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Allan Weener on Sturgeon Restoration

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Materials used during an oral interview conducted by Lisa Martin, research assistant for the Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish Band of Pottawatomi Indians Gun Lake Tribe about Mr. Weener's role in efforts to restore the Kalamazoo River Sturgeon. The interview was recorded by Shannon Martin, tribal elder, and edited by the Band's tech department. The interview was conducted on Sep 29, 2023 in the SDHC archives room. A digital copy of interview to be delivered to the SDHC Archives on an unspecified date the future. In addition to the oral interview, this entry includes "Gdenwéngenanëk Yajdanawa (Our Relatives Tell It) A Guide to Oral History Interviews," a sample recording permission release form, a print out of presentation slides about the "Archivist in a Backpack" program, a flyer about the Tribal Historic Preservation Office (THPO) and Lisa Martin's business card.
Oral interview instructions, program presentation, Lisa Martin business card, release form and THPO information
Overview map of the affected areas of Talmadge Creek, Kalamazoo River and Morrow Lake; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kalamazoo_River_oil_spill#/media/File:Overview_Map_(4887995429).jpg

2023.45.01

Allan J. Weener, pronounced "Way-ner", talks about the founding, along with Suzanne Dixon, of the non-profit advocacy group Sturgeon for Tomorrow, Kalamazoo chapter, sometime between 2006 and 2009. A childhood interest in sturgeon evolved into assisting Sea Grant capture sturgeon eggs in the Grand Haven and the DNR survey for sturgeon in Lake Kalamazoo. According to Weener, "it was known" that young sturgeon swam among the piers at Tower Marine. With funding from Enbridge Energy, after the devastating July, 2010 Enbridge oil spill near Marshall Michigan, the organization received corporate funding, in addition to existing support from local businesses like the Crane family (Crane's Pie Pantry), Chris Ferris, Mike Bild, Bruce Cutean and the Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish Band of Pottawatomi Indians Gun Lake Tribe.

0001 Anishinabek/Ojibwe/Odawa/BodéwadmiNature, ecology, the landscape

Winthers, Sally

Files Accession Number

Martin, LisaWeener, Alan Jay "Al" 1951-Sturgeon for Tomorrow, Kalamazoo River chapter

Kalamazoo River

09/30/2023

10/05/2024