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Photo gallery Students braid corn in Oneida tradition

November 15, 2022

Students were taught how to braid corn in the traditional Oneida way during an event presented by Wunk Sheek, a UW–Madison Native American student organization, and held at the Indigenous Student Center on Nov. 14. The corn was Bear Island Flint Corn originally from Leech Lake in northern Minnesota. Once the corn is picked, the husks are pulled back to reveal the kernels. The husks are then braided to form a rope of corn where the cobs are hung to dry. The corn can be boiled, or milled into flour, in various dishes. The event was part of UW–Madison’s Native November programming.

A man holds up corn cobs and braids him together as other people sit in a circle around him, watching.

Dan Cornelius, outreach specialist at the Great Lakes Indigenous Law Center, shows how to husk and braid Oneida white corn. Photo by: Bryce Richter

Students gather to practice husking and braiding the Bear Island Flint Corn, named after the island in Canada where it originated.

Students gather to practice husking and braiding the Bear Island Flint Corn, named after the island in Canada where it originated. Photo by: Bryce Richter

Several students stand around a table, braiding white corn.

Students, including Kira Adkins (right), practice husking and braiding. Photo by: Bryce Richter

A close-up of braided corn.

Once its dried on the braids, the corn can be milled into flour or boiled into various dishes. Photo by: Bryce Richter

Someone's hands braid corn.

Students practice husking and braiding Oneida white corn. Photo by: Bryce Richter

A woman holds a group of corn cobs all braided together.

Student Angel Calderon takes a shot at husking and braiding the corn. Photo by: Bryce Richter

A woman holds up a phone to take a photo of her with her corn braid.

Student Sagen Lily Quale, environmental chair of Wunk Sheek, takes a selfie portrait with an Oneida white corn braid. Photo by: Bryce Richter

Two women laugh and talk as they braid corn, with a pile of corn cobs in the foreground.

Students Sagen Lily Quale (left), the environmental chair of Wunk Sheek, and Kira Adkins (right) practice husking and braiding the corn. Photo by: Bryce Richter

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