restrictions and because of this, there was representation from young children to revered elders. There were moments when youth taught and helped adults and elders, and there were moments when elders taught our youth. Each class had a capacity of 25 participants, and through the process of learning together, life-long relationships were built. Most participants were from Menominee Nation and Oneida Nation. The stars of these arts revitalization workshops were the local Menominee artists. Without their generosity, traditional knowledge, and outstanding teaching skills, these workshops would not have happened. Though their contributions were priceless, it was important for project planners to value local artists’ ti me and traditional knowledge in any way that they could. For the College of Menominee Nation, this included stipends for the artists’ time as well as money for purchasing supplies, prepping the classroom, providing food, and completing any administrative paperwork. To capture the learning process for each art revitalization workshop, photos were taken at every meeting. At the end of the workshop series, a hardcopy book was created illustrating the step-by-step process of each art. Menominee language associated with the art was also included. Books were kept on file locally, given to the local library, and given to each workshop participant. This helped leave a historical record. Pre and post-tests and end of workshop surveys were valuable tools. Surveys were brief and assessed how well the College of Menominee Nation increased participants’ knowledge. These surveys measured knowledge gained, gathered input for future art revitalization workshops, and assessed where improvements could be made for future worksh ops. The College of Menominee Nation’s first art revitalization workshop was a project identified by college staff. The college is proud to say that each subsequent workshop was built using data from these surveys. A credit course is in the process of being designed at the College of Menominee Nation.
What are some arts that few people in your community are familiar with or able to do on their own?
Who are community teachers that can help teach and revitalize this art?
How does this art connect to Indigenous foods? (storage, preservation, etc.)
How has the art transformed over time? (i.e. supplies are store bought now, items are used for decoration instead of utilitarian)
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