The Native Chicago Tour – in celebration of November as Native American and Indigenous Heritage Month, hosted by NEIU’s Pedroso Center – offered students the opportunity to visit the Newberry Library and the Field Museum to learn about Native American history and its lasting impact on Chicago’s legacy.
“I want them to take away the fact that Chicago is, has always been, and will always be, indigenous land and stewarded by indigenous people,” said Fawn Pochel, Pedroso Center’s program coordinator, and one of the primary organizers of the tour.
Lo Coffman, a linguistics graduate, remarked being extremely excited for the tour as it related to their thesis, which revolved around the restoration of two Native American languages.
Victoria Thompson, a marketing major and a freshman, was inspired to go on this tour because of her previous positive experience touring the National Museum of Mexican Art, an event also organized by the Pedroso Center.
“NEIU celebrates Native American and Indigenous Heritage Month because it is important to understand the deep diversity of our students as a newly formed Asian American, Native American, [and] Pacific Islander Serving Institution,” Fawn said. “ It is important that our students see themselves in the programs that we are hosting here.”
The Native Chicago Tour stopped at two locations: the Newberry Library and the Field Museum.
The Newberry Library: A Rich Repository of Indigenous History
Students explored the Edward E. Ayer Collection under the guidance of librarian Analú Lopez. The collection – one of the most comprehensive archives of Native American manuscripts, maps, and photographs – provided an immersive experience into Indigenous life before and after colonization.
Analú allowed students to physically engage with historical literature and drawings, offering a tactile understanding of how Native Americans maintained records with impressive ingenuity long before modern technology. She emphasized how these artifacts disrupt one-sided historical narratives, encouraging students to view history through an authentic lens.
The visit extended to the library’s mini-museum, where Native American artifacts, intricate maps, traditional clothing, and cultural tools were displayed. The exhibits were thoughtfully curated, blending historical depth with visual storytelling to capture the vibrancy of Native American heritage.
Field Museum: More Than Dinosaurs
The Hula Legacy exhibit at the Field Museum highlighted the collaborative efforts between curator Ryan Schuessler, a non-indigenous expert, and Lani Aloha Lee, a native Hawaiian who was raised in Chicago and a descendent of the first Polynesians who migrated to the Midwest. Their partnership demonstrated how indigenous and non-indigenous voices can come together to present history authentically.
Another point of interest was the Sarowitz Family Hall. Interactive displays of languages, traditions, and innovations, gave visitors a glimpse into the lives of indigenous communities before and after European contact.
Reflections
The tour not only deepened students’ knowledge but also gave them a new perspective to think about history in new, meaningful ways.
Another attendee, Sophia Ruiz, a communications major and a sophomore with a passion for activism, saw the tour as an opportunity to fuel her investigative journalism goals.
Coffman said, “This is the kind of relationship I try to develop in my work within indigenous communities as a non-indigenous person … I thoroughly enjoyed hearing both Lani [and] Ryan’s banter about their experiences together uncovering history/artifacts/kin as they developed the exhibit,” continuing that “This kind of relationship should serve as a model for non-indigenous museum curators creating exhibitions that display indigenous cultures across the world.”
Of course, the extensiveness of the tour – which spanned over 4 hours – can hardly be captured in one article. Instead, the Independent put together a photo collection in an attempt to more accurately highlight the experiences and exhibits of the tour.
