As part of celebrations marking the nation’s Semiquincentennial, the Mount Prospect Public Library and the Mount Prospect Historical Society will jointly welcome Gerald Savage, an elder of the Ho-Chunk Nation, to the Library’s meeting room at 10 S. Emerson St. at 7 p.m. Thursday, June 11.
Savage will present his program, “A Brief Reintroduction of Native Americans into Illinois,” exploring Ho-Chunk history, traditions, and contemporary Native experiences in Illinois. The presentation will address the Ho-Chunk Nation’s forced relocation from Illinois, treaties, residential schools, the Native American Religious Freedom Act, and the lasting impact of these events on Native communities. Savage will also discuss tribal customs, traditional regalia, and the history of Ho-Chunk settlements in Illinois, including his family’s relocation to the Starved Rock area.
An Illinois Humanities Road Scholar and Professor Emeritus at Illinois State University, Savage is a Bear Clan Chief whose traditional Ho-Chunk name is Ho-Chunk Ska Ga (White Winnebago). He learned about Ho-Chunk culture and traditions from his grandparents, Chief Walks with the Wind (Sam Sine) and Stands on a Cloud (Ruth Sine), whose teachings inspired his commitment to educating others about Native history and culture in Illinois.
This program is generously sponsored by Van Driel’s Medical Specialties, 720 E. Northwest Highway, Mount Prospect.
