Boston, MA (PRWEB) January 24, 2012
Opening to the public on January 28, 2012, Native Voices, New England Tribal Families is an introduction to native communities around New England today. By visiting five different communities from northern to southern New England, visitors learn a lot about Native American traditions and how modern families balance contemporary life with preservation of important cultural identities.
Created by Boston Childrens Museum (BCM) and sponsored by the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) and Ocean Spray, this exhibit represents a unique collaboration between native advisors and the Museums exhibit design team. It builds on 60 years of collaboration between the Museum and native tribes in New England. The hands-on activities, compelling immersive environments, and evocative artifacts, both old and new provide a great way to learn about how all cultures preserve important values and hand them down from one generation to the next. The exhibit will be at BCM through September 3, 2012 before traveling to museums throughout the United States.
Native Voices: New England Tribal Families takes visitors through four New England seasons and shares stories, songs, and cultural materials that illustrate strong and enduring connections between tribes and their traditional homelands. Visitors will meet members of the Passamaquoddy and Penobscot of Maine, the Narragansett of Rhode Island, and the Aquinnah Wampanoag and Mashpee Wampanoag of Massachusetts through a series of environments and activities. Families can toboggan down a hill in Maine with young members of the Penobscot tribe, practice beading in an artist’s studio on Cape Cod, meet students in a classroom at the Nuweetooun Tribal School in Rhode Island, explore a cranberry bog and the Aquinnah Tribal Museum on Martha’s Vineyard and follow Michaels journey to Pow Wows across the United States and Canada. Taking them far beyond the usual tales of the “people who met the Pilgrims,” this hands-on exploration introduces five thriving New England communities as they work to balance cultural traditions with life in a modern world.
Native Voices represents the best we have to offer as it brings together the Museums world class collections, our outstanding exhibit design and production team, and our renowned education programs in a groundbreaking exhibit that showcases the rich history and culture of New Englands native communities, said Carole Charnow, President & CEO, Boston Childrens Museum.
Part of BCMs stunning collection of cultural materials from New England tribes will be highlighted in the exhibition. The Museums extensive permanent collection of 50,000 objects includes 6,000 items representing Native American communities, much of it purchased from contemporary native artists dating back to the 1920s. The dynamic contrast between old and new traditional beading on deer skin compared with an elaborately beaded pair of Keds sneakers is part of the charm of this exhibition.
In addition to its exhibits and Collections, BCMs resources and programs featuring Native Voices have built a firm foundation for this new exhibit and include:
Books for teachers: Many Thanksgivings: Teaching about Thanksgiving from a Wampanoag Perspective, 2004.
Books for the general public: Were Still Here: Art of Indian New England: The Children’s Museum Collection, 1987.
People of the First Light, a website for teachers, co-developed with Wampanoag educators.
Over 15 years of teacher seminars and institutes featuring Native educators and scholars.
The NEH is pleased to be a supporter of what promises to be an outstanding exhibition. One of the agency’s current interests is projects that promote cross-cultural understanding and that enable people to appreciate different world views. Native Voices will accomplish that in creative ways, and it will involve entire families in exploring cultural traditions that are not well known but which are nonetheless a vital part of our shared national experience, said John Meredith, NEH Senior Program Officer, Division of Public Programs.
Native Voices: New England Tribal Families builds on BCMs extensive experience in creating popular, interactive and educational exhibitions for children and families. The Museum enhances exhibits through vibrant public programs and rich educational resources, all designed to reinforce messages and inspire in visitors a life-long love of learning and desires to explore more. Throughout the year, Boston Childrens Museum will complement the exhibit with Native American performances, professional development and school programs including:
Seasons/weather
Nature/Animals
Collection objects
Family Celebrations / Food
Guest artist/performer representative of tribe
Meet-the-Artist
As a part of Ocean Sprays ongoing commitment to educate consumers about the taste, health and heritage of the cranberry, Ocean Spray will enhance the exhibit and provide insight into the importance and role of the cranberry in Native American tradition through educational and informative displays and activities that consist of:
Cranberry Bog Photo Wall with cranberry fact windows
Walkable Cranberry Bog Mat
Live Cranberry Bog in a box
Cranberry Day Tradition
Habitat/Wildlife information
Wampanoag environmental practices
Ocean Spray is thrilled to partner with Bostons Childrens Museum on such a wonderful exhibit filled with New England culture and tradition, said Ken Romanzi, Ocean Sprays chief operating officer, North America. At Ocean Spray we pride ourselves on continuing tradition established by our growers more than 80 years ago and are proud to support local Native Americans by educating families on their values and culture.
Native Voices: New England Tribal Families was created in collaboration with a distinguished Native American advisory board of tribal members, historians and academics.
“As a Narragansett woman, mother, and leader I believe it is extremely important to educate the public regarding our history, culture, arts and sciences that tell our story over time of where we have been, who we are, and how we will prepare our children for the future,” said Loren Spears, Native Voices Advisory Board, Narragansett, director of the Tomaquag Museum and Neewetoun School.
Native Voices: New England Tribal Families will be at Boston Childrens Museum January 28 September 3, 2012 before embarking on a three-year tour including stops in Norwalk Connecticut, St. Paul Minnesota, San Jose California, and Long Island, New York. All exhibit text is bi-lingual Spanish and English. In addition, native languages are featured throughout the exhibit.
For a complete calendar listing, please visit http://www.BostonChildrensMuseum.org.
About Boston Childrens Museum
Boston Childrens Museum engages children and families in joyful discovery experiences that instill an appreciation of our world, develop foundational skills, and spark a lifelong love of learning. More information about Boston Childrens Museum can be found at http://www.BostonChildrensMuseum.org and become a fan of the Museum on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/BostonChildrensMuseum.
Hours and Admission
The Museum is open daily from 10:00 a.m. 5:00 p.m. and Fridays until 9:00 p.m. Adults, $ 12, children (1-15) and senior citizens, $ 12; children under 12 months and Museum members are always free. Fridays 5:00 p.m. 9:00 p.m., all visitors $ 1.
About National Endowment for the Humanities
Created in 1965 as an independent federal agency, the National Endowment for the Humanities supports learning in history, literature, philosophy, and other areas of the humanities. NEH grants enrich cla
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