Dual-language signs coming to Stockbridge-Munsee

The Stockbridge-Munsee Community Band of Mohicans were the last, but they certainly weren’t the least as they received a visit from Gov. Tony Evers on June 30 and unveiled dual-language highway signs for the reservation at a presentation at Mohican North Star Casino Resort.

The Wisconsin Department of Transportation signs show in both the Mahican and Munsee languages where people are officially entering the reservation, as well as three of the lakes and the Red River crossing. The signs will be put up in early August, according to Stockbridge-Munsee President Shannon Holsey, just in time for the tribe’s annual pow wow.

The Stockbridge-Munsee are the last of the 11 federally recognized tribes in Wisconsin to receive dual-language signs. The neighboring Menominee Nation received its signs in 2022, while the Ho-Chunk Nation, which has land in and around Wittenberg, received its signs in 2025.

“Today represents more than a ceremony,” Holsey said. “It is a moment of recognition of who we are, where we come from, and the future we are shaping together.”

The tribe depends on its language teachers and cultural affairs committee to keep its native tongues and traditions alive. By showing people what road designations are translated to in Mahican and Munsee, Holsey believes it will remind tribal members that their languages are still alive and well, despite removal from its ancestral lands and attempts by European settlers to erase Native Americans from the United States.

“These dual-language signs are not just markers along a roadway — they are expressions of our identity,” Holsey said. “They are declarations of our presence, and they are reminders of our language. The voice of our ancestors still lives, still breathes and still guides us forward.”

Holsey added that the signs also show the strong relationship it has with state government, especially under Evers’ leadership. She thanked the governor for recognizing the sovereign rights of tribal nations through programs like the dual-language signs.

“Today, our language stands visible on our homelands, where it belongs,” she said. “This moment reflects something deeper than signage. It reflects partnership. It reflects respect, and it reflects what happens when tribal nations are engaged as sovereign governments and decisions that affect our people.”

Evers echoed Holsey’s sentiments about preserving Indigenous language and culture, saying he’s proud of the state’s five-year partnership with the tribes. He noted that language programs are “vital” to preserving tribal traditions.

“This is something to celebrate,” Evers said. “Through these partnerships, we’ve promoted tribal sovereignty and language preservation. In fact, with our last state budget, I used my veto pen to make sure that all 11 federally recognized tribes in the state receives $1 million each during the biennium for tribal programs and language revitalization efforts.”

Evers noted that, since 2019 when he first became governor, the state has improved 9,600 miles of road and 2,400 bridges in Wisconsin.

“Our roads connect our communities and tell our history, and that’s why dual-language signs are so critical,” Evers said. “This increases our Native nations’ tourism, also.”

Transportation Secretary Kristina Boardman noted that improvements to the roads and bridges have improved tourism and commerce across the state, but that’s not the only purpose for upgrading infrastructure in Wisconsin.

“Transportation is more than just roads and bridges,” Boardman said. “It’s about connecting people to family, education, health care, jobs and opportunity. Now these dual-language signs can connect people to your language.”

lpulaski@newmedia-wi.com