Of This Place: Native Americans in the Rockford Region

Last Saturday was opening day for a new, temporary display at Burpee Museum in downtown Rockford. As a CLR member, I had the privilege of seeing this exhibit as it was being set-up, as part of a class led by Anne Weerda, Executive Director of the museum.

At the beginning of each worship service, we acknowledge our debt to the Ho-Chunk and other native tribes for the land on which we worship. This “land acknowledgement” is a relatively new segment of our service, prompted by our awakening to the discrimination and injustice of our collective treatment of our native Americans, not only in the past, but continuing today.

I invite you to expand your knowledge of our local history and share emotional connection with our native ancestors by spending some time viewing this exhibit while it’s available.

Unlike some commemorative exhibits, this one was curated by Starla Thompson of the Forest Band Potawatomi, with input from members of the Sac and Fox and the Ojibway as well as the Potawatomi tribes. Included in the exhibit are art by native tribe members, personal accounts by descendants of tribal members who attended Indian schools as children, and modern tin type photos of tribal members, as well as historical photos and maps.

Check out this web page:

https://burpee.org/place-native-american-exhibit

The Burpee Museum is north of the Discovery Center on North Main with a parking lot in front. The museum is open from 10 am to 5 pm daily. Admission for adults over 13 is $12; for children 4 thru 12, $10; and children up to 4, free. This is great place to spend a hot August afternoon before school starts.