A SENATE RESOLUTION recognizing the various groups working to protect the Waapaahsiki Siipiiwi Indian Mound in Sullivan County, Indiana.

     , read first time and referred to Committee on

     MADAM PRESIDENT:

    I offer the following resolution and move its adoption:

    A SENATE RESOLUTION recognizing the various groups working to protect the Waapaahsiki Siipiiwi Indian Mound in Sullivan County, Indiana.

     Whereas, An Indiana University class, Reg Petoskey, and the Sullivan County American Indian Council (SCAIC) are working to help protect an Indian Mound and develop it for educational purposes. Reg Petoskey is the council's founding president;

    Whereas, The SCAIC has named the mound Waapaahsiki Siipiiwi, which is the Miami Native American word for the Wabash River. SCAIC is a nonprofit organization whose purpose is to promote awareness of Native American traditions in Sullivan County and the surrounding areas. Waapaahsiki Siipiiwi is on private land owned by the Indiana Michigan Power Company;

    Whereas, SCAIC worked to develop a lease on the property, allowing the council to move forward with its plans to protect the area;

    Whereas, Sonya Atalay of Indiana University has developed a service learning class to teach graduate students to do research in partnership with local Native American communities. The partnership plans to develop an educational walking trail that describes the cultural and historic importance of the mound; conduct an archaeological survey and map the mound to determine its age and how the mounds were used; record and share oral histories and memories about the site from those who have lived in Sullivan County; and work with local K-12 teachers to incorporate local archaeology and Native American history in the classroom;

    Whereas, IU students will work with SCAIC to research the mound's history. The students will gather archaeological data and information from oral histories, memories, and stories from local Native Americans. The Waapaahsiki Siipiiwi will serve as a place for Native American ceremonies that will bring large numbers of people to the area and could also serve as a field trip destination to teach students about Native American history; and

    Whereas, Another component of the project involves compiling a list of resources related to the long-term history of Native Americans in Indiana that will be available to anyone with interest in the site. The site will provide information on Native American cultures of Indiana in both the past and the present: Therefore,

    SECTION 1. The Indiana Senate recognizes the various groups

working to protect the Waapaahsiki Siipiiwi Indian Mound in Sullivan County, Indiana.
    SECTION 2. The Secretary of the Senate is hereby directed to transmit a copy of this Resolution to the Sullivan County American Indian Council and Robert Carter, Indiana Department of Natural Resources Director.