Beaded Graduation Cap Demonstration with Alexa Rae Day

Date: Monday, May 13, 2024

Time: 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm

Where:  Traverse City High School, MAC room

Parking: Park at the back of the school. Signage will be posted outside of the entrance.

Please join us for a beaded graduation cap demonstration by Alexa Rae Day, an accomplished multimedia artist. She is a Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa citizen and descendant of the Hochunk and Lakota Tribes. Her work has been showcased at the Santa Fe Indian Market and Eiteljorg Museum Indian Art Market and Festival. Alexa shares her passion for art and Indigenous lifeways by generously teaching others across Turtle Island.

TCAPS Indigenous Education Program Class of 2024 Seniors are invited to bead with Alexa. Please come prepared with your cap and be ready to learn! 

We encourage future graduates and family members to join us in community and take advantage of the learning opportunity as Alexa demonstrates how to bead a graduation cap. 

Additional Information:

Below is a short list of where you can source supplies if needed. 

Sea Beads

Bead & Powwow Supply

Beaded Edge Supply

Shokota Pow-wow Supply

Shipwreck Beads

All Anishinaabe Expressive Culture Series Events are free and all are welcome to attend. 

If you have any questions please contact us! 

Phone (231) 933-5897 

Email baldwinsu@tcaps.net

Movie Night: Gather

Date: Tuesday, April 30, 2024

Time: 6:00 pm

Where:  Lars Hockstad Auditorium, Central Grade Elementary

Parking: Pine Street, entrance at Pine Street

Film Run Time: 74 Minutes

Please join us for a movie night followed by a discussion led by Holly T. Bird, TCAPS Board of Trustee and Kinomaage Ikwe.

“Gather is an intimate portrait of the growing movement amongst Native Americans to reclaim their spiritual, political and cultural identities through food sovereignty, while battling the trauma of centuries of genocide.

Gather follows Nephi Craig, a chef from the White Mountain Apache Nation (Arizona), opening an indigenous café as a nutritional recovery clinic; Elsie Dubray, a young scientist from the Cheyenne River Sioux Nation (South Dakota), conducting landmark studies on bison; and the Ancestral Guard, a group of environmental activists from the Yurok Nation (Northern California), trying to save the Klamath river.”

All Anishinaabe Expressive Culture Series events are free and all are welcome to attend. We look forward to being in community with you!

If you have any questions please contact us! 

Phone (231) 933-5897 

Email baldwinsu@tcaps.net

Download the letter-size flyer

Download  social media portrait-sized flyer 

Gooni-Gnebik (Snow Snake)

Date: Tuesday, February 20, 2024

Time: 5:30 pm to 6:30 pm

Where:  Traverse City High School - MAC room 

Parking: Park at the back of the school. A sign will be posted on the door of the event.

Additional Information:

• Presented by Cheyenne Kiogima, Little Traverse Bay Band of Odawa Citizen  and TCAPS Indigenous Education Ekinoomaaged

• Snow Snake or Gooni-Gnebik is a traditional Indigenous winter game of the Great Lakes region.

•  A "snow snake" is usually made of hardwood.

• The objective of the game is to throw the snow snake the farthest on a snow/ice-covered track.

What to expect: 

• • Two origination stories

  • The speaker will share their personal experience making snow snakes, throwing their first tournament, and sharing variations of the game you will find in other communities.  

  • Snow snakes will be on display.

  • Weather permitting, you will have an opportunity to throw a snow snake. 

  •  Participants may want to bring warm clothing and sturdy shoes if they would like to take part in throwing a snow snake (weather permitting).

All Anishinaabe Expressive Culture Series events are free and all are welcome to attend. We look forward to being in community with you!

If you have any questions please contact us! 

Phone (231) 933-5897 

Email baldwinsu@tcaps.net

Download letter size flyer

Download  social media sized flyer 

Learn About Round Dance

Date: Thursday, January 11, 2024

Time: 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm

Where:  Traverse City High School - MAC room (park towards the back of the school, a sign will be posted outside of the door)

Additional Information:

• Round dance history and teachings will be shared by Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Culture Manager, Aaron Chivis.

• Time permitting, be prepared to join in on dancing to a song or two. 

• A light meal will be provided. The recipe is sourced from the Oneida Nation's cookbook: A Collection of Diabetes-Friendly Recipes. Additional recipes will be available on-site to promote health. 

• This month's event touches on each circle of The Seven Circles of Wellness: Indigenous Teachings for Living Well.  The seven circles are food, sleep, movement, ceremony, sacred space, land, and community.  Seven Circles book enhancement.

