Awarded the 2017 Michigan State University Distinguished Partnership Award for Community-Engaged Creative Activities, Indigistory is a collaborative partnership with several community organizations. Indigistory began in 2012 through the efforts of Drs. Gordon Henry and Ellen Cushman.

Indigistory brings together knowledge and resources from social sciences, arts and technology to support the creation of digital stories by American Indian community members across Michigan. With help from a CIEG Grant through the Office of Institutional Diversity and Inclusion, we were able to restart Indigistory for community members in the Mt. Pleasant area, with the goal of creating an archive of these recordings for future generations to come.

We hope to continue this project on campus in 2025-2026 with plans to expand to other Native communities across the state of Michigan.

View video stories by American Indian community members:

A Dark Crow
by Gilbert Williams
Video tells the short story of how the crow came to be.

My Story
by Carole Tally
Elder Carole Tally shares stories of community, family, and growing up Native in the Saginaw area.

Akinomaage, "The Earth is our Teacher"
by Michael McCreery
Speaking to how the earth is a teacher and the importance of embracing the beauty of nature around us.

The Princess Nobi Story
by Leah Denhof
Heartbreaking memorial to the loss of a granddaughter.

Alanna
by Glenna Halliwell
Gut wrenching tribute to the life of the videographer’s niece who was taken from the community too soon.

Who Will be our Next Indigenous Educator?
by Judy Pamp
An overview of the videographer’s life growing up surrounded by family and her journey to becoming a Native educator/teacher.

Travels from White Earth, A Grandmother's Story
by Wilma Henry
Beautiful and touching story of a grandmother’s life and her family as they moved across the globe and eventually into the Saginaw Chippewa Tribe.

Working Together “Maamwi Naakiiying”
by Joseph Sowmick
Tribal leader Joseph Sowmick shares his perspective on the importance of collaboration, partnership, and working together to achieve goals.