United States Destinations

Wisconsin's rich Native American heritage

(NC)-Wisconsin offers a host of authentic experiences for travelers interested in learning about Native American culture. Pow-wows, Indian villages, museums, cultural centers, effigy mounds, arts and crafts events and festivals all bring tribal heritage alive.

Native American Villages
One of the best ways to experience Wisconsin's Native American heritage is by visiting an authentic Native American village. At Wa-Swa-Goning, on the Lac du Flambeau Indian Reservation in northern Wisconsin, visitors can get a feel for 17th century Ojibwe life. Guided tours follow a woodland trail with stops at traditional Ojibwe villages (715/588-3560).

Forts Folle Avoine, located in the northwestern Wisconsin community of Webster, is a reconstruction of a French fur trading post and Ojibwe village from the early 1800's (715/866-8890).

Pow-wows
Rhythmic drum beats, colorful costumes and powerful dancing make Native American pow-wows one of the most inspiring ways to appreciate tribal culture. The Honor the Earth Pow-wow, North America's largest, is hosted every year by the Lac Courte Oreilles

Ojibwe tribe near Hayward. This year's event takes place July 13-16 (715/634-8924).

The Indian Summer Festival in Milwaukee (Sept. 8-10) is also the largest event of its kind in North America. It features Native American food, crafts, dancing and music, as well as competition pow-wows (414/774-7119; www.indiansummer.org).

Effigy Mounds
Built to pay tribute to the dead buried beneath, effigy mounds throughout Wisconsin range from simple round and conical shapes to forms including lizards, birds, turtles and panthers. One of the largest collections of effigy mounds (26) lies in Lizard Mound County Park in southeastern Wisconsin (414/335-4445).

Another impressive collection of mounds (including a bear, lynx and bird) can be found an hour north of Madison in Devil's Lake State Park (608/356-8301).

For a free copy of Native Wisconsin, an 18-page, full color guide to Wisconsin's 11 Native American tribes and tribal events, the public can call 1-800-432-TRIP/8747 or visit www.travelwisconsin.com