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The Indigenous Peoples of Door County Peninsula
January 15, 2022 @ 10:30 am - 12:00 pm
featuring Kathleen Ratteree, MS, MPH
Saturday, January 15th at 10:30am-12:00pm
Cook-Fuller Nature Center
Free Event
CLICK HERE to Reserve your spot
Eight different Indigenous groups made their homes in what is now called Door County. Before Swedes, Norwegians, Moravians and Belgians, there were Potawatomi, Ho-Chunk, Menominee, Ojibwe, and Sauk. These Native nations settled this region over 10,000 years ago, leaving behind a cultural and technological influence that we still see today. The history and influence of the first inhabitants of Door County are still visible in many spots where we can take a deeper dive into the lives of the region’s early inhabitants. In addition to a historical overview, Kathleen will also provide insight into the contemporary Native nations that are the descendants of the original inhabitants of Door County. She will discuss land acknowledgements and why they are an important first step in recognizing tribal sovereignty. Learning about the people who were here before us – and who continue to live here – is important for all Wisconsin residents and those who visit our state. Kathleen will provide resources for those interested in learning more about the twelve First Nations communities in the state of Wisconsin.
Kathleen Ratteree is a 4th year Ed.D doctoral student in the First Nations in Education program at the University of Wisconsin Green Bay. She is co-editor of The Great Vanishing Act: Blood Quantum and the Future of Native Nations (Fulcrum, 2017). For the past decade Kathleen has worked in a variety of capacities in Indigenous communities in South Dakota and Wisconsin. She is currently completing her dissertation project; growing a Three Sisters garden (corn, beans and squash), and developing a garden teaching and learning guide for students and teachers at the Fallen Timbers Environmental Education Center in Black Creek, Wisconsin. As a non-Native ally, Kathleen speaks to groups all over the state encouraging people to educate themselves and become better allies alongside the incredible Indigenous communities of Wisconsin. Visit her at https://greatvanishingact.com/.