The Christmas Coat: Memories of My Sioux Childhood

The Christmas Coat: Memories of My Sioux Childhood, by Virginia Driving Hawk Sneve, joins the small group of children’s books by Native authors about celebrating Christmas. In her story set in the early 20^th century, the author remembers how exciting it was to unpack Theast boxes of used clothing and shoes sent by church congregations in New England. She hoped that there would be a coat just her size in the boxes from “the east” which arrive on the reservation in South Dakota before Christmas. She gave up the only coat that fit her to a more needy school mate, but still loved the Christmas Eve celebration with the Nativity pageant which included the 3 Wise Men - boys wearing “headdresses that only the wise leaders and elders of the tribe could wear.”  It’s a great book, suitable to sharing throughout the year and is the 2012 American Indian Youth Literature Award winning picture book.

The Christmas Coat: Memories of My  Sioux Childhood. Sneve, Virginia Driving Hawk. Holiday House, 2011.

Giving Thanks

November…American Indians…Thanksgiving Day…

Why do these terms seem to always appear together? Native people and their stories should not be relegated to only the fall season-whether in curriculum, text books, or storytimes. Not only do the original inhabitants of this land give thanks many times throughout the year, they and others have created a growing body of children’s literature which can and should be read throughout the year and across the curriculum.

To assist people in finding “excellent literature,” the Children’s Library has lists of many books written by American Indians about themselves, their histories and cultures, and their lives. These materials are important as they provide teachers, parents, and children with more accurate information about the cultures, values, and beliefs of many tribal nations and people. The books and videos present information not only about the importance of celebrations to Native communities today, but also about the depth and significance of traditional Native gatherings.

Pequot Museum Children's Library Bibliographies

Teachers, here are some books which will help you update your lesson plans about thanksgiving celebrations and encourage use of Native American materials every month of the year.

Many Thanksgivings: Teaching Thanksgiving-Including the Wampanoag Perspective. The Boston Children’s Museum, 2002.

1621: A New Look at Thanksgiving, by Catherine O’Neill Grace and Margaret M. Bruchac (Abenaki). National Geographic Society, 2001.

Thanksgiving: A Native Perspective, by Doris Seale (Santee/Cree), Beverly Slapin and Carolyn Silverman (Cherokee/Blackfeet). Oyate, 1995.

New Hours for the Libraries and Archives

 We’re pleased to announce that the Research Library and the Children’s Library are now open 1-5 pm, Wednesday through Saturday. This change allows for researchers and others to work in the libraries until the Museum closes at 5 pm, and accommodates new staffing levels. If you would like to use the Archives & Special Collections, please call (860) 396-6807 to make an appointment for your visit. We hope the new hours provide everyone with more research opportunities and time in the libraries.

Grant awarded to Mashantucket Pequot Libraries and Archives

Thanks to a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the Mashantucket Pequot Museum & Research Center (MPMRC) will begin to reorganize, make more searchable, and provide better documentation for thousands of digital images of the Pequot community and about one hundred hours of audio-visual oral histories and interviews. This project will be the first step in the process of improving the management of our audio-visual and digital collections.

Although not all of our resources are accessible to the public, this project will lead the way to providing better access to all of our holdings in Archives & Special Collections – for all researchers.

CAN YOU DIG IT?

A Paleoindian site, dating back 10,000 years, at Ohomowauke Swamp currently under excavation.   

They can – and do.

Archaeologists dig down into the earth to discover the many layers of history upon which we walk and build. Digging into the Museum Archives reveals how archaeology continues to inform our understanding about how Native people lived and provides context for the Museum’s exhibits and the ongoing story of the Mashantucket Pequot Community.

Kevin McBride, an archaeologist and the Director of Research at the Museum, has been conducting research and excavations on the reservation and elsewhere in New England since the 1980’s.

Information from the site below was used to create the 18th century farmstead exhibit in the Museum.

1996 excavation of a Pequot homestead on the reservation

         

Program from a 1999 Conference

American Society for Ethnohistory

Meet the Editor

Meet the Editor: Dawn Dove (Narragansett)

 Saturday, Oct. 20, 2012, 1-2 pm

We have a new program in our popular series featuring local Native writers. This session is a little different –we get to meet an editor! Dawn Dove, Narragansett elder, is coming to the library to talk about Through Our Eyes, An Indigenous View of Mashapaug Pond, a book she co-edited with Holly Ewald, founder of Urban Pond Procession. This beautiful book is the product of a year-long project to help people imagine what life would have been like for indigenous people living by Mashapaug Pond, in Providence, RI, before European contact. Narragansett community members ages 6 to 92 created collages about Mashapaug using photography, stamping, natural items, and hand-printed papers. The stories and poems illuminate their history, culture, and artistic expression. As an added bonus, Loren Spears (Narragansett), Tomaquag Indian Memorial Museum director and educator, speaks about the significance of connecting art and culture to science and environmental curriculum. Please call the Research Library at (860) 396-6897 for more information.

Earl Mills, Sr.

Earl Mills, Sr., Chief Flying Eagle, Wampanoag Elder

What a treat we had listening to Mr. Mills in the library yesterday. He is an excellent speaker and talked for over an hour, without pause! He shared more information than what fit into his recently published book, Talking with the Elders of Mashpee, so he’s already working on the next one. His interviews, thoughts, and stories about his long and eventful life in Mashpee, including memories of his mother and father, friends, and neighbors are fascinating and inspiring. At lunch, we ate some great food, prepared by the Museum chefs, from Mr. Mill’s book, Cape Cod Wampanoag Cookbook: Wampanoag Indian Recipes, Images & Lore. The chowder was excellent-not too thick or thin, but just right, and the grapenut pudding disappeared quickly. Our store still has a few copies of the cookbook left after people snapped it up. If you have a chance to meet Mr. Mills, grab it - you will be happy you did!