Those who visit Leelanau this summer or at any time of the year can make note to stop and view recently placed markers that portray part of the history and teachings of the Anishinaabe people.
These signs are part of the Kchi Wiikwedong Anishinaabe History Project, an effort to represent the long history of the Anishinaabek of the Grand Traverse Region more prominently and accurately in public spaces and through publicly available resources. Emily Modrall of the Traverse Area Historical Society has been leading the project effort for several years now, with markers first being fabricated and installed at different locations just last year.
The Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians (GTB) Tribal Council has also approved the project and acts as a partner. The decisions related to the markers, like the design and text, were made by Anishinaabe collaborators, including an advisory group of GTB elders, in consultation with contracted designers and fabricators. The GTB Cultural Services Department provided language translation for the markers. The signage, fabricated by Nuart Signs in Traverse City, are bilingual in Anishinaabemowin and English, and is used as the primary tool for accomplishing this mission.
