Central Wisconsin Cultural Center hosts soup and a story: The History of Skunk Hill
Located in Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin in Wood County, the Central Wisconsin Cultural Center was established in 1996 as a 501(c)(3). The centers mission States; it advocates for the arts by recognizing and fostering creative experiences through classes, exhibits, music, artist gift shop, and social gatherings as a vital element of individual and community wellbeing. The center offers free admission during business hours, and the public is encouraged to stop in for a tour or to discuss renting gallery, classroom, or meeting space. In addition, the center is available for private parties, classes and workshops.
Recently the center hosted Fred and Germaine Pidgeon for “Soup and a story”. The meal made by Germaine, included Native American frybread, and set the tone for a historic and cultural story unique to Wood County, Tah-Qua-Kik (Indian Hill), better known as Powers Bluff.
Today, Powers Bluff is maintained as a county park that features a popular tubing hill in winter. But Tah-Qua-Kik has a culturally significant history in that it has been a Native American settlement since early part of the 20th century, although there is evidence of even earlier occupation by Native Americans. Tha-Qua-Kik, saw members of the Prairie Band Potawatomi, Hoocąk (Ho-Chunk), Ojibwe (Chippewa), and Menominee tribes living together in a small settlement. By 1932, the last residents of Tah-Qua-Kik had left.
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, Tah-Qua-Kik is sacred to Fred and his wife Germaine. Fred’s great-grandfather was Chief White Pidgeon, a Hoocąk (Ho-Chunk)/ Potawatomi and prominent leader, who with his relatives, began the settlement on the hill. Chief White Pidgeon spent many years there along with his son Jim White Pidgeon, Fred’s grandfather. Fred’s father Luther was born on the hill in 1918. “That whole community up there was was made up from Natives from different tribes. Those individuals really didn't have a home or place to go to anymore, so they created their own community. There were about 70 full time residents,” said Germaine.
As time went on, some residents purchased lots on the hill, paying taxes. Eventually, not being able to keep up with those taxes, the town of Arpin, took back the land giving it to Wood County. The county then turned the land into a park.
Tah-Qua-Kik was not just a place to live for the Natives, but a place to practice their sacred medicine lodge, medicine dances, among other parts of their culture. There are also burial grounds on the hill, with some of those having been disturbed by the development of a recreational area. “We are doing these presentations on Tah-Qua-Kik to inform the public what is up there, and the need to protect Tah-Qua-Kik. We want people to learn the importance of the hill and how rich in culture it is,” Fred said.
Fred and Germaine’s’ presentation represents a sliver of over 24 years of their research that includes, but is not limited to, gathering photographs, old and more recent articles, stories passed down about the settlement, speaking with descendants of the hill, working with local governments, and assisting Dr. Jim P. Scherz, Professor Emeritus of the University of Wisconsin Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, map the culturally sensitives areas on the hill.
Fred and Germaine noted, that part of an agreement with the county is there's not going to be any more dirt bikes, ATVs, snowmobiles, or even cross-country skiers on the site that has been claimed as a Native American burial ground. “The stone building put up by the county will stay and we’d like to use that as an education center, a heritage type project. The county has agreed to take down the wood storage building and the metal pole building.
During their time working on this sacred undertaking, Fred and Germaine, for a time, were idle. Germaine explained, “We really did feel led to back away because other native people came to the forefront and began to pick up that fight, and we just laid back. We felt they didn't need to have too many different factions coming at them from too many directions. But, eventually it seemed most lost interest. We never did. Every time we've tried to lay it down and say, the trees were saved, they're not going to be cut, we've saved that land, we say we're not done yet. We have to do something that preserves that land for Natives in perpetuity to where the non-natives are not involved unless they're invited.”
Fred and Germaine stress that they are not the only ones that have rolled up their sleeves in this journey, rather it has taken countless people working with them. For lack of a better cliché, it takes a village.
Seeking guidance is important in the Native American culture, and has always played an important role on this journey. “Fred is really good at seeking out every elder that would talk to us. A big feast and gathering was held on top of the hill. During that gathering as they were drumming, the sky filled with raptor type birds, big winged Eagles, and I just thought, oh cool, this is a great photo. So, I pointed my camera upwards, afterwards, the photo came back blank. The birds, they were all spirits. There were four brave men there, and one of them named Joe, took my hands and stood with me for a while holding my hands. He closed his eyes and rocked back and forth. He said, “you're the only ones that can do this’.”
Fred said that he feels their presentation was well received, “There was no negativity there. It educates people around here. If you open your mind the rest will follow, your spirit will follow. And that way, it'll just open up other things, and maybe they will think, hey, these good people were here, and weren't ignorant. They studied the stars and trees; they harvested the plants.”
Fred and Germaine hope that their presentations will help not just bring the history and cultural significance of Tah-Qua-Kik to the public, but also garner support in creating a non-profit foundation to help create a cultural and education center. They want to produce a documentary on the full history of Tah-Qua-Kik, and Germaine is currently working on a series of books.
They stressed that the Wood County Parks and Forestry people that are in there now have been great to work with, and have shown a willingness and compassion to help protect and honor this holy and sacred site.
I am currently in the research stage for a series of articles I will write on the history of Tah-Qua-Kik.
The next Tah-Qua-Kik presentation will be held at the center on August 20th, but that date is full. The presentation requires pre-registration and costs $5. The center has added another presentation on August 22nd due to a great response. Register and reserve your seat for the 22nd by Thursday, August 15 online at www.culturalcenterarts.com/classes or call CWCC at 715-421-4598. Pay $5 when you check in. Spots are filling up quickly. Other dates being added is possible.
If interested in hosting Fred and Germaine for their Tah-Qua-Kik presentation, contact them via email at germainepdgn@gmail.com.
