GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Jannan Cotto is getting used to her new work space at the Grand Rapids Public Museum.
“Long ago women didn’t typically dance. That was kind of reserved for men,” Cotto said while pointing to a traditional outfit worn during powwows. “But this would’ve represented one of the first styles of dance that women were dancing.”
Cotto showed FOX 17 a mannequin that was donned in a dark blue-ish or purple outfit, complete with beaded necklaces, a shawl and large feathers.
“These are folks from up north and probably their descendants are from my tribe: Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa,” Cotto said while looking at a picture of three men dressed in baseball uniforms, caps and mitts. “I didn’t realize they had a baseball team actually.”
Not to sound ignorant, & I say this with love/respect for my Indigenous bros/sis, but I had no clue there was an Indigenous ⚾️ team!
— Lauren Edwards (@LaurenEdwardsTV) October 12, 2022
It was one of the things I learned at @GRMuseum They’ve been awarded 💰 to consistently include indigenous history into its programs. // @FOX17 pic.twitter.com/t8E7vFUbwz
The exhibit — Anishinabek: The People of This Place — is filled with dozens of artifacts, artwork, photographs, clothing items and other goods from the Anishinabek people, the indigenous tribe local to the Grand Rapids area.
The exhibit first opened in 1995. Now, almost 30 years later, it’ll get some upgrades thanks to a pair of grants the museum was recently awarded.
“The first is from the National Trust for Historic Preservation for $50,000 for one year,” Cotto said.
The second grant from the Wege Foundation was for $212,531 for three years.
The goal is to consistently incorporate Anishinabek culture, perspectives and voices into the museum’s various programs and exhibits. The first thing officials did with the money was hire Cotto as the Anishinaabe curator.
“So, the two big projects I’ll be working on at least in the first few years of my position include working with the tribes to co-develop an updated cultural landscape management plan for the mounds,” she saids “and then also working with the tribes and the urban native community here in Grand Rapids to incorporate their feedback and perspectives into an exhibit update.”
Cotto said a lot of the artifacts will stay but some of the technology, like the touch screens, will be updated.
There’s also talk of using some of the money to create internship programs for local indigenous students.
As passionate as she is about her new job, she believes it’s important for everyone to learn about the first people of Michigan and the Great Lakes area, both pre-contact and post.
“Our communities are vibrant and thriving,” Cotto said. “And our communities contribute a lot to the local economies in Michigan and to the schools, through the two-percent funds that are given back that come from the gaming enterprises. So, I think it’s important that folks understand all that.”
READ MORE: ‘There’s probably less than 500 of us left': Local indigenous history preserved at Ah-Nab-Awen
