Suttons Bay High School hosts Anishinaabe History Project

Great Lakes Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians photo by Minnie Wabanimkee

From staff reports

Join the Leelanau Historical Society and the Omena Historical Society on Wednesday, Nov. 29, from 6-7:30 pm at the Suttons Bay High School Auditorium, (310 S Elm St) for “A Kchi Wiikwedong Anishinaabe History Project Summary: talking about the past for the present (and the future).” This free event is open to the public.

The Kchi Wiikwedong Anishinaabe History Project was started in 2021 by Emily Modrall in an effort to bring greater visibility and awareness to the very long history of this region as an Anishinaabe homeland. Her presentation this evening summarizes this project and its outcomes as the project enters its final months. Kchi Wiikwedong means “Grand Traverse Bay”; Anishinaabe means “Original People.”

Modrall grew up in Suttons Bay. She completed a PhD in Mediterranean Archaeology at the University of Pennsylvania, during which she worked in Italy with research teams from American, Canadian, and European universities. Her own research, supported in part by a Fulbright grant, focused on ancient indigenous communities in southern Italy during periods of war and colonization. Since 2018, Modrall has worked in Traverse City in communications, public relations, and philanthropy. She serves on the board of the Traverse Area Historical Society.