence in the DuPage region and how to be an active ally for the local Native American community. The 4 part agenda includes:

For more information and the zoom link, download the flier.

 

VIRTUAL TALK: CULTURAL BURNING

Saturday, March 6, 2021 1pm CT

Midwest SOARRING Foundation invites you to attend an online zoom presentation given by Margo Robbins, co-founder and Executive Director of the Cultural Fire Management Council (CFMC). Margo is one of the key planners and organizers of the Cultural Burn Training Exchange (TREX) that takes place on the Yurok Reservation in Northern California twice a year. She is also a co-lead and advisor for the Indigenous People's Burn Network. Margo comes from the traditional Yurok village of Morek, and is an enrolled member of the Yurok Tribe. She gathers and prepares traditional food and medicine, and is a basket weaver and regalia maker. She is the Indian Education Director for the Klamath-Trinity Joint Unified School district, a mom, and a grandma.

Margo Robbins talk will cover the traditional and contemporary uses of fire, the benefits of fire, as well as the challenges and solutions.

This is a Virtual meeting using ZOOM. While we do not charge for our Zoom presentations, we do encourage attendees to consider making a small donation to Midwest SOARRING Foundation. Please register for this event here. Zoom details will be mailed to registered attendees a few days prior to the presentation.

 

VIRTUAL WATER LEGACY TALK: SULFIDE MINING IN MINNESOTA

Saturday, Jan. 16, 2021 1pm

Midwest SOARRING Foundation invites you to attend an online zoom presentation given by Don Arnosti, Conservation Leader and Board Member of Water Legacy, an award-winning 501(c)(3) non-profit grassroots organization founded in 2009 to protect Minnesota waters and the communities that rely on them, particularly from sulfide mining pollution. Don is a talented and informative speaker you won't want to miss. Arnosti's talk will cover the threat of sulfide ore mining to four major watersheds in northern Minnesota. This will include impacts to fish, wild rice, and the people who depend on them.

Don Arnosti is a Minnesota conservation leader working over the years as a Policy Director and Executive Director for the National Audubon Society, the Izaak Walton League, Clean Water Action and several other local groups. He's been involved in protecting Minnesota's resources from the threats of sulfide mining since the 1980's, when he led the environmental team participating in a state and industry-sponsored Mining Simulation Study. Presently, he is an environmental consultant, and serves on the Board of Water Legacy, a non-profit focused on using litigation and organizing to protect Minnesota's waters from the toxic threat of sulfide mining.

This is a virtual meeting using Zoom. While we do not charge for our Zoom presentations, we do encourage attendees to consider making a small donation to Water Legacy and Midwest SOARRING Foundation. Please register for this event here. Zoom details will be emailed registered attendees prior to the meeting.

 

ANNUAL 2020 MEMBERS MEETING

Sunday, December 27, 2020 - 2pm

Midwest SOARRING Foundation invites everyone to join our 2020 Annual Members Meeting. This is a virtual meeting using Zoom. Please register for this event here. Zoom details will be emailed registered attendees prior to the meeting.

 

SUMMER SOLTICE CELEBRATION & TALKING CIRCLE

Saturday, June 20, 2020 - 11am
Will County Heritage Village
249 W. 2nd Street
Lockport, IL. 60441

Midwest SOARRING Foundation invites everyone to celebrate the summer solstice with a blessing followed by a talking circle led by Joseph Standing Bear Schranz.

The event will be held outside. Participants are asked to wear masks and practise social distancing. In the event of rain the event will be cancelled due to COVID-19.

Everyone is welcome! The event is free and no registration is required.

 

OUR PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY TO COVID-19 GLOBAL PRAYER

Sunday, March 29, 2020 - Noon-1pm, Eastern Daylight Time
Wherever You Are

Joseph Standing Bear Schranz invites all pipe carriers and people of different faiths and beliefs to unite in a global prayer from the heart. Wherever we happen to be, let us each pray in our own manner for one hour.

Now it is time for a global shift and a time for action. We must protect the Red Bloods and the Green Bloods from further destruction and begin a healing towards all.

 

BEAT THE DRUM PHOTOGRAPHY RECEPTION AND TALK

Sunday, March 1, 2020 - 1pm-3pm
Opening Reception: 1-3pm
Dear Earth Talk: 2-3pm Brushwood Center at Ryerson Woods
21850 Riverwoods Road
Riverwoods, IL. 60015

Beat The Drum-A Glimpse of Native American Pow Wow Culture features the photography of Tom and Lynn Anderson taken at Midwest SOARRING Foundation's intertribal Harvest Pow Wow. This family friendly event held in the western suburbs of Chicago is an annual celebration of Native American culture featuring drumming, singing, and Native American and Indigenous dancers in colorful regalia. Experience an authentic and rich educational gathering with descendants of America’s First People.The exhibition runs through Sunday, April 12, 2020.

This exhibition is coupled with a Dear Earth talk, featuring Joseph Standing Bear. Joseph is the Founder and President of Midwest SOARRING Foundation.

Tickets for the Dear Earth Talk are $10 for members/$15 for non-members. To register visit the Brushwood Center.

 

WINTER STORYTELLING

Saturday, February 22, 2020 - Noon-3pm
Pilcher Park Nature Center
2501 Highland Park Dr.
Joliet, IL. 60432

Midwest SOARRING Foundation and Pilcher Park Nature Center welcomes you to an afternoon of hot chocolate and Native American Storytelling.

In the days of our ancestors, bundled up in our little houses trying to stay warm, stories were told to pass the time. This is the source of the oral tradition that all cultures once shared, when stories were passed down from one generation to the next.

We will present a variety of traditional stories from around ancient North America, along with some artifacts with their own tales to tell. Hot chocolate will be available, and if you'd like to bring cookies or a snack to share, that would be welcome. Our stories are appropriate for all ages.

Everyone is welcome! The event is free and no registration is required.

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