Pre-European Land and Water Use in the Brady Street Neighborhood, Told from the Perspective of an American Indian Community Leader

College of the Arts & Architecture, Film, Video, Animation, & New Genres, Kafer, Sean, Mentor, Peck School of the Arts, Poster Presentation, Raje, Rhea, School and College, Student

Rhea Raje, “Pre-European Land and Water Use in the Brady Street Neighborhood, Told from the Perspective of an American Indian Community Leader”
Mentor: Sean Kafer, Film, Video, Animation, & New Genres
Oral Presentation Union E220 9:30am

The project I am working on is the Brady Street documentary, through doc|UWM. The central purpose of my research abstract is the effect of white settlers coming into the Milwaukee area, at a time when the land was occupied by American Indian tribes. The tribes that utilized the land had a sacred relationship to the rivers (Milwaukee, Kinnickinnic, and Menominee). The geography of the Milwaukee landscape created a meeting place for the Indigenous Americans. For my research, I interviewed Marin Denning, an Oneida nation community leader, educator, and historian. Mr. Denning talked about the tribes that utilized the land prior to European settlement. This research is necessary because we are making a documentary about a neighborhood, and it is important to know the history of the land we are documenting. The rivers converging made Milwaukee an ideal spot for trade, and brought the tribes here. The primary form of research conducted was the interview of Mr. Denning, along with study of historical websites that talk about indigenous American history. My research led me to find out the different ways in which American Indian tribes utilized the rivers, and certain traditions that are still alive and well today, which have an impact on the neighborhood we are documenting. Mr. Denning talked about how the tribes arrived in Milwaukee, and what the Brady Street neighborhood was like prior to European settlement. I believe this is significant because we are standing on indigenous land, and it is essential for us to know the history behind it. It is important for us as filmmakers to document a holistic representation of the Brady Street Neighborhood. We want to show respect for the indigenous people that occupied the land, and it is meaningful to us that their story has a place in our documentary.