Sydney Marie Martin

Sydney “Syd” Marie (Harper) Martin, Ogemaquay (Boss/Chief/Leader Woman), Wolf Clan, gave her last breath back to the Creator and began her journey to the Forever Place surrounded by her family on February 18, 2026 at Faith Hospice at Trillium Woods in Byron Center, Michigan.

Sydney was born on September 14, 1943, in Grand Rapids, Michigan. She attended Hopkins Public Schools and lived along the Rabbit River in the Salem Indian Settlement with her Anishinaabe-way adoptive mother Gladys (Pigeon) Sands (Kesoquay – Full Moon Woman), a full-blood Pottawatomi and Mt. Pleasant Indian Industrial Boarding School survivor, whom Syd lovingly called Nana. Taught to weave black ash baskets, to sew and gather sacred medicines and foods, Syd learned early how to make a living from her Anishinaabe work. Syd and Nana supported themselves through selling their black ash baskets, seasonal fieldwork, and sharing cultural knowledge with museums, schools, pageants, and trading posts. They traveled throughout Michigan selling their wares and offerings, living a life rooted in skill, movement, and relationship. These early teachings shaped how Syd moved through the world—carrying knowledge from practice, protecting cultural ways of living, honoring her ancestors, caring for the land and water, and holding responsibility to those who would come after her.

Sydney met the love of her life, George Martin (Odawa – A Quiet, Peaceful Place), one night in 1959 after she performed in an ‘Indian pageant’ at Chapel Lake, near Wurtsmith Air Force Base in Oscoda, Michigan. Air Policeman George saw the beautiful Sydney on stage and fell in love at first sight. The next night he showed up in his sparkling car, spit-shined shoes, and in his military dress uniform to attempt to meet Sydney. A love story for The Anishinaabe Ages began, and over the years they became cultural icons. Sydney and George eventually made their home of 56 years near the same place that Sydney grew up along the Rabbit River in the Salem Indian Settlement and raised their four children.

A First Degree Midewiwin, Sydney was the Three Fires Lodge Chief for the State of Michigan, Midewaunaquay (Water Line Chief), and served on the Three Fires Midewiwin Grandmothers’ Council. As a spiritual leader, Syd was always open to sharing teachings and lifeways and never judged or limited those with a sincere desire to learn. She carried her spiritual roles with steadiness and humor, and with a clear sense of what it meant to care for the Anishinaabe people.

Syd’s contributions to Anishinaabek culture and the world extended beyond ceremonies, pow wows, and intercultural education.

• Served on the Board of Directors for the Grand Rapids Inter-Tribal Council and Board of Directors for the West Michigan Environmental Action Council where she contributed to the establishment of Michigan’s Adopt-a-Highway Program

• Appointed as the NAGPRA Representative for her Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish Band of Pottawatomi (2008-2019) – attended every quarterly meeting for the Michigan Anishinaabek Cultural Preservation and Repatriation Alliance – worked to bring home thousands of ancestors and over ten thousand funerary belongings

• Presented at the World Indigenous Peoples’ Conference on Education in Aotearoa (Hamilton, New Zealand) in 2005

• Initiated the Seed Rematriation movement in 2015 (University of Michigan)

• Assisted authoring Journeys to Complete the Work, a graphic novel launched in 2017 at Indigenous Comic Con hosted by Isleta Pueblo. Sydney was a featured character in the comic (www.nagpracomics.weebly.com) which tells the story of her work to repatriate Anishinaabe ancestors from the University of Michigan and Harvard University

• Featured in two documentaries: Black Ash Basketry: A Story of Cultural Resilience (2010) and Aanikoobijigan [ancestor/great-grandparent/great-grandchild] (2026) – Aanikoobijigan was recognized with an Audience Choice Award at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival

On paper, these accomplishments looked different, but they pointed to the same work: protect what matters, carry it forward, and make sure it returns to the people.

Sydney led her family, her Tribe, and the Anishinaabek people in community and cultural representation with a spirit of resilience that is her legacy. She truly lived her Spirit Name, as a fearless Ogemaquay of the Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish Band of Pottawatomi, especially in her advocacy for the return of our ancestors and their funerary belongings. During NAGPRA consultations, Sydney would always tell the institutions, “It’s simple. Just follow the law. Give them back to us.” People knew what Syd stood for because she said it plainly and followed it through – she didn’t “frog around.”

She loved to laugh and speak irreverently (shockingly so, at times), travel (especially to Bay Mills and Red Cliff), bird watch, write poetry, play cards, complete daily crosswords, read books, listen to music, throw horseshoes, support environmental and wildlife protection organizations, and watch sports of any kind – baseball, basketball, curling, football, golf, tennis, etc. Above all, she loved caring for and watching her wild birds and feral cats. Those everyday joys were part of her medicine – and, how she stayed present, sharp, and true to herself.

Sydney is survived by her devoted husband of 64 years, George Martin; cherished daughters Punkin Shananaquet (David-baa), Natalie (Amos) Pond, Shannon (Lisa “Tiger”) Martin; and son, Jeff Martin. Sydney’s beautiful grandchildren who shared in her life include Paul, Carly, Crystal, Boots, and Wakody; and great-grandchildren Cryssa, Mzhakwod, Lily, Cadence, Cena, and Maizie. She loved her Anishinaabe-way taken siblings David “DK” Sprague, Dr. Valorie Johnson, Joann Sebastian Morris, and Judy and Joseph “Buddy” Raphael; and her Anishinaabe-way taken daughters Dr. Sonya Atalay (Ted) and Cyndee Fox-Starr; and sons Isadore Toulouse, Frank Sprague, and Joe Reilly who will carry her stories forward. Countless extended and special, “you’re the only good one,” nieces, nephews, and very dear friends and colleagues will always keep her in their hearts.

Sydney joins her mother Gladys “Nana” (Pigeon) Sands; grandsons Jamesteller Pond and George Martin III; Anishinaabe-way taken siblings Patricia “Butchie” Weiss, Mooz Pamp and Kathy Genereaux, Paul Johnson, Robert Van Alstine, and Dan “Bee” Spears in the Forever Place.

Sydney and her family acknowledge the assistance, care, compassion, and love given by Dr. Rebecca Werner, Samantha Bowsher, and the team at Gun Lake Tribe Health and Human Services; as well as the Faith Hospice at Trillium Woods team who cared for her and her family with comfort, compassion, and dignity.

Sydney hoped you will always remember the black ash basketmakers, ancestral repatriators, cultural artists, language speakers and learners, seedkeepers, traditional teachers, musicians, land and water protectors, dreamers, and instigators in your daily life and gift giving. She asked that this remembering show up in how we live—who we support, what we purchase, what we share, and what we choose to carry forward.

In honor of Sydney’s wishes, the preparations and ceremony for her journey are private.

Baamaapii kiwaabamin, Ogemaquay, giizhaagin, pané. (We will see you again, Boss Lady, we will love you for all time)

Memorials in honor of Sydney’s legacy may be mailed to: Michigan Anishinaabek Cultural Preservation and Repatriation Alliance (MACPRA), C/O Gun Lake Tribe, Attn: Rebecca Rupe, MACPRA Treasurer, 2872 Mission Dr., Shelbyville, Michigan 49344.