Culture Committee
The Miami Nation of Indiana recognizes the importance of maintaining its aboriginal culture and language as an integral component to national identity. The ability to speak and think in the language is vital to the preservation of the Nation’s culture.
Over the last 200 years, the Nation has experienced unprecedented change and has suffered greatly. In order for the culture to survive, the Nation recognizes it must seek out alternative means of preserving and perpetuating their aboriginal ways among its members. In an attempt to seek our alternative ways, the Miami Nation of Indiana has created a Cultural Council to begin reversing community culture and language loss.
The Miami Nation of Indiana recognizes the most effective means of reversing this loss is to provide a learning opportunity for their children. The Nation recognizes the children are the future. Through the language and culture, children remain intimately connected with their aboriginal past, homeland, and identity.
Primary Objectives of the Culture Committee
- To promote and perpetuate the Miami Indian culture and language to the Miami People.
- To promote community participation in all language and cultural revitalization projects.
- To provide a medium for tribal members to assist in developing and providing educational materials to the tribal community.
- To assist local educational institutions, groups, and researchers by providing assistance that will ensure public materials represent the Miami Nation of Indiana in a positive, culturally sensitive, and accurate manner.
- To protect the integrity of the tribal community’s culture and language by providing safe keeping of documentation and cultural items, and by guarding against misuse of cultural knowledge and language from individuals outside the community.
Members
If you are intersted in becoming a member of the Culture Committee, or any of its subcommittees, please email Jackie Williams or the MNI Tribal Office.
- Jackie Williams , Culture Director
- Allen Dunnagan, Assistant Culture Director
Archives Committee
- Pat Hrybyk, Chairman
- Christine Bowyer, Member
- John Dunnagan, Member
- Sarah Siders
- Rachelle Mongosa
Education Committee
- Penny Fouts, Chairman
- Carrissa Mongosa, Member
Language Committee
- Scott Shoemaker, Chairman
- Mary Pendergrass, Member
- Penny Fouts, Member
- Nancy Jannasch, Member
- Sarah Siders, Member
- Erin Dunnagan Oliver, Member
NAGPRA Committee
- John Dunnagan, Chairman