Saturday, May 30 | 8:30PM Did you know that there are about thirteen full moons each year? Indeed, many Indigenous communities traditionally kept track of this lunar cycle using a turtle shell as a calendar. This is also why we sometimes have a “blue moon.” This year, a blue moon will be occurring in May. This […]
Saturday, May 23 | 1:00PM From sachem’s son to servant, then soldier to sailor, Abimelech Uncas lived an incredible life in his 19 years. Join Ellery Thomas Leary, M.A. (Park Historian, Putnam Memorial State Park) at the Institute for American Indian Studies to learn more about one Mohegan boy’s journey, which took him from “Bentown” to […]
Red Dress Installation at IAIS Saturday, May 2 - Wednesday, May 6 Each year, thousands of women, children, and 2 Spirit Native Americans go missing or are found murdered in the United States and Canada. Gaps in data make the true scope difficult to estimate, but the murder rate of Native women is more than ten times […]
Saturday, April 18 | 12:00PMWith generous support from Historic New England, the Institute for American Indian Studies has developed a new traveling exhibit called Uncivil Education: Federal Indian Boarding Schools in America. Uncivil Education addresses the history of Federal Indian Boarding schools in America and the assimilationist policies that led to their creation. Drawing directly […]
Sunday, April 12 | 1:00PMDo you like weaving, crocheting, or sewing? Have you ever wondered what makes the yarn have beautiful colors? Natural dyes have been around for nearly 30,000 years; the practice of processing and producing dyes has been passed down from generation to generation. Join Ashley Reiske, IAIS Museum Educator and events coordinator, […]
Saturday, March 28 | 1:00PMNative America: The Story of the First Peoples (Princeton University, 2025) is an epic deep history of the Indigenous peoples of North America, covering more than 20,000 years of astonishing diversity, adaptation, resilience, and continuity. Join its author Dr. Ken Feder, professor emeritus (anthropology) from Central Connecticut State University, for a […]
Saturday, March 14 | 1:00PM How prepared would you be to survive in the local environment without twenty-first century technology? For traditional Indigenous communities of this area, fire would have been an important tool throughout the year. As winter winds to a close and we look forward to the sights and sounds of spring, it’s a […]
Saturday, March 7 | 11:00 AM - 3:00PM Looking for a sweet end to the winter months? As the days get warmer, but the nights remain cold, it’s the right condition for maple sugaring! Join IAIS staff for an event celebrating the gift of Maple Sugar. Throughout the day, our staff will demonstrate various traditional […]
Saturday, February 28 Snow Snake Workshop #1: 12:00pm, 1 hour blockSnow Snake Workshop #2: 2:00pm, 1 hour block Did you know that snow snake, a traditional winter game commonly practiced by the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois), is still played today in many Northern Native American communities? This game involves a stick that is carved and decorated to […]
Sunday, February 151PM You know water is essential for life. Did you know you can make your own essential water, known as hydrosol or aromatic water, by steam distilling plants and herbs? Often used for cosmetics or culinary flavoring, essential waters, such as rose water or orange water, are a way to extend your […]