"Why Treaties Matter" with our Partner Bois Forte Museum

 

Visit Bois Forte Heritage Museum! They have been a HUGE partner and resource for us with our new permanent exhibits. We've just put out a grant to fund the installation of it, so we're keeping our fingers crossed! In the meantime, living and loving nature the way that most Iron Rangers do, Treaties do Matter. 

Review of "Why Treaties Matter" by Mai Vang, Curator

The exhibit was extraordinarily informative. With only 20 panels and a touchscreen interactive, the exhibit designers were able to teach about the complex history and nature of treaties. Treaties are legally binding agreements between sovereign nations, here it is between the United States and Native nations. One of the great strengths of this exhibit are the first hand quotes like the one below that succinctly sums up what the treaties were all about.

"I understand what you want... from the few words I have heard you speak. You want land."

—Flat Mouth [Aish-Ke-Vo-Go-Zhe, or Bird with Leaf Green Bill], Ojibwe leader at 1855 treaty

Not only were the historical content in the exhibit both deep and thorough covering a long time period and many different tribes and groups in Minnesota, but this exhibit was community-based. Which is, in the museum world, cutting edge. Community members were consulted from different Ojibwe and Dakota bands, which is why I believe this exhibit is so successful and strong. The voices of the people guide the direction of the exhibit adding multiple views but able to maintain a consistent flow. I know I'm biased because I work in this field, but this is one of the best exhibits I've seen. Not once was I bored, and I actually WANTED to read all of the words and labels. Props to the designers. The web companion is full of even more information to explore. So take a trip out to Bois Forte Heritage Center and explore another culture that's in your backyard.

(I'm using "band" here as a general way to describe each sovereign nation, but I understood from the interactive touch screen in the exhibit that some groups do not like to be called bands because they are not merely a group of people who banded together, but a group of organized sovereign people. See?! Case in point, I learned a lot from this exhibit.) www.treatiesmatter.org
http://www.boisforte.com/divisions/heritage_center.htm