Heex Huu Hoik’oros & Wiigwaasi-Jiimaan
Ho-Chunk Cottonwood Dugout Canoe & Ojibwe Birchbark Canoe
OUR SHARED WATERS was a two-day, multidisciplinary program celebrating Native craft and knowledge about water, food, language, and ecology.
On Tuesday, September 24, 2024, Bill “Nąąwącekǧize” Quackenbush, tribal historic preservation officer of the Ho-Chunk Nation, and Amy Rosebrough, state archaeologist, presented a public talk on dugout canoes at the outdoor classroom in Alumni Park. This was followed by a group paddle, or canoe flotilla, alongside a dugout canoe on Lake Mendota. On Tuesday only, participants also had the opportunity to learn about the vital connection between water, watercraft, and Indigenous foodways at a corn braiding and wild rice parching demonstration by Dan Cornelius, outreach program manager of the Great Lakes Indigenous Law Center.
On Thursday, September 26, 2024, OUR SHARED WATERS centered learning on birchbark canoes. We heard from master canoe builder Mino-giizhig (Wayne Valliere) and Tom DuBois, Halls-Bascom Professor of Scandinavian Folklore, Folklore, and Religious Studies at a public talk at the outdoor classroom in Alumni Park and then took to Lake Mendota in canoes in a second flotilla alongside the birchbark canoe crafted by Mino-giizhig that hangs in Dejope Residence Hall year-round.
OUR SHARED WATERS
HEEX HUU HOIK’OROS | HO-CHUNK COTTONWOOD DUGOUT CANOE
Tuesday, September 24th, 2024
12 PM – 1 PM | Public Talk: Tee Waksikhominak Canoe Conundrum
Bill “Nąąwącekǧize” Quackenbush, tribal historic preservation officer of the Ho-Chunk Nation, and state archaeologist Amy Rosebrough presented a talk on Ho-Chunk cottonwood dugout canoes (heex huu hoik’oros in Ho-Chunk) and knowledge about water, food, language, and ecology.
LOCATION: Outdoor Classroom, Alumni Park – 724 Langdon Street, behind the Red Gym.
1:30 PM – 2:45 PM | Corn Braiding and Wild Rice Parching with Dan Cornelius
Dan Cornelius, outreach program manager of the Great Lakes Indigenous Law Center, led a corn braiding and wild rice parching demonstration in front of the Terrace. Corn braiding began at 1:30pm, followed by wild rice parching at around 2pm.
1 PM – 2PM | Canoe Flotilla on Lake Mendota
In collaboration with Hoofers, students, faculty, staff, and members of the campus community had the opportunity to paddle out on Lake Mendota alongside a Ho-Chunk cottonwood dugout canoe. Participants engaged in on-the-water learning and followed the dugout canoe on a circuit in front of Memorial Union.
LOCATION: Hoofer Outing Club boathouse – 800 Langdon Street
OUR SHARED WATERS
WIIGWAASI – JIIMAAN | OJIBWE BIRCHBARK CANOE
Thursday, September 26th, 2024
12 PM – 1 PM | Public Talk: Bringing Back Anishinaabe Birchbark Canoe Culture
Birchbark canoe builder Mino-giizhig (Wayne Valliere) and Tom DuBois, Halls-Bascom Professor of Scandinavian Folklore, Folklore, and Religious Studies, gave an outdoor talk on Ojibwe birchbark canoes (wiigwaasi-jiimaan in Ojibwe) and knowledge about water, food, language, and ecology.
LOCATION: Outdoor Classroom, Alumni Park – 724 Langdon Street.
1 PM – 2PM | Canoe Flotilla on Lake Mendota
In collaboration with Hoofers, students, faculty, staff, and members of the campus community had the opportunity to paddle out on Lake Mendota alongside an Ojibwe birchbark canoe. Participants engaged in on-the-water learning and followed the dugout canoe on a circuit in front of Memorial Union.
LOCATION: Hoofer Outing Club boathouse – 800 Langdon Street
OUR SHARED WATERS – HEEX HUU HOIK’OROS & WIIGWAASI-JIIMAAN was made possible by many partners– the Ho-Chunk Nation’s Cultural Resources Division, the Wisconsin Hoofers, the Office of the Chancellor, the Wisconsin Alumni Association, the Center for Limnology, the Division for Teaching and Learning, Earth Partnership, the First-Year Interest Groups Program, the Folklore Program, the Great Lakes Indigenous Law Center, the Reilly-Baldwin Wisconsin Idea Endowment, and the Wisconsin Historical Society. To all who have collaborated on and contributed to this program, you have our deepest gratitude.