The university has received nearly $15,000 from the Native American Heritage Fund (NAHF) to establish “Sharing Wisdom Across Generations,” an initiative that will bring Indigenous elders directly into the campus community to share their knowledge and experiences with both Native and non-Native students.
In a statement from WMU, Dr. Dee Sherwood, director of the university’s Native American Affairs Council, pointed to the benefits of elder knowledge sharing in higher education.
“We have a very age-specific learning model in our education system, and we don’t have a lot of opportunities to learn from our older generations,” Sherwood said. “These elders may have attended a boarding school in the region or maybe they lived on the reservation their whole life. Or maybe they have experience as a veteran or an entrepreneur. They certainly have knowledge and wisdom to share with students.”
The program will involve consultation with elders and councils from the three Potawatomi tribal nations in Southwest Michigan: Gun Lake, Pokagon, and the Nottawaseppi Huron Band of Potawatomi, ensuring authentic cultural representation and guidance.
Three participating elders will maintain regular office hours in Moore Hall on Western’s main campus and lead 10 diverse events throughout the academic year. These activities will span a rich spectrum of Indigenous cultural practices, including drum workshops, traditional beadwork, the creation of ribbon pants and skirts, and talking circles focused on Native American culture and teachings.
“Students are very interested in learning about traditional ecological knowledge and cultural teachings and Indigenous lifeways,” Sherwood said.
The initiative extends beyond cultural education and aims to create practical opportunities for students, potentially providing students with opportunities and future employment with tribal nations, providing students with valuable professional connections within Indigenous communities.
WMU will be recognized alongside 10 other educational and community organizations during an award ceremony on Friday, September 19, at FireKeepers Casino Hotel. The public event will follow the NAHF board meeting at 11 a.m., celebrating the diverse initiatives being supported across Michigan.
The Native American Affairs Council is currently developing the specific programming details for the elders-in-residence initiative.
The program will officially launch in the coming academic year, with full programming details to be announced by the Native American Affairs Council as events are finalized.