Next steps caring for our relatives

Due to a lack of oversight and procedure the historic burial site along Highway 23 was destroyed, disturbing our relatives during a highway renovation. This heartbreaking and very emotional moment in our community was an opportunity for us to do better and make sure this never happens again.

The disturbed cemetery along Highway 23 in Northern Minnesota continues to be restored and preserved led by the work of the Fond du Lac Band. Landscape architects Urban Ecosystems worked with Heart Berry to create a stone marker for the retaining wall marking permanently this site and preventing further disturbance of our relatives. 

Ojibwe people, like Indigenous People across the world, have extensive knowledge of the skies, stars, and use this knowledge to inform and navigate. When we began designing a permanent seating area near the burial the Elder Advisory Group felt strongly that we should include the stars and star stories as a final gift to these ancestors. Made public by the book Ojibwe Star Map, a constellation guide, Ojibwe artists and historians shared about the Wintermaker, Mooz, and other guides of the sky. 

We are working to imagine these constellations into cut sculpture back lit by the sky.  These large feather like shades will cover a seating area near the burial site.  We are excited to use this as a teaching moment. Any chance we can have to reinforce Ojibwe narratives, knowledge, and share this with the community around us we jump on it.

The Elder Advisory Group is guiding and reviewing our work to keep us grounded and heading in the right direction.  The process taken on by Urban Ecosystems is truly an innovative one to really spend quality time with knowledge carriers and elders to do authentic work with Native communities. These processes are how we create really good design and work rooted in Native story.  

Now on to finalizing the way we imagine these constellations. The beauty of it is... a constellation is how we imagine it and we hope everyone comes to this space and imagines their own version of these stars.

-Giizh Heart Berry CEO and Artist