Carol Ann Amour is the Director/Founder of theNest and Creative Education Associates. She is the author of four books released by national and regional publishers and the author of hundreds of articles and think pieces in local, regional, and national publications., She has been directing, performing teaching, and consulting for more than sixty years in several countries around the world.

Preserving a Legacy: Ensuring the Future of A Tribute to Survival

In the fall of 1993, A Tribute to Survival opened at the Milwaukee Public Museum, captivating visitors with its powerful centerpiece: a massive turntable featuring thirty-seven life-sized figures in a powwow grand entry. Each figure’s face was cast from life, modeled by tribal members living in Wisconsin at the time. Among them were Jennifer Forecki, Deanna Porter, Tom Kitchkume, Dona Gilane Severinson, Jo Anne Schedler, Houston Wheelock, Stacy M. Salinas-Dodge, Herman Logan, and George Amour—just to name a few.

This exhibit is more than art; it is a celebration of resilience and a powerful tool for education. Through its depiction of treaty rights, sovereignty, decolonization, indigenization, and cultural survival, A Tribute to Survival tells vital stories that resonate far beyond its gallery walls.

As the Milwaukee Public Museum prepares to move to a new, smaller site in 2027, we’ve learned that A Tribute to Survival will not be included in the new facility’s exhibits. While this decision marks the end of an era, it also opens the door to new opportunities for this meaningful display to continue inspiring and educating future generations.

The Museum has agreed to partner with us on two exciting initiatives:

1. A Documentary Project – We will create a film chronicling the making of A Tribute to Survival, honoring the people, stories, and cultural significance behind the exhibit.
2. Finding a New Home – We have been granted the opportunity to help locate a new home—or homes—for the powwow figures and other elements of the exhibit.

The stories embedded in A Tribute to Survival are far too important to be lost. By working together, we can ensure this powerful tribute to Indigenous resilience and culture lives on, continuing to educate and inspire for years to come.

Let’s honor the past by building a future where these stories are not just remembered, but celebrated.