In an oral history teaching, a Menominee elder, Napos, explains the concept of the Medicine Wheel. The Wheel is a circle with four quadrants and four spokes. “Four is a sacred number to the Menominee people,” says Napos. The spokes represent key concepts such as the four directions; the four aspects of people—spiritual, emotional, physical and mental; and the four medicines—sweet grass, cedar, tobacco and sage. The Wheel is a common teaching tool to explain the circle of life. It exists in some form across many indigenous cultures, including the Menominee and Ho-Chunk nations, who were the original inhabitants of the land which UW-Green Bay now occupies.
In architectural renderings for UW-Green Bay’s upcoming outdoor learning classroom, the influence of the Medicine Wheel is apparent. The circular, covered structure will feature four gravel paths leading to a central fire ring, encircled by medicinal plants and garden plots. Donors to the University’s First Nations Studies (FNS) program have successfully funded the construction of this educational space, the first of its kind in the state, which will be built outside the planned Cofrin Technology and Education Center (CTEC). It was designed with input from FNS faculty and elders to be a place of learning, host cultural events and showcase First Nations culture, programs and environmental practices such as land caretaking and gardening.
Dr. Lisa Poupart, Chair of FNS, has had a vision for UW-Green Bay’s indigenous education program since she joined the faculty 27 years ago. “Part of that vision has always included physical spaces, where all people—not just indigenous people—come together to share in and learn and interact in indigenous ways of being and doing, teaching and learning,” she said.
Outdoor learning has noted benefits for student mental health and fits into the indigenous worldview of unity with nature. “It’s going to provide us so many more ways of connecting to the natural world in an educational setting versus sitting in a linear room at desks that can’t be moved or tables that are bolted down,” said Poupart. The space will seat 48, enough to accommodate both classes and community events.
The project has garnered support from local individuals and organizations such as the Green Bay Packers, Delaware North, the 1923 Fund, Marcia Mueller and the Wochinske Family Foundation. “We did not go to the tribes to ask for support. We really wanted to garner support to show that this is of interest to the greater community. People want to be part of this outdoor learning space,” said Dr. Susan Gallagher-Lepak, the dean of the College of Health, Education & Social Welfare.
Though it will be a new construction, Poupart thinks of the outdoor classroom as a return, a renewed commitment to giving space for indigenous learning. “Going forward, this will be a place for indigenous people to come and learn and engage with one another, as we always have for thousands of years. The return to that, I think, is profound,” said Poupart.