The Nokomis Native American Cultural Learning Center is dedicated to the preservation and presentation of the history, Arts, and culture of the Anishinaabe people - the Ojibwa, Odawa, and Potawatomi nations. The Center fulfills this mission through programs, exhibitions and special events.
The Nokomis Learning Center provides a variety of programs for groups of all ages as well as maintaining general open hours for individual visitors. On average the Center provides 275 tour programs a year to groups ranging in size from 15 to 400. While most programs are provided for visitors to the Center, the educational staff also conducts numerous outreach programs throughout lower Michigan.
Craft Night is Back
Every Monday, Starting May 5th from 6:00 to 9:00 pm
ALSO
Drum Social Night
Wednesday nights 6-9pm at Nokomis running from May 21st, 2008 - Nov. 14th except Memorial Day (5/23), Fourth of July, Labor Day (8/29), and Halloween (10/31).
Featuring Little Stone Singers & Moccasin Sound
CURRENT EXHIBITIn Honor of the Lessons of The Elders
By Suzanne Cross
Bneshiinh kwe (Bird woman)
Dr. Suzanne Cross is a member of the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe, and is an Associate Professor in the School of Social Work at Michigan State University. Her artwork has been displayed at the Soaring Eagle Resort and in the publication E’AAWIYAANG (who we are) in 1999. She was most recently commissioned to create a beadwork piece for the newly built Assisted Living Facility on the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe reservation in Mt. Pleasant, MI. In addition she has created other works of art in the form of loom beadwork, traditional dance shawls, dolls, and porcupine hair headpieces for male dancers.
This exhibit will include beadwork, shawls, dolls, regalia, and statements by elders that Suzanne considers Lessons.
Suzanne says:
“'In Honor of the Lessons of the Elders', is the title of the art exhibit, for without the lessons of the Elders, who were patient and willing to teach me not only bead work, shawl making, dressing of dolls for children, and to create my own traditional dance regalia, they also shared the meaning and importance of all the items throughout my child and young adulthood."
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