"Ancestral Women: Wisconsin's 12 Tribes"
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Northern Great Lakes Visitor Center 29270 County Hwy. G, Ashland, Wisconsin 54806
Northern Great Lakes Visitor Center, just outside Ashland, Wisconsin, presents the exhibit "Ancestral Women: Wisconsin's 12 Tribes," June 7 through October 1. It features handwoven portraits by Mary Burns. Through handwoven jacquard weavings, the exhibit honors and celebrates elder women, one from each of the 12 Native American tribes in Wisconsin.
These are women who have held families and communities together, and who kept traditions, cultures, and languages alive. They were (or are today) the glue in the fabric of their communities. Tribal members determined who they wished to see honored in this exhibit. They then provided photographs, which were redrawn and redesigned by Burns, creating the basis for the weavings.
Other imagery was drawn into each piece as well, such as a clan symbol or a border that included traditional beadwork – something that helped tell a story about each woman and her tribe. Included in the exhibit are the 12 portraits, 6 clan symbols, and 4 additional landscape pieces that speak to essential connections with the land: maple sugaring, wild ricing, birch bark canoe building, and one of a sunrise over water called "Awakening Spirit."
The "Ancestral Women" opening reception will be Tuesday, June 20, at the Northern Great Lakes Visitor Center, from 6 to 9 p.m. Hors d’oeuvres and light refreshments will be served. An opening drum song at 7 p.m. will precede presentations by Tinker Shuman, Lac du Flambeau tribal elder, and Mary Burns, artist/weaver. A closing drum song will conclude the evening celebration.
On July 20, Dr. Patty Loew will also make a presentation celebrating the history and importance of tribal women at 7 p.m. at the visitor center.