'I Am Not A Costume' Story Exhibit Opens At Isle A La Cache

ROMEOVILLE, IL — The "I Am Not A Costume" story exhibit opens Wednesday at Isle a La Cache Museum in Romeoville, the Forest Preserve District of Will County shared in a news release. The book features Ayasha, a Native American character, and tells how she and her family work together to help her classmates understand that her culture is not a costume but something to be honored and respected.

The free exhibit, which is sponsored by The Nature Foundation of Will County, runs through April 12, the preserve said. Hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesdays through Sundays.

Native and Indigenous cultures are often misunderstood, misrepresented or reduced to stereotypes, said Jen Guest, facility supervisor at the Forest Preserve District's Isle a la Cache Museum.

“This exhibit creates space for an important conversation about respect, identity and how our everyday choices affect real people,” she said. “It reminds us that culture is not something you put on for a day. It is something people live, carry and pass down. If visitors walk away understanding that, then this exhibit has done its job.”

The preserve said the book was written by Maria DesJarlait, an Indigenous writer who is from the Arikara tribe in Fort Berthold, North Dakota, and the Ojibwe tribe in Red Lake, Minnesota.

Museum staff worked with DesJarlait and the book’s publisher, Medicine Wheel Publishing — known for producing culturally authentic materials — to bring the exhibit to life.

“Maria writes in a way that invites understanding rather than defensiveness,” Guest said in a release. “Her storytelling is gentle and powerful, rooted in lived experience. She has a remarkable ability to translate complex cultural issues into stories that are accessible and compassionate, opening the door to meaningful conversations among children, families and educators.”

First voice storytelling is deeply important to us. This exhibit centers Native voices where they belong, at the heart of the story, Guest added.

“At Isle a la Cache, we truly value our relationships with the Native community and believe Native peoples must be the ones telling the stories of their own cultures,” Guest said. “This exhibit is an invitation to learn, to listen and to do better. It reflects our commitment to creating spaces where learning happens with care, respect and honesty.”

Isle a la Cache will also host an "I Am Not a Costume!" Reading and Book Signing program with the author from 10–11:30 a.m. on Feb. 21. DesJarlait will read the story aloud, and attendees will have an opportunity to purchase signed copies of her book, which is geared toward children ages 6 and 7, though all are welcome, the preserve shared.