Michigan Traditional Arts Program

10/08/2026

Bring Them Home, a Tribal panel at the MSU Museum on Friday, Oct. 16, brings together Tribal members to discuss NAGPRA, repatriation and collections across campus. Three panelists will speak from 2:15 to 4:15 p.m. in the Commons. No registration required, and all are welcome. The Department of Anthropology is a program partner.

That evening, the Broad Art Museum screens Aanikoobijigan [ancestor/great-grandparent/great-grandchild] at 7 p.m. in Wells Hall B122, with directors Adam and Zack Khalil. Free, with registration.

Panel: https://museum.msu.edu/events/bringing-them-home-a-tribal-panel-on-nagpra-repatriation-and-collections-across-campus/

Film: https://broadmuseum.msu.edu/events/broad-underground-aanikoobijigan-ancestor-great-grandparent-great-grandchild/

10/07/2026

The porcupine quill art exhibition has been extended. Instead of closing Nov. 27, it can be seen at the MSU Museum through January 30, 2027.

10/01/2026

The Michigan Traditional Arts Program, the MSU Museum, and Zibiiwing Center for Anishinabe Culture & Lifeways led the multi-year project documenting and presenting contemporary porcupine quill art. Monica Raphael's talk shed even more light on this unique art and its connections fo Anishinabe culture.

09/24/2026

This year's National Heritage Fellowship celebration from the National Endowment for the Arts is just around the corner. You an livestream the ceremony on their website, as well as the wonderful documentary short features produced annually about each awardee.

Congratulations to this year's honorees!

09/21/2026

Thanks to everyone who came out and made the canoe build with inaugural MSU Native American Institute Indigenous Artist in Residence Ron Paquin and his team a rousing success! We loved spending time together and were heartened by the show of community and interest in this traditional art form and in the skills of those who carry this knowledge forward.

09/21/2026

The canoe build is underway! Students, families, and community members are joining MSU's inaugural Native American Artist-in-Residence, Ron Paquin, to create a traditional birchbark canoe while learning about and sharing Indigenous traditions, knowledge and craftsmanship. Learn more in the MSUToday story and explore recent media coverage below.

MSU American Indian and Indigenous Studies
MSU Department of Forestry
MSU Office for Inclusive Excellence and Impact
MSU College of Arts and Letters
Michigan State University Extension
Michigan State University Museum
News 10 Lansing

MSU’s Indigenous Welcome Celebration brings the community together and introduces Ojibwa canoe builder Ron Paquin as its inaugural artist-in-residence.

09/17/2026

Day one building the wiigwaas jiimaan (birch bark canoe) with inaugural MSU Indigenous Artist-in-Residence Ron Paquin and his apprentices and helpers Adam Avery, Josh Homminga, Rob Rudd, and Ruben Blackcloud was wonderful! Special thanks to Ron’s business manager and wife Molly for all she does too. We enjoyed visits from Dr. Eric Aronoff’s RCAH at MSU 235 Language and Culture course, as well as Ellie Mitchell’s MSU College of Arts and Letters Anishinaabemowin language course. It’s amazing how rolls of birch bark and spools of spruce roots quickly become a recognizable canoe shape when many work together with a strong team of knowledgeable leaders.

Don’t miss out on the fun! We’ll be here outside the MSU Multicultural Center under the overhang Friday and Saturday 10-4, and Sunday 10-2. Co-hosted by MSU Native American Institute.

09/17/2026

We had a great time welcoming Native students, faculty, and staff back to MSU’s campus last night. MTAP Associate Director Micah Ling helped welcome the inaugural MSU Indigenous Artist-in-Residence Ron Paquin and his apprentices Josh Homminga and Adam Avery to campus for their birch ark canoe build.

Stop by this week, outside the Multicultural Center east entrance, between 10-4 to join in the build!

09/15/2026

Thanks to Michigan State University Today for sharing this feature. Don't miss this week's wiigwaas jiimaan / birch bark canoe build with MTAP artist and master canoe builder Ron Paquin and apprentices Adam Avery and Josh Homminga.

We will see you outside the MSU Multicultural Center Thursday-Sunday, starting at 10am! All are welcome to help this 14-foot canoe come together.

MSU’s Indigenous Welcome Celebration brings the community together and introduces Ojibwa canoe builder Ron Paquin as its inaugural artist-in-residence.

08/31/2026

We are so excited to be partnering with the Native American Institute at MSU to bring master Anishinaabe birch bark canoe builder Ron Paquin and apprentices Josh Homminga (From Log to Basket) and Adam Avery (Niishode_TwoHearts) to campus this fall for a canoe build!

Join us for the welcome event on Sept. 16, or just drop by the build Sept. 17-20 between 10-4pm each day outside the MSU Multicultural Center to lend your hands to this good work.

This build is made possible by a Supporting Indigenous Arts Mastery (SIAM) grant from the House of Welcome-Evergreen Longhouse.