July 3, 2026
Office of Governor Tony Evers
STOCKBRIDGE-MUNSEE RESERVATION — This week the Stockbridge-Munsee Community Band of Mohican Indians President Shannon Holsey along with Governor Tony Evers and Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) Secretary Kristina Boardman celebrated the newest set of dual-language highway signs unveiled for placement on state highways as part of WisDOT’s Dual-Language Sign Program.
The unveiling, which took place at the North Star Mohican Casino Resort, marks the 11th and final federally recognized Tribe in Wisconsin to participate in the Dual-Language Sign Program, which was established and launched by Gov. Evers and the Evers Administration in 2021 as part of broader efforts to bolster Tribal sovereignty and language preservation statewide. The Ho-Chunk Nation, which has land in and around Vernon County, received its signs in 2025.
The new signs identify the Stockbridge-Munsee community, three different lakes, and the Red River crossing in both the Mohican and Munsee and English languages.
“These dual-language signs are more than markers on a roadway—they tell a story of our people,” said Stockbridge-Munsee Community Band of Mohican Indians President Holsey. “Though we were displaced from our original homelands, we have always carried our language, our culture, and our identity with us. Today, these signs reflect both where we come from and the place we now call home, honoring our continued presence here as we celebrate our journey, our resilience, and the pride we carry in our culture and languages.”
“Every dual-language sign we’ve installed is a shared decision, built through collaboration, consultation, and mutual appreciation and respect,” said Gov. Evers. “Since Day One, my administration and I have remained committed to supporting efforts like this that promote Tribal sovereignty and language preservation for Tribal citizens and communities across our state. These lands have been home to Native Peoples and Nations since time immemorial, generations of whom have made an immeasurable impact on the state of Wisconsin as we now know and love it—and, today, our road signs reflect that basic fact and help tell that important story.”
The Stockbridge-Munsee Community Band of Mohican Indians is the 11th and final federally recognized Tribe in Wisconsin to install dual-language signs, along with the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, Forest County Potawatomi Community, Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin, Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians, Ho-Chunk Nation, Oneida Nation, Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, St. Croix Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin, and the Sokaogon Chippewa Community, Mole Lake Band of Lake Superior Chippewa.
“Transportation connects people to places, and these new signs help connect Wisconsinites and visitors alike to the history and cultural identity of the Stockbridge-Munsee Community,” said WisDOT Secretary Boardman. “Through our dual-language sign program, we’re proud to partner with Tribal leaders to recognize and celebrate this important part of Wisconsin’s history. These dual-language signs do more than guide travelers—they help tell the story of the people who have called this land home for generations and strengthen public awareness of Wisconsin’s rich Indigenous heritage.”
The new dual-language signs feature the Stockbridge-Munsee seal next to the Tribal name. The translation is in both Mohican and Munsee, “Wãapana’keyak Weetkãandowãakan” (Mohican) and “Waapanahkiiwak Wiitahkaaltuwaakan” (Munsee). The English translation is “People of the dawn lands. A Living-Together-as-Neighbors.” The Tribe also received dual-language signs for Big Lake, Beaulieu Lake, Big Turtle Lake, and the Red River.
In addition to the Dual-Language Sign Program, the 2025-27 Biennial Budget, passed in July, ensures that all 11 federally recognized Tribes will receive $1 million each year for the next two years to help support Tribal programs and language revitalization efforts.
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