• Music played at the event: Crazy Spirit Singers "Crazy Round Singers Only"

• Food served at the event: Bison Chili and Venison Chili, sourced from the Kakhwi·yó Yukwaˀshatst˄hsla·wí· A Collection of Diabetes Friendly Recipes by the Oneida Community Health Center.

All Anishinaabe Expressive Culture Series events are free and all are welcome to attend. We look forward to being in community with you!

If you have any questions please contact us at: 

Phone: (231) 933-5897 

email: baldwinsu@tcaps.net

Download letter size flyer

Download 1x1 size flyer

The season of storytelling for Anishinaabe and many Indigenous people is in the winter. Storytelling has been a part of the Anishnaabe community for time immemorial. These moments are used for building community, sharing traditional stories, cultural customs, and providing life lessons. 

Storytelling will be provided by the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Culture Manager, Aaron Chivis. 

What: Storytelling

When: Tuesday, December 12, 2023 at 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm

Where: West Middle School Library

Additional Information about the event:

• In alignment with the theme of storytelling, the Traverse Area District Library will be present on-site with their Bookmobile! Students and families can check out books and set up a library account if they don't already have one. To set up an account on-site, please visit the TADL website to find out what documents you will need to bring with you.

• The Bookmobile hosts an Indigenous library that was made possible through the funding of the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa 2% Grant. To find these books on the Bookmobile consult with the librarian or search for the turtle symbol on the spine. 

• Unlike previous Anishinaabe Expressive Culture Series events this year, food will not be available at this event due to location restrictions.

• This event is made possible through the collaboration of  TCAPS Indigenous Education, Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Culture Program, and Traverse Area District Libary.

Additional Information about storytelling:

• Lee Obizaan Staples (Aazhoomog community) shares about sacred winter stories in a YouTube video.

• Dennis Zotigh (Kiowa/Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo/Isante Dakota Indian) writes "The Winter Solstice Begins a Season of Storytelling and Ceremony" in the Smithsonian Magazine.

• Zhaawnong Webb shares Nanaboozhoo Story, Nanaboozhoo and the spirit of the Maple tree on YouTube video.

If you have any questions please contact Summer Baldwin, TCAPS Indigenous Education Coordinator, (231) 933-5897 / baldwinsu@tcaps.net

We look forward to connecting with you in community!

What: We Gather Wednesdays 

When: Every Wednesday in November 2023 from 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm

Where: Indigenous Education Office, Traverse City High School

Indigenous people live and lived in community sharing stories and their lives. In these moments, Anishinaabe build community, pass on oral tradition and customs, and nurture their spirit. This month's Anishinaabe Expressive Culture Series is based on gathering in community. We will gather around crafting and conversation. 

Please bring a current beading, sewing, knitting, or craft project. Limited craft supplies will be available. We recently received a sewing machine by donation, which will also be available for sewing on those ribbons in preparation for the round dance season. 

Light snacks will be available. Recipes sourced from "Healthy Cooking, The Anishinaabek Way".
You are welcome to bring food, potluck style but not required. 

If you have any questions please contact Summer Baldwin, TCAPS Indigenous Education Coordinator, (231) 933-5897 / baldwinsu@tcaps.net

We look forward to connecting with you in community!

We Gather Wednesday recipes were sourced from Healthy Cooking, The Anishinaabek Way

Recipe Links:

Hominy Soup

Wild Rice Soup

Apple Salad

Cedar Braised Beans

Chi Miigwech Cheyenne Kiogima for the cookbook and Amber Ochoa for donating beans used for the cedar braised beans! Bannock bread was also prepared by Summer Baldwin, TCAPS Indigenous Education Coordinator. 

Flyer download:
Letter Size

1x1 square

What:  Digwaagi Kinomaagewin (Fall Teachings)

When: October 16, 2023 at 6 pm

Where: West Middle School Cafeteria

Digwaagi Kinomaagewin (Fall Teachings) with Aaron Chivis, Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Cultural Department Manager on Monday, October 16th at 6:30 pm to 7:30 pm at West Middle School Cafeteria. 

Learn about Anishinaabe Fall time teachings and more specifically about the spirit feast. Teachings will be accompanied with a dinner of manoomin soup.

All are welcome to this family event.

If you have any questions please contact Summer Baldwin, TCAPS Indigenous Education Coordinator, (231) 933-5897 / baldwinsu@tcaps.net

Chi Miigwech Cindy Schuyler for providing us with your delicious creamy manoomin soup recipe!