Join us for an extraordinary journey guided by Mark Denning, an enrolled member of Oneida Nation of Wisconsin and UW-Milwaukee Adjunct Lecturer, as he shares captivating Indigenous stories about our big and small paw relatives.

There is a world of nature all around us, and we don’t often see it. This is especially true for our urban areas. The truth is we do see it, we just don’t recognize it or have a chance for a hands-on experience in the classroom. This program is about getting familiar and interacting with Wisconsin’s fur bearing mammals and the Indigenous perspectives that will help shape their understanding. We are a part of the world with our animal relatives, and sometimes we need to be their voice. First, we have to learn where we come from, our understanding before we can understand something or someone else and that take experience, lessons and work to interpret. European stories of animals are far different than the Indigenous understandings of our relatives. This program brings in the animals most will see only in books or on screens. If animals are around most move at night when we are asleep. Examples of our big and small paw relatives will be on hand so we can touch the fur, get a sense of their shape, size and characteristics. You will get a chance to hear Indigenous stories about a few of the stars of the program. The main stars are usually the mouse, rabbit, bear and wolf.

Register through the Kaukauna Public Library. Free Family Event