Last week I wrote about a series of case studies on small arts and cultural organizations creating community advisory groups referenced in an Arts Midwest newsletter.

Another set of stories referenced in the Arts Midwest newsletter was about a 2024 pilot grant program they had started to support 10 Midwest media groups’ capacity to tell stories of arts and culture.

One of the groups expanded arts coverage to rural Ohio counties they hadn’t reported from before. Another explored Lucha Libre’s role in helping collect the stories of Mexican immigrants in Iowa. Another series covered non-traditional and living maps in the Midwest. There were some quirky, but interesting and inventive topics covered. If you are intrigued, visit the project page.

The story project that really drew me in was Buffalo’s Fire reporting on dentalium shells. The shells are tusk shaped and were highly prized by a broad range of American Indian tribes in the Midwest. Since the shells were found on the shores of the Pacific Northwest, there was a robust trade that occurred. However, pandemics, armed conflict, and displacement broke up the trade routes.

The interesting twist on the story is that currently the trade is Indian to Indian–as in the sub-continent of India to American Indians. Fisherman in India are supplying the shell to American Indians. Buffalo’s Fire went to India and made a video interviewing some of these fisherman.

There are a half dozen stories and a few audio interviews discussing the traditional and current use of the shells, where to buy them, the history of the trade, the biology of the shells, etc.

One of the stories mentioned that the supply from the Pacific Northwest is limited today. I was wondering why the supply couldn’t be re-established domestically. I wasn’t clear if that was due to it not being economically worthwhile to harvest or perhaps something related to change of climate and habitat.

Clearly, that interesting connection between Indians and the misnamed indigenous people of North America piqued my interest in exploring deeper and Buffalo’s Fire provided a good range of content.