It’s been about two weeks since the Bay Mills Indian Community Cultural Center suffered thousands of dollars in damage, from vandals who haven’t been caught yet.
The center is still closed to the public but the Bay Mills community has already begun to put things back together.
Whitney Gravelle, president of the Bay Mills Indian Community executive council, said after the damage was found, people showed up with buckets and mops.
“We don't know who did it. We don't know if they're adults, teenagers, or children. But I'm focusing on: what are the things that we need to do in our community? Whether it's creating a sense of belonging, or whether it's nurturing care and love for one another.”Whitney Gravelle, president, Bay Mills Indian Community executive council
They scrubbed the walls, ripped up damaged carpet, washed the kitchen and more.
“It was about 20 individuals that just came in over the course of the day, and they took no breaks and they just cleaned and cleaned and cleaned, and then it was back and better than it was originally,” Gravelle said.
Police are still investigating the incident and taking tips from the public.
Gravelle said that, based on the amount of damage, she believes multiple people broke into the center and spent a long time inside.
“They went inside of the kitchen, and opened up every single cupboard, pulled out every food product that they could and whipped it across the cultural center,” Gravelle told IPR News. “We saw barbecue stains, ketchup stains, coffee stains, sugar, creamer, everything was just whipped in every possible corner and crevice.”
She said the vandals even went so far as to individually empty small sugar packets onto the floor.
Graffiti was left on the walls — mainly profanity, some of it misspelled, Gravelle said. Cultural artifacts, including traditional medicines like tobacco and sweet grass, were also destroyed.
“It was disappointing and disheartening to see that not only had the destruction occurred, but then these items we’re supposed to show more care for, were treated with such disrespect,” she said.
The Bay Mills Cultural Center is used for weddings, funerals, celebrations and community events. Gravelle said it’s the one building in the tribe that everyone could rely on.
Police and Cultural Center staff haven’t begun to guess the motivation behind the vandalism. Gravelle said she’s more focused on healing with her community.
“My mom, after it happened, shared a quote with me. ‘The child that is not embraced by the village, will burn it down to feel its warmth,’” she said. “We don't know who did it. We don't know if they're adults, teenagers, or children. But I'm focusing on: what are the things that we need to do in our community? Whether it's creating a sense of belonging, or whether it's nurturing care and love for one another.”
In the meantime, community members have helped with the bulk of the cleaning. Next, they’re working to replace the floor and repaint the walls in the cultural center.
Gravelle said they hope to re-open in the near future with a community feast.
Anyone with information on the vandalism or the whereabouts of anyone involved is asked to contact the Bay Mills Police Department at 906-248-3244.
