“For much of America, Milwaukee included, Native people are invisible. We are here and we exist,” states Mark Denning, who is an educator and community organizer of Native descent. To this day, Native people are still left out of the equation in American society. That becomes obvious when looking at the minimal amount of research studies and newspaper articles written about them. But Denning and his community refuse to let their voices be overshadowed. They are speaking up in the ways they know how—through fire ceremonies and shared offerings.

For four days and four nights, a fire burned in Milwaukee, surrounded by people of all ethnicities and backgrounds who shared their experiences with one another. The reoccurring event, called the Unity Fire MKE, was hosted at the Wgema Campus from Thursday, July 30, to Sunday, August 2, and was sponsored by an array of tribal organizations. The ritual is commonplace in Native culture, used as a way to offer support to community members and to thank the spirits for their generosity. Especially during the pandemic, it is a way of offering emotional support to those who are secluded at home, often elders. The practice ties into Native culture that values family and communal gatherings, Denning explains, rather than the broader American culture that celebrates the individual.

The ritual of the fire gathering is a way to “understand that ‘we’ perspective of community support and love and people knowing each other and looking out for each other,” says Denning. But that culture of closeness and large gatherings can be dangerous during a pandemic, he warns. “That very strength could be one of our weaknesses.” That is why the Unity Fire is even more important during these challenging times. The organizers of the event are showing their community that these healing fires can be practiced using social distancing. There are safe ways to practice their culture so that tribal members with no internet or phone service don’t have to be left out.

Fires and powwows happen regularly in tribal sovereignties, but the Unity Fire is meant to open that custom to people outside their circles. As the fire burned for days in the Concordia neighborhood, nearby residents began to notice and respectfully turn down their music. Milwaukeeans of all colors joined the gathering to share their emotions, struggles and concerns. Participants would share, and then the organizers would hold press conferences so that city leaders could hear the concerns of their residents. “When we say we want to hear from the community, we’re going four days for 24 hours,” says Denning. “That’s an entirely different mindset than the public servants that are elected into positions that are supposed to [represent] us.”

The most important part of the fire, which people should understand, is the act of listening. “It’s not just listening, it’s active listening. It’s actively engaging with the person,” says Denning. For Native voices to be heard, people outside their communities must dedicate time to listening, understanding and doing research into the ugly history that was not taught in public schools. As Denning explains, there is a heavy cost for being invisible in this country, but his community refuses to be silent. “This is our land, and we are connected to it. We are the land. We are the water, and we have something to say.”

To join the next Unity Fire during the DNC, visit facebook.com/unityfiremke or learn more about Denning’s work at markdenning.com.

Read this article on the Shepherd Express, part of the column “Hero of the Week.”