August 19 & 20 1:00 - 4:00pm each day Join a three-day workshop in which participants will be guided through the construction and pit-firing of their own clay vessel. Learn about elements of traditional pottery, including clay sourcing, temper, building methods, surface treatment, decoration and firing. Along the way, participants will learn about types of […]
Sunday, August 27 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM Dugout canoes were a major form of transportation for Native Americans in the Eastern Woodlands for thousands of years. These vessels would be carefully crafted out of a single log using stone tools and fire, and have been known to survive for thousands of years. The canoes […]
Saturday, September 9 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM Etuaptmumk is a Mi'kmaw saying that translates to "Two-Eyed Seeing." As attributed to Mi'kmaw Elder Albert Marshall, this concept refers to learning from one eye the strengths of Indigenous knowledge, and from the other eye the strengths of "Western" scientific knowledge. As part of the annual Housatonic […]
Sunday, October 15 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM Throughout time, humans have used different techniques to navigate their surroundings and find a sense of place. These are still useful skills in case your GPS loses its signal! Join IAIS Educator and Ecologist Susan Scherf for an interactive workshop in which participants will learn various methods […]
Sunday, October 29 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM Deep in the woods of Barkhamsted, Connecticut archaeologist Ken Feder found a series of irregular cellar holes that led to an archaeological and genealogical investigation into what had come to be known as the legend of the Barkhamsted Lighthouse. In the mid-1700s, Molly and James Chaugham, […]
Sunday, November 5 12:30 PM - 4:00 PM Did you know that Native Americans have served in the United States military with the highest record of service per capita when compared to any other ethnic group? Each year IAIS honors several local Native Americans who have served in the Armed Forces. This year, we will […]
Tuesday, December 26th 6:00PM - 8:00PM The soft sounds of the nighttime winter woodlands provide a pleasant setting for a walk guided by the light of the last full moon of 2023. As it is the full moon that appears around the time of the winter solstice, it is fitting that some tribes refer to […]
Thursday, December 28 & Friday, December 29 9:30am - 12:30pm both days Looking for something fun and educational for your children to do during the holiday week? Sign them up for one or two days of exciting indoor and outdoor activities inspired by the lifeways and lessons of local Native Americans! Each day, the IAIS […]
Saturday, January 20th 1:00PM - 2:30PM Did you know that snow snake, a traditional Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) winter game, is still played today in many Northern Native American communities? This game involves a stick that is carved and decorated to resemble a snake. Competitors throw the stick along a snow trench and try to see how […]
Sunday Fun Day - Gifts of the Maple: A Sweet Treat Sunday, February 11th 1:00PM - 3:00PM The IAIS Education Department frequently offers family-friendly educational workshops on Sunday afternoons. This year, many of our Sunday Fun Day workshops feature the teachings of trees and the power of plants, which indigenous communities have been carefully stewarding […]
