"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Not only were the historical content in the exhibit both deep and thorough covering a long time period and many different tribes and groups in Minnesota, but this exhibit was community-based.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

Coming up for air...

from an fantastic week of exciting FUN!

One of the Community Quilts

What a week! We had 140 5th graders, five paraprofessionals, and six teachers, from Roosevelt Elementary School visiting for their Community Quilts' big open with cake and juice. The Going to Pieces Quilters Guild put together five quilts with squares made by the students. These will hang around the town of Virginia, so you'll be seeing it in your neighborhood. One of our major goals this year is to connect with our communities. But we didn't just want to connect with them, we wanted them to connect with each other, too.

That was Kathy Annette's (President/CEO of the Blandin Foundation) major point, that leaders cannot work alone, today at Empowher. That also applies to communities. Kathy pointed out that there are so many elements that must be balanced in order to make create a healthy community. Just looking at the quilts, you can see all the different pieces that puts together a community for these 5th graders. Olcott Park, Thunderbird Mall, Virginia High School, the Minnesota Loon, homes, hockey, the police, Blue Devils are a handful of Virginia's community represented on these quilts. Come and see them at the Minnesota Discovery Center. They'll also be 'hanging' out at the Virginia Public Library this summer and other places in the community in the upcoming year.

Tomorrow, Saturday, May 12 will be a celebration of quilts for the Going to Pieces Quilters who have contributed so much to our communities. They make quilts for shelters, babies, homes, they keep fiber arts traditions alive, and they volunteer so many hours for our communities. Join our community tomorrow to enjoy the quilt arts with your families!

Phew.

-Empowher was an event held at the Minnesota Discovery Center on May 11, to promote and encourage women (and men) leaders in our community.

-Going to Pieces 30 year celebration starts at 9 am. Darlene Zimmerman, accomplished quilt expert, will speak at 10 am. Demonstrators galore. Admission applies for our events.  Members always free.

A Super Cute Video on Museum Manners

No Touching, No Running, No, NO NO... These are rules to confine people to themselves in museums. They are complete turn offs for me and visitors, too. However, the Minnesota Discovery Center have incredible and historical objects that need to be protected. So museums have been coming up with creative fun ways to get the message across but still be very welcoming. Watch this 2 1/2 minute video that will make you laugh, appreciate, and want to visit your local museum. "No Dragons Allowed."