Madison is Ho-Chunk Ancestral Land
Madison Wisconsin is situated on the ancestral lands of the Ho-Chunk (Winnebago) People. The Ho-Chunk describe themselves as the Hochungra, which translates to “People of the Sacred Language.” The chronicle of displacement and seizing of Ho-Chunk land by the U.S. and Wisconsin governments is long, complex and tragic. Correspondingly, their history of persistence and survival is extraordinary. To learn more about the Ho-Chunk, the book “Indigenous Nations of Wisconsin” by Patty Loew is a good resource. Information on Quaker work to be allies with Native Americans can be found on the Towards Right Relationship website.