On Oct. 13, the Traverse City District Library and the Dennos Museum at Northwestern Michigan College hosted their annual Indigenous Peoples’ Day community event. Families with young children visited the museum for a story and a dance presentation.

Liz Celeste, the Curator of Education and Exhibitions at the Dennos, has helped put on the event since she started working at the museum three years ago.
“I think it’s important not just for the kids, but also the parents and the adults… all ages... to come and learn about whose land we’re on and about, not just the history, but who still exists in this space,” Celeste said, “For the museum to be able to host and have some of the artwork on display that we have in our collection from the Indigenous populations, from this area, from the Great Lakes region, I think it’s pretty special for people to see the creative energy.”

The Dennos Museum is known for its collection of art by the Inuit, the indigenous peoples of the Northern Arctic. Holding one of the most comprehensive Inuit art collections in the country, the exhibit represents indigenous artists from Alaska, Greenland, and the Canadian Arctic.

Celeste described the collection as: “One of the largest and most historically complete in the United States, at least… Which is pretty wild and pretty special. It is a special collection.”

One storyteller at the event, NMC humanities professor Julieanna Frost, acknowledged the impact the event and similar events have on kids.
“I think it’s foundational for young people to be exposed [to] and learn about the various histories in the United States,” Frost explained, “To understand the diversity of the United States and how this diversity makes us stronger, better, and builds up communities. I think it’s extremely important.”

Frost mentioned that NMC and the wider Traverse community have many programs to help educate people about the indigenous population and give resources to the population.

“One of the classes that I teach is Native American history, and I’m really glad that that aspect is part of our curriculum here,” said Frost, “Then, of course, NASO, the Native American Student Organization… a lot of people don’t know that we have that.”

“There are just so many things, but you’ve gotta be exposed and find out about them. Which sometimes isn’t so easy.”