Jennifer Gauthier, Director of the College of Menominee Nation’s Sustainable Development Institute

About two years ago, members of the Menominee Tribe and the team at Building for Kids got together to start brainstorming ideas around an installation at the museum that would highlight Menominee culture and history. After multiple get-togethers and idea sessions, we landed on the idea of an interactive art piece – The Story of the Land Where We Stand.

The Story of the Land Where We Stand is an interactive art installation created by Menominee Tribe members within and in partnership with Building for Kids Children’s Museum. College of Menominee Nation and Menominee’s Language & Culture Commission members set out to create a multi-layered experience that provides opportunities for participation from its viewers. The intended message of the installation is one that communicates their story – past, present, and future – as well as the Menominee’s connection to the land. The Menominee and Building for Kids’ goal for this project is to foster a deeper understanding of Menominee’s presence in the community, by revealing their history and inspiring generations to connect to their story.

“This vibrant mural is a beautiful representation of who we are as Menominee people,” said Jennifer Gauthier, Director of the College of Menominee Nation’s Sustainable Development Institute. “Within, we see our creation, relationships, and sustainability. Having our little ones involved and sharing language was a great way to connect everyone to our living culture.”

The Story of the Land Where We Stand, mural by Menominee artist Renny Katchenago

The installation features a mural by Menominee artist, Renny Katchenago. His design illustrates the Menominee’s creation story and depicts everything in nature being connected and flowing together as one. The colorful design draws in viewers and they engage further with the piece by hearing Menominee language spoken. Students from Kaehkenawapahtaeq Charter School spoke and recorded the Menominee words for images that appear in the mural. These recordings are played when viewers press the buttons on a panel along the bottom of the mural.

Visitors enjoying the new installation during the opening reception

“We believed it was so important to share the Menominee’s story in a way that engaged viewers though sight, touch, and sound,” said Beth Vanderloop, VP of Learning & Engagement. “When we are immersed in something, we absorb it more deeply, and we want our community to connect with the culture and story of the Menominee Tribe on a deeper level.”

On Friday, November 1, 2024, The Story of the Land Where We Stand officially opened to the public with a special reception that included so many of the people and families that made the project possible, including the Community Vision Fund within the Community Foundation for the Fox Valley Region.

The Community Vision Fund provided a $25,000 grant to the Building for Kids for this project. This fund seeks to fulfill community needs and advance well-being for people living in the counties of Calumet, Outagamie, Shawano, Waupaca, and the Neenah-Menasha area of Winnebago. It combines dollars from donors who created endowment funds or made individual donations to improve the quality of life of the Fox Valley region.  Through an application and review process, grants are distributed to Fox Valley area nonprofit organizations within five focus areas: arts and culture, community and neighborhood development, environment, financial stability and wellbeing, and nonprofit effectiveness.