The Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin has a deep respect for cultural traditions and strives to ensure they continue for future generations.
Candace Leaman embodies that reverence for cultural traditions.
As a tribal member, Leaman is dedicated to ensuring that current and future generations are able to create their own traditional Menominee regalia. She holds a regalia circle from noon to 9 p.m. almost every Saturday at the Woodland HeART Building, W6724 Shawpokasic St., Neopit.
Regalia is the clothing worn by tribe members for special occasions, especially for powwows, and is a significant part of the Menominee culture. Leaman has helped others to make regalia for 11 years.
“I teach everybody to make regalia. I teach them how to do it all,” she said.
Leaman said that the main thing is to inspire people to get back into their culture. She feels that can happen for the people coming to the regalia circles.
Lisa Lyons has joined Leaman in helping people with their sewing and designs for the past nine or 10 years.
“She’s great; she helps out a lot,” said Leaman.
Both Leaman and Lyons help people as they come to learn, get help, get questions answered and look for inspiration for what regalia they want to create.
The building is also open for quillwork, painting, beadwork, moccasin making and leather crafts.
People come to learn how to make regalia for themselves, children, other family members and friends.
The classes are free; all materials are provided, and all ages are welcome.
Leaman said she can help construct and sew men’s shirts, and then decorate them with traditional tribal designs. Participants may also bring in ready-made shirts, which can then be decorated.
Skirts and dresses for women can be completely made at the regalia circles.
“I’m not a seamstress. I’m self-taught,” Leaman said. “I just am able to look at something, and I can make it.”
People of all sewing and crafting abilities come to the regalia circles.
“We have newcomers, and they learn how to sew,” Leaman said. “After they get really good, a lot of them buy their own sewing machines and do it at home. They can make a lot of things then, because they first learned here.”
Leaman explained that someone might bring a piece that they are making at home and are having trouble with, that it just isn’t working out. She helps them do whatever is necessary to get the piece just right, even though it wasn’t something that they started at the circle with materials provided there.
“I have four boys, and we would travel to powwows,” she said. “I made all of their regalia.”
Leaman lived in Green Bay for 23 years when her husband was a peace officer there, she said. During that time, she still traveled back to the Menominee Reservation to run the regalia circle.
Floral designs are inherent to the Menominee culture but are also seen in Lac du Flambeau Chippewa Tribe regalia.
“It’s a pattern used in this general area,” Leaman said. “You see different colors and different designs here. It’s just everybody is a little different now, and they try to razz it up a lot better.”
Sandy Firgens came to a recent circle. She wanted to make a ribbon skirt for ceremonial gatherings, powwows, dances and other opportunities where she might want to get a little dressed up.
People gather for certain things, like the sturgeon feast, she said.
“I’ve made things before, but I’m kind of out of practice,” Firgens said.
She found a piece of material in the circle’s stock to make a ribbon skirt. Lyons helped her to prepare the material to start the project.
“My real name is Red Sky Woman, so I want to use a lot of red,” Firgens said, as she showed the ribbons she had chosen for the skirt.
“Everything you need to make something is available here,” said Lyons, “even the sewing machines.”
Patricia Post came for help making a felt book for her 4-year-old nephew, even though the project wasn’t a cultural theme.
“I don’t sew; I don’t know how to use a machine,” she said. “I want to learn that.”
She said that she was just there to learn some basics.
Adrian “Silas” Stauber started dancing about two years ago, and that’s when he started to make his own regalia. He recently decorated a new shirt and aprons that featured his bear clan insignia. Stauber was chosen to be the lead male dancer at the second annual social powwow held April 11 at Shawano Community High School.
He crafted a number of things for his regalia with materials and help at the circle before the powwow.
“It’s very nice to come here with everyone else doing the same thing,” Stauber said.
Leaman is focused on helping the people who come to the regalia circles, whether they are new or experienced. She wants people to be able to complete projects without a lot of help.
“People will ask me, ‘What do you think about this?’ and I’ll say, ‘What do you think about it?’” Leaman said. “I want their creativity to come out, not mine.”
Candace Leaman, left, with Denae Sanapaw looking on, straightens out a piece of fabric that Sanapaw chose to use for a traditional Menominee jingle skirt. Leaman started a class, the Regalia Circle, about 11 years ago to help people learn how to make traditional Menominee Tribe of Wisconsin regalia. (Lynn Zaffrann)
