Potawatomi tradition celebrated at new exhibit at Four Rivers Center in Channahon

The Four Rivers Environmental Education Center in Channahon is opening a new exhibit that blends art, history and cultural identity to tell the story of the Potawatomi people.

“Dancing for Our Tribe: Potawatomi Tradition in the New Millennium,” a photographic exhibit by Citizen Potawatomi Nation member Sharon Hoogstraten, will be on display from Friday, July 25, through Saturday, Aug. 23.

The exhibit is presented in partnership with the Three Rivers Public Library District and is free and open to all during Four Rivers visitor center hours from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesdays through Sundays, according to a news release from the Forest Preserve District of Will County.

Hoogstraten, a Chicago-based photographer and author, spent more than a decade traveling across the country to document present-day members of her tribe wearing traditional regalia, according to the release.

The portraits offer a visual record of “cultural continuity and personal expression. Her subjects include elders, children and veterans photographed against woodland backdrops or landscapes tied to Potawatomi relocation,” according to the release.

“In ‘Dancing for Our Tribe,’ I portray a fresh reality of the descendants: People who live in a world of sewing machines, synthetic fabrics, military service, favorite sports teams, high-resolution digital cameras and a new millennium,” Hoogstraten said in the release. “They have merged loss, optimism and contemporary life by creating a riveting celebration of continued existence – loudly declaring, ‘We are still here!’”

The exhibit’s launch coincides with the second printing of Hoogstraten’s book of the same name, which features portraits, personal stories and handwritten messages.

Three Rivers Public Library District staff member Renee Kasperkiewicz-Lake began exploring the idea for the exhibit after the passage of a state law that requires Native American history to be included in all public school American history or government classes. Organizing the exhibit was a way to support local teachers and educate members of the public, according to the release.

“Potawatomi people lived here: Our street names are reflective of Potawatomi words; Chief Shabbona is believed to have been born within the boundaries of Will or Kankakee counties and is buried within a few miles of our Channahon and Minooka libraries in Grundy County,” Kasperkiewicz-Lake said in the release. “Our local history is important, and the people who lived here are an integral part of it.”

Lisa Moe, the library’s adult services manager, said the partnership with the Forest Preserve District of Will County’s Four Rivers allows the library district to bring a culturally significant project to the wider community.

“My hope for what people get out of this exhibit is seeing that Native American peoples are still here, despite governmental genocide, broken treaties and forced removal,” Moe said in the release.

“This is not ‘ancient history.’ Their cultures survive and are reflected in the regalia worn by the Potawatomi subjects of Sharon’s photos. I see these images as a celebration of heritage and life,” Moe said.

The forest preserve district said Hoogstraten will attend an opening reception titled “Dancing for our Tribe” from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday. She also will give a presentation about her work during a program titled "A Deeper Look: ‘Dancing for our Tribe’" from 6 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 14.

Both programs are free and for all ages.

The “Deeper Look” program requires registration. To sign up, visit the forest district’s event calendar or call 815-722-9470.