Tribe to unveil dual-language highway signs that spotlight Ojibwe language, culture

By Joe Morey

News Editor

The Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) has launched a program that is quietly transforming roadside signage across Tribal lands: bilingual road signs, in which Indigenous languages appear prominently alongside English. The initiative, formally known as the Dual Language Signing Program, was developed in collaboration with the Inter-Tribal Task Force and Tribal Historic Preservation Officers, and reflects a growing commitment to language revitalization, education of the traveling public, and the affirmation of Tribal sovereignty.

At the heart of the program is a simple but powerful idea: highways and signs are public spaces. Having the Ojibwe language appear on major routes that traverse the reservation not only welcomes visitors, it declares the enduring presence of the language and culture.

The program states its aims clearly: “support and strengthen the sovereignty of each Wisconsin Tribe … provide visibility for language revitalization … educate travelers about historic place-names and cultural significance.”

The first rollout of the dual-language signage occurred in November 2021, when the Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa became the inaugural Tribe to participate. Since then, several other Tribes have adopted the signs: the Oneida Nation (2022), the Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin (2022), the St. Croix Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin (2023), the Sokaogon Chippewa Community (Mole Lake, 2023), the Forest County Potawatomi Community (2023) and most recently the Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians (2025) and the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa (2025).

Now the Lac Courte Oreilles Tribe is preparing to join this group.

LCO Secretary-Treasurer Michelle Beaudin said, “The dual-language signs being installed along our State Highways, at boundaries and tributaries, are a meaningful step forward. It’s so important to see our language represented in public spaces; it helps keep our language alive and encourages more people to learn it. I believe we can build on this momentum by expanding dual-language signage throughout all our communities across the reservation. This would be a powerful initiative to strengthen cultural identity and language preservation.”

Vice-Chairman Bill Trepanier added that the signs are currently being reviewed by renowned Ojibwe language speakers to ensure accuracy in spelling and orthography. He said the Tribe plans a special unveiling ceremony when the signs are installed.

“When people drive into our lands and see the language of our ancestors on the road signs, it’s more than a translation, it’s recognition,” Trepanier said. “It sends the message that this is our place, our language, our story. We’re marking this ground not just for today, but for the next generation. The ceremony we’re planning will honour that legacy, bring our community together, and say to the world that Ojibwe is alive here.”

From the state’s standpoint, the program leverages a routine infrastructure mechanism, highway signage and replacement cycles, to achieve cultural and educational goals. If the signs are installed as part of a scheduled WisDOT corridor rehabilitation project, the Tribe bears no cost; afterward, WisDOT takes on maintenance under standard cycles.

According to WisDOT, “It’s a cost-effective way to elevate Indigenous languages and integrate them into everyday landscapes, where they are seen by locals, visitors, and passers-by.”

For the Tribe and community members, the visible presence of Ojibwe in the physical environment helps in several ways:

Language visibility: Seeing Ojibwe words in public space reinforces that the language belongs, it’s valued, and it’s part of daily life.

Cultural identity and sovereignty: The signs are a tangible marker of tribal presence, jurisdiction, and partnership.

Education and engagement: Roadside signage becomes a prompt for questions, curiosity, and intergenerational conversation. As Secretary-Treasurer Beaudin noted, it “encourages more people to learn the language.”

Momentum for broader change: With the initial installations in place, the Tribe and community leaders can advocate for further signage, perhaps at local roads, community centers, school zones, or neighborhood entrances, further embedding language across the reservation.

Now that LCO is set to deploy its bilingual signage, the next key steps include: final design approval (including language check-throughs), fabrication and installation logistics with WisDOT, community communication and involvement, and a public ceremony to mark the unveiling.