Awarded as a part of the Mellon Foundation's Monument's Project, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources has been granted $3.6 million to go towards a new community-driven project at Father Marquette National Memorial in St. Ignace.
Called the Gchi Mshiikenh Deh Minising (or, Heart of the Great Turtle Island Project), the memorial hopes to create new educational structures and exhibits to add Native American perspectives to the site.
Austin Lowes, chair of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians, said in a written statement that the project will allow visitors to "connect with a period of time through the lens of Native Americans that will aid in their understanding of how important the earth, the land and the waters are to everyone's way of life."
The DNR is actively working with the state and tribal partners to make the project a reality.
The Michigan DNR as a financial supporter of WCMU