The University of Wisconsin-Madison hosted a campus celebration on Bascom Hill Tuesday to view new Ho-Chunk-themed banners commissioned as part of UW–Madison’s 175th anniversary.
The banners — three panels, each about 7 feet by 16 feet — will hang from the front of Bascom Hall through the month of November, according to the university, which is celebrated as Native November on the UW–Madison campus. The title of the piece is “Seed by Seed.” The banners will return during the spring semester as part of a regular rotation of themed banners on Bascom Hall.
Speakers at the event included Ho–Chunk Nation President Jon Greendeer; JoAnn Jones a retired judge from the Ho-Chunk Nation and UW–Madison alum; UW–Madison Chancellor Jennifer L. Mnookin; and doctoral student Molli Pauliot, one of the banner artists.
“What you see here behind you is more than just a mural, more than just banners,” Greendeer said at the ceremony. “It speaks volumes to our history, our clan system, our culture. Today is a mark of beauty for our people.