For Immediate Release: May 15, 2026
KALAMAZOO, MI – Kalamazoo in Bloom, in partnership with the Gun Lake Tribe, invites the public to participate in a meaningful community project: the planting of a Three Sisters Garden in Bronson Park as part of the statewide America250MI initiative.
This collaborative effort brings together staff from the Gun Lake Tribe’s Language and Culture Department, Tribal Historic Preservation Office, along with Gun Lake Tribe’s Youth to share the cultural knowledge and traditions behind the Three Sisters — Mdamenek (corn), Kosman (squash), and Kotthesek (beans). The garden honors Indigenous agricultural practices while creating space for reflection on the region’s history and the Pottawatomi’s continued cultural presence.
“This collaborative garden is dedicated to commemorating our communities, the Neshnabék, who endure and endured colonization, theft of land, language, traditional lifeways, and forced removal and displacement at the same time that the United States sought its own independence and expansion of territory 250 years ago,” said Rebecca Rupe, Archives/Collections Coordinator for the Gun Lake Tribal Historic Preservation Office.
The three-part planting series begins on Saturday, May 23, with the planting of Mdamenek (corn), followed by Kosman (squash) on Saturday, May 30. The planting of Kotthesek (beans) will take place at a later date, to be announced, as the corn must first grow tall enough to support the beans in this traditional companion planting method. Wyatt Szpliet, the Gun Lake Tribe’s Mno Mijem Sovereignty Coordinator, has grown and will be donating Ojibwe Flint Corn, Nokos Squash, and Bodwéwadmi Pole Bean minkanen (seeds). With the help of the Education Department, Szpliet will coordinate with Tribal Youth to complete the hands-on plantings. They will smudge and make offerings, including sema (traditional tobacco) to help plant and grow the minkanen in a good way.
Community members of all ages are welcome to attend, learn, and take part in this shared act of planting, remembrance, and connection. Each event will include informational tables, interactive activities, and opportunities to learn directly from Tribal representatives and Kalamazoo in Bloom staff. Three Sisters Garden planting kits will also be distributed while supplies last.
Kalamazoo in Bloom began this America250MI project in February 2025, working alongside community partners, including Wightman & Associates, to bring the garden to life. For more information, visit https://www.kalamazooinbloom.org/three-sisters-planting-series or contact Rebecca Rupe, Rebecca.Rupe@glt-nsn.gov or Wyatt Szpliet, wyatt.szpliet@glt-nsn.gov.
CONTACT:
Tribal Historic Preservation Ofc
Ph: 269.397.1780
Rebecca.Rupe@glt-nsn.gov
wyatt.szpliet@glt-nsn.gov
###
About Gun Lake Tribe
The Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish Band of Pottawatomi (Gun Lake Tribe) has a rich history in West Michigan and close connection to the land. The Bradley Indian Mission, located near Wayland, is the historic residential and cultural center point of the tribal community. The Tribe’s ancestors, and political predecessors, signed treaties with the United States government dating back to 1795. The Tribe was re-affirmed to federal recognition in 1999. For more information about the Tribe, visit https://gunlaketribe-nsn.gov/.
