“This is a significant area for the Menominee people. The mouth of the Menominee River is where our creation story begins, so we have great ties to this area. So, it’s important that we make sure that our stories are being told,” said Gena Kakak, chair of the Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin.
Menekaunee Harbor Park also features a large bear statue that represents one of the Menominee’s five clans. Made of fiberglass and towering almost 14 feet high, the statue is a replica of the ancestral bear that stands in the Menominee Indian Tribe’s cultural museum in Keshena. Near the statue is a granite monument honoring the five clans — the bear, the wolf, the crane, the moose and the eagle. Additionally, an electronic kiosk allows visitors to the park to use their mobile devices to learn more about the history of the Menominee Indian Tribe and its clans. Kakak says. “The dedication of Menekaunee Harbor Park is a way to educate the next generations.” KAKAK goes on to say “We have historical documentation of our people living in the area along Marinette, up into Upper Michigan. And we’re hoping to share some of that history today with the people to see and recognize where we were, and that we’re still here.”
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