THPO Departmental Projects
Gdenwémgenanëk Yajdanawa (Our Relatives Tell It) Project
The Tribal Historic Preservation Office (THPO) is excited to offer our Match-E-Be-Nash-She Wish community opportunities to carry on our oral tradition through the Gdenwémgenanëk Yajdanawa Project (Bodwéwadmimwen for “Our Relatives Tell It.”)
Gdenwémgenanëk Yajdanawa is an Indigenous interpretation of a project piloted by the University of North Carolina – Wilson Library’s “Archivist in a Backpack” program. THPO and GLT Language & Culture Departments worked together to name this vibrant project focusing on Neshnabék culture, families, stories and teachings.
Gdenwémgenanëk Yajdanawa seeks to specifically document and share Neshnabék family and community stories. It used to be that photos and videos were in one family member’s home, but now, with digital technology and DVDs, family members can share from near and far. The THPO staff have backpack kits which include question cards, notebooks, audio and video recorders and other things which can be used to interview loved ones. To see what a backpack looks like, visit:
Oral history and oral tradition are terms used to describe how people share personal accounts of historical events, family and community stories among their loved ones and pass them down from generation to generation. Oral history focuses on documenting the interviewee’s first-hand encounters and experiences, while oral tradition addresses various ways of knowing and “doing” or documenting history. Oral tradition may include family stories, place-based stories, traditional stories or memories of cultural values and lifeways. An example interview is available here:
One contemporary option to maintain and share these memories and stories is by recording them through interviews, whether written or recorded on audio and/or video. Once the interview is completed, the THPO staff will archive it digitally and loved ones near and far will be able to share in your stories. DVDs and thumb drives are also options for sharing at no cost to the interviewer, interviewee or their families. The interviewee will have complete control over who has access to the interview, even on our on-line digital archive.
The THPO put together Archivist in a Backpack kits available for check out to assist Tribal Citizens conduct and record oral history interviews. THPO staff are happy to assist Tribal Citizens interested in conducting interviews with their family and community members. If requested, the THPO staff will conduct interviews of Tribal Citizens at your home, or wherever you choose, on an appointment basis.
For more information regarding the Gdenwémgenanëk Yajdanawa Project, to schedule an oral history interview with THPO staff, or to check out an Archivist in a Backpack kit, please contact Rebecca Rupe Archives and Collections Coordinator, at 269.397.1790 or at Rebecca.Rupe@glt-nsn.gov.
We look forward to hearing from you and to helping document our Tribe’s culture, stories, and teachings!
Gathering Community Voices Project- IMLS 23/25 Grant Activities
The Tribal Historic Preservation Office and Archives/Collections Program is gearing up for an exciting and eventful 2024!
The THPO Department was awarded an Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) grant in 2023, in which the Archives & Collections Program identified the need to redevelop underutilized exhibition spaces throughout several Tribal Facilities; Jijak’s Dining and Rec Hall, Government Campus’s Administration Building, and Luella Collins Community Center’s main space on the upper floor.
Proposed plans include the installation of a rotating community display at Jijak’s Dining Hall (Jijak.1) which will highlight our youth’s summer camp artwork annually at the Sweetgrass Moon Powwow. Exhibitions highlighting historical and contemporary recreational activities will be installed at Jijak’s Rec Hall (Jijak.2). At the Government Campus, the Administration Building will undergo further preservation efforts with the addition of UV filtration to the front lobby windows to ensure our communities’ beautiful basketry display is better protected. Other updates will include the installation of a biannual rotating contemporary 2D artwork display and a semi-permanent Federal Reaffirmation Exhibit. These updates will begin rolling out throughout 2024-2025, so be sure to keep an eye on the Tribune for project updates and opportunities for community engagement. As mentioned above the Luella Collins Community Center will also be undergoing several display updates. Three areas will be developed cohesively to create Community, Council, and Commemorative wall displays.
THPO staff will be holding several events throughout 2024 aimed at gathering (loaned or donated) photos, stories, materials, and much more in collaboration with the community on the creation of these spaces. Please save the date for our first 2 upcoming dates- Friday, March 8th and Saturday, April 13th from 2p to 7p at Luella Collins Community Center. These events are designed to enable flexibility for all possible participants and their schedules, so please feel free to pop-in anytime to discuss and learn more about exhibition plans or to contribute and collaborate on the commemorative and/or community displays. Please reach out to Rebecca Rupe, Archives/Collections Coordinator for any questions at Rebecca.rupe@glt-nsn.gov. or (269)397-1780. No RSVP is needed, and more events will be offered again later in 2024 as this project begins to take shape.