Menominee Portrait Dedication &
Frechette Memorial

Dean Lance Grahn of the UWSP College of Letters and Science and the Menominee Clans Committee hosted a dedication and unveiling of eleven museum-quality portraits of Menominee painted in the 1830’s.  Reproductions of George Catlin’s paintings are the latest addition to the Menominee Clans Story.  Jim Frechette, Menominee artist, carved thirty Menominee clans figures that are now on permanent exhibit in the lobby of the Albertson Center for Learning Resources.  A memorial for Mr. Frechette was included in the program.

To read the speeches made at the dedication click on the links below:

The Connection Honoring and Thanking
Robert Messner
Old Uncle Role of the Menominee
Clans Committee
Saw-Whet Owl and the Origin of Menominee Medicine
 Dedication to George Catlin - Artist:
George Catlin &
the Menominee
The following speeches were made at Jim Frechette’s wake and funeral in October of 2006:
Eulogy at the Visitation for
Jim Frechette		 Eulogy for James F. Frechette

Click on the following thumbnails to view larger images:

Left to Right: Ron Skallerud, Donna Skallerud Grignon, Angel – granddaughter of Robert Grignon, Robert Grignon. Fred and Germaine Pidgeon. Fred is a descendant of Louis Pigeon (original spelling) who played the Menominee Love Songs and Lullabies on the flute for Frances Densmore in the 1920’s. Ron Skallerud and Stan Webster in front of the Menominee Clans Story Exhibit.
Rio Eilse Greendeer, youngest attendee. Menominee Clans Committee member Mike Hoffman greets Dr. Lance Grahn, Dean of the College of Letters and Sciences, UWSP at the opening ceremonies. Crowd stands in honor of the Flag Song sung by Crooked Beak Drum.
Crooked Beak Drum sings. Crooked Beak Drum. Tony Wilber, Gordon Williams, Tommy Tourtillot, Bob Bloedorn and Gabriel Wilber. Tommy Tourtillot and Bob Bloedorn, members of Crooked Beak Drum.
Dr. David R. Wrone (Ka:kuahnaew - Grass Hopper, Jumper), History Professor Emeritus, UWSP. Menominee Clans Committee and the Frechette family gift Dean Grahn with wild rice and maple sugar. Mike Hoffman (Ci:hkwa:nahkwat-Meteor Cloud Makes It Clear) sings, “The Gathering of the Clans” Song.
Click on the graphic below to hear the Gathering Song sung in Menominee.
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Ed Marks (Ahki:namae:htaw - He Leaves Traces or Marks of His Passage So Far), Curator, UWSP Museum of Natural History, accepts an award from the Menominee Clans Committee for his contribution to the Menominee Clans Story. Ed Marks explains the role of the Menominee Clans Committee. Bruce Wilber Jr. (Waubshkowajiw - White Mountain Shining) sings the Bear Clan Honor Song in memory of Jim Frechette.
Michelle LaRock (Pi:tpan - Hither Comes the Dawn) tells the story of the Saw Whet owl and Menominee Medicine. Dr. David R. Wrone Dr. David R. Wrone
Richard Frechette thanks the crowd for attending. Dean Grahn gives opening remarks. Dean Grahn presents Robert Messner, Oneida Flutist, with an award.
Robert Messner escorted by his daughter, Karen Ann Hoffman. Patrick Delabrue, reporter for the Menominee Nation News, interviews Richard Frechette. Ed Marks unveils the Menominee portraits.
The portraits are unveiled. Mike Hoffman reads portrait names in the Menominee language. The crowd after the unveiling.
  Ron Skallerud and Linda Shawno Skallerud.