Recognizing the Native People of Wisconsin
November is Native American Heritage Month, a time when many businesses and institutions in Milwaukee celebrate Indigenous traditions and achievements. The Milwaukee Public Museum (MPM) has hosted several events to celebrate the Indigenous people of Wisconsin and the United States, one of which was the Native American Heritage Month Dinner.
It was a unique evening. Guests were welcomed into the second floor of the museum after it closed to enjoy a meal centering on native ingredients and recipes that have survived generations of struggle. Jessica Walks First (Pamonicutt) of the Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin catered for the event. She owns Ketapanen Kitchen, Chicago’s first Native American pop-up kitchen and catering company.
Additionally, guests were given a presentation of a new sculpture that will be displayed in the museum’s future location that was given by the artist Mark Fischer of the Oneida Nation. After the presentation guests were invited to explore the second floor of the museum, where the museum’s collection of Native American artifacts is displayed.
What’s On the Menu
The evening featured a full menu that showcased Walks First’s creativity and passion for her culinary heritage.
- The full menu included:
- Harvest Salad
- Braised Bison and Blackberry Mole
- Sage and Sumac Roasted Chicken
- Wild rice (Manoomin), Berries, and Maple
- Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Squash and Cranberries
- Pumpkin Cornbread
- Chantilly Cream Cake with Medicine Berries
- Seasonal Lemonade
The dishes served include generational recipes such as wild rice, berries, and maple in the Great Lakes Regions. Others, such as the Braised Bison and Blackberry Mole, are still traditional and Indigenous dishes but have undergone a transformation that combines flavors and preparation styles creating a unique indigenous fusion dish.
“When I think of Indigenous foods I’m not just thinking of the United States, it’s all of Turtle Island,” said Walks First. “It’s Canada, it’s the United States, it’s Mexico, it’s Central and South America because we all were Indigenous people.”
Walks First caters all around Illinois and often comes to Milwaukee for her business, spreading the joy and power behind indigenous foods. She even has been taking her passion to TV after starring in Top Chef as a co-judge for an episode as the show was filming in Milwaukee in the summer of 2023.
“It’s definitely something that is really coming to the forefront of the culinary industry,” said Walks First. “I think now people are getting it that it’s important. I think it’s coming full circle because we finally broke down all the walls and the barriers to become seen.”
New Art for a New Space
MPM is currently in the process of building a new location near the Fiserv Forum, on Sixth and McKinley, and is set to open in early 2027. For the future space, MPM put out a public call looking for Native American sculptors to create a piece for display at their future location.
Fischer responded with his piece “The Gathering Place”, a tribute to the Native Nations in Wisconsin featuring towering Aspen trees made of copper and decorated with traditional patterns affiliated with each Tribe of Wisconsin. The center of the piece will mimic the shell of a turtle to honor the lunar calendar and serve as a space for storytelling and learning for children.
“I wanted to do this right off the get-go,” said Fischer. “It was important to me that this happened, aspen trees they’re like a family, they grow in groups, and their leaves quake like they’re talking to each other. Their roots are all interconnected and that’s what I wanted to show, that we’re all connected.”
Fischer is originally from Milwaukee and has been a full-time artist for 30 years, enshrining his culture and beliefs to be displayed all over Wisconsin. He has created The Gathering Place to be as interactive as possible to encourage to learn and enjoy the museum, as well as encourage the constant learning of the Indigenous people of Wisconsin.