Ancient Voices, Modern Ears: Effigy Mounds and the Social Reproduction of Landscape Narratives on the UW-Madison Campus

Abstract

Effigy mounds have a very long history on the University of Wisconsin - Madison campus. The record of Native American influence spans from 19th century traditions to contemporary buildings and events that take place today. However, the cultural heritage surrounding these mounds currently garners a low level of awareness among campus community members. Recent efforts to foster an attachment for these sites amongst the student body are promising, but have not matured enough to fully understand their effectiveness. With this in mind, a more comprehensive Cultural Resource Management Plan would be the most successful mode of increasing awareness while simultaneously respecting the presence of the effigy mounds on campus. According to subjects of this research, the University of Wisconsin ? Madison is moving in the right direction, but there is still much work to be done.