FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 4, 2023
MEDIA CONTACT:
Madeline Anderson
414-278-2784
andersonm@mpm.edu
MILWAUKEE PUBLIC MUSEUM TO CELEBRATE INDIGENOUS PEOPLES’ DAY WITH SPECIAL EVENTS AND PROGRAMS
Cultural performances, educational presentations included with Museum admission on Monday, October 9
MILWAUKEE — Milwaukee Public Museum (MPM) is celebrating Indigenous Peoples’ Day on Monday, October 9, with special events and programming that highlight Indigenous cultures. From 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., visitors are invited to enjoy drum and dance performances, chat with curators, attend presentations and participate in hands-on activities. All events and programs will take place on MPM’s Second Floor and are included with admission.
“We are excited to collaborate with Indigenous community members for our special programming and events so that the artistry, history and stories of Indigenous cultures can be shared by the people they represent,” said MPM President & CEO Dr. Ellen Cenksy. “It is important that the general public is able to learn about and experience firsthand the traditions Indigenous peoples have passed down through generations that are still an important part of their cultures today.”
New this year, programming and performances will showcase Indigenous customs tied to Middle and South America in addition to those from tribes across Wisconsin and the United States.
"Indigenous peoples have inhabited the entire continents of North and South America, and the countries that exist therein, since time immemorial,” said MPM Director of Education Adriana Vázquez. “As we are also celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month during the first half of October, we want to acknowledge the Indigenous heritage of Latin America and celebrate those who identify with all Indigenous communities and cultures throughout the Americas."
Performances:
Little Priest Singers - Ho-Chunk drum group Little Priest Singers will be sharing songs as dancers showcase a variety of dance categories seen at powwows. Performances will be held at 11 a.m., noon, 1 p.m. and 2 p.m.
México Indígena - Dance troupe México Indígena will perform the dance and drum rhythms native to the Aztecs, an ancient Indigenous civilization also known as the Nahuatls and Mechikas. Performances will be held at 11:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 p.m.
Curator Chats: 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Aaron R. Atencio, PhD - Join MPM’s Research Curator of Cultural Sciences in the Southwest gallery where he will be discussing a newly installed exhibit that displays handpainted lantern slides from MPM’s collection. The slides on exhibit illuminate the lifeways of Indigenous peoples of the North American Southwest.
Dawn Scher Thomae - Join MPM's Curator of Anthropology Collections throughout the Second Floor, where she will be interpreting various Indigenous exhibits.
Community Presenters: 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Korina Hernández - An Art and Technology Studies MFA candidate at the School of the Art institute of Chicago, Korina Hernández will present her work that focuses on the digital preservation of Mesoamerican antiquities, including those in MPM’s collection, through the practice of 3D scanning.
Jesus Ávila - The founder of México Indígena, Jesus Ávila will showcase his artwork that captures the rich history of Indigenous peoples.
Anthropology Interns Research Project Presentations: 11 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Alyssa Rieger - “Colorful Currency: The Impact of European Trade Beads in Canada and the United States” - located in the Plains area
Grace Pelisek - “Missionary School Arts and Crafts: The Production of Native Items for Non-Native People” - located near guns case in Tribute to Survival
MPM Educator Tables: 11 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Manoomin: Learn about the process of harvesting manoomin, or wild rice, located at the Menomonee Rice exhibit.
Zelia Nuttall, Archive Adventurer: Discover the life of Mexican-American archaeologist and anthropologist Zelia Nuttall, located at the Blackfoot Village exhibit.
About the Milwaukee Public Museum
The Milwaukee Public Museum is Wisconsin’s natural history museum, welcoming over half a million visitors annually. Located in downtown Milwaukee, the Museum was chartered in 1882, opened to the public in 1884, and currently houses more than 4 million objects in its collections. MPM has three floors of exhibits that encompass life-size dioramas, walk-through villages, world cultures, dinosaurs, a rainforest, and a live butterfly garden, as well as the Daniel M. Soref Dome Theater & Planetarium. MPM is operated by Milwaukee Public Museum, Inc., a private, non-profit company, and its facilities and collections are held in trust and supported by Milwaukee County for the benefit of the public.
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