Manitou Stones with Herman Bender

For countless generations, native people of North America have recognized a supernatural, omnipresent force known as manitou. This presence was understood as a living, universal power influencing every part of daily life. Many natural elements - sun, moon, sky, stars, animal, and even rocks - were seen as containing or expressing this power.

Manitou was believed to reside especially in rocks and boulders known as “spirit” or “image” stones and were once a common part of Wisconsin’s landscape. Come learn more about this cultural belief and how it shaped Wisconsin today.