Moccasin Workshop @ Institute for American Indian Studies Moccasins Are More than Just Footwear

The Institute for American Indian Studies located at 38 Curtis Road in Washington Connecticut is holding a Moccasin Making Workshop on Saturday, March 30, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Participants will not only leave this workshop with a pair of moccasins that they have made, they will also leave with a greater understanding of the cultural significance this footwear has with Native American communities throughout the country. 

Across the United States, many Native American tribes created different styles of moccasins to suit their environment. The word moccasin itself comes from the Algonkian language - meaning “shoe.” They can be hard or soft-soled, ornately beaded, or plain, fur-lined, or cuffed. In short, the style of moccasins is as diverse as the many different tribes that they originate from. Traditionally, in the Eastern Woodlands, including Connecticut, soft-soled moccasins were commonly made out of a single piece of deer, elk or moose hide, and hand-sewn using sinew. A characteristic making it an Eastern Woodlands moccasin is the center seam that is gathered at the toe giving it a puckered shape. Today, moccasin-inspired shoes find their way into modern designs and fashion statements, even as Native culture keepers continue the centuries-old tradition of moccasin making.

 

This fascinating three-hour workshop, led by Darlene Kascak, Schaghticoke Tribal Nation, and Educational Outreach Ambassador for IAIS promises to be fun and informative. Participants will make a pair of pucker-toe style moccasins out of deer hide while listening to the history of moccasins. It is a powerful feeling to make something that you can use in your everyday life, using methods that people have used for generations.

 

This workshop is recommended for adults and children ages 8 and up due to the dexterity required for sewing. To register for this workshop head to the website The Institute for American Indian Studies Museum & Research Center, call 860-868-0518, or email events@iaismuseum

Brewing Up April Fun with the Seaport Association @ SpaceCat Brewery

 The Norwalk Seaport Association is hosting an event sure to cure what ales you at the SpaceCat Brewery located at 57 Chestnut Street in Norwalk on Monday, April 15 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Get ready to discover one of the finest craft breweries in Connecticut located right here in Norwalk, Connecticut. 

Sheffield Island Lighthouse

This is a night to be remembered with the artful fusion of small-batch brews and hard cider with chef-driven appetizers by Ripkas Beach Café that will complement each sip. SpaceCat brews range from robust IPAs to crisp lagers sure to please the most discerning palate. Part of the fun is to find out how SpaceCat Brewer’s creative touch brings out the best in their diverse range of beer by using the finest grains, hops, and yeasts sustainably. Guests are sure to savor the diverse tapestry of flavors of beer at this event that is a fundraiser for Norwalk’s Sheffield Island Lighthouse. 

Spacecat Brewery

At this fun and relaxed event, guests will also enjoy learning about what the Seaport Association has planned for 2024 from the cruise schedule and new renovations at the Lighthouse to the 2024 Norwalk Oyster Festival, and new membership levels. This is the perfect opportunity to find out about how to volunteer for this established non-profit organization that has been around since 1978. 

Tickets include two drink vouchers and appetizers, all for a good cause. This event does require advance registration. Tickets are $35 per person and are limited to the first 100 people. Tickets are available online by clicking here or by calling the Seaport Office at 203-838-9444, so get them today so you don’t miss out on the fun. Proceeds from this event will be used for the maintenance of Sheffield Island Lighthouse, Connecticut’s Maritime Icon. 

About the Seaport Association 

The Seaport Association in Norwalk was founded in 1978 by a group of local citizens who had the vision to revitalize South Norwalk and preserve Norwalk’s maritime heritage. The Seaport Association offers a cultural, environmental, and historical journey to the Norwalk Islands. The Sheffield Island Lighthouse and the Light Keeper’s Cottage provide a unique historical and educational venue that strives to increase awareness, appreciation, and consideration for the environment and how the preservation of historic buildings contributes to our quality of life. The combination of the Lighthouse and the Stewart B. McKinney National Wildlife Refuge offers an unparalleled opportunity to educate children of all ages and adults about the importance of preserving Long Island Sound, our environment, and our maritime heritage.

Native American Culture Keeper Experience Women’s History Month @ Institute for American Indian Studies

 During his message commemorating the first-ever National Women’s History Week in 1980, President Jimmy Carter said “From the first settlers who came to our shores, from the first American Indian families who befriended them, men and women have worked together to build this nation. Too often the women were unsung and sometimes their contributions went unnoticed. But the achievements, leadership, courage, strength, and love of the women who built America was as vital as that of the men whose names we know so well.”

 

To capture the spirit and to celebrate Women’s History Month, the Institute for American Indian Studies located at 38 Curtis Road in Washington, Connecticut is hosting a special virtual program that explores the life and legacy of Dr. Gladys Iola Tantaquidgeon (Mohegan) with her great-niece, Rachel Sayet (Mohegan) on Saturday, March 23 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Tantaquidgeon, born in 1899 was a Mohegan Medicine Woman, whose family members began passing down herbal knowledge to her at a young age. Educated at the University of Pennsylvania beginning in 1919, she studied anthropology and focused on researching the use of herbal medicine among Native American communities living on the East Coast of the United States. For her work, she was awarded many honors and honorary degrees from prestigious universities and organizations including Yale, the University of Connecticut, and the National Organization for Women. She also was honored for her accomplishments by many Native American tribes.  

Among her many contributions, socially, environmentally, and politically, was helping with the founding of the first Native American Museum in 1931. The Tantaquidgeon Indian Museum located in Uncasville, Connecticut is the oldest Native American-owned and operated museum in the country. The mission of this museum is to acquaint visitors with Mohegan culture, traditions, and beliefs. 

 

Dr. Gladys Iola Tantaquidgeon is widely considered to be an important Keeper of Native American Culture. This virtual conversation virtual presentation and discussion featuring Rachel Sayet, who has a master's degree in anthropology and museum studies from Harvard University will focus on the life and legacy of her great aunt, Gladys Tantaquidgeon, who passed away at 106. The conversation will highlight her work as an anthropologist, ethnobotanist, and herbalist and will touch on how her knowledge influenced her family and the Native American community. 

  

To join this Zoom presentation, on Saturday, March 23, please register online at https://iaismuseum.charityproud.org/EventRegistration/Index/15531, email events@iaismuseum.org or call 860-868-0518. The cost of participation is $10 for non-museum members and free for members of the museum.

About The Institute for American Indian Studies

Located on 15 acres of woodland acres the Institute For American Indian Studies preserves and educates through archeology, research, exhibitions, and programs. They have a 16^th c. Algonquian Village, Award