The little traverse BAY bands of odawa indians will enhance the preservation of their traditional land-based practices and strengthen community engagement

The Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians received a $150,000 Project Grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) under the Native American and Native Hawaiian Library Services program (CFDA 45.311), effective October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2027. This award supports the tribe's efforts to preserve traditional land-based practices and strengthen community engagement by documenting and teaching artforms significant to Odawa history and culture. The project emphasizes youth outreach and hands-on learning in identifying, harvesting, and processing natural materials to create traditional items.

The primary deliverables include seasonal community craft circles hosted by project leads, training programs for youth and community members in traditional practices, and documentation and digitization of traditional knowledge and language. By making cultural and linguistic resources accessible through digital formats, the project removes barriers related to location, scheduling, and other constraints, ensuring all tribal citizens can access and preserve Odawa heritage. This initiative aligns with the Enhancement Grants component of the IMLS program, which prioritizes cultural and language revitalization through community-based educational programming and digital preservation.

The project will focus on artforms that are significant to the life and history of the little traverse BAY bands of odawa indians, utilizing community input to identify areas of focus. With an emphasis on outreach to youth, project participants will learn to identify and harvest natural materials and create traditional items. Project leads will also plan and host seasonal community craft circles, with an ultimate goal of preserving language and cultural knowledge. Documentation and digitization will make the traditional knowledge and language accessible for all tribal citizens regardless of location, scheduling, and other barriers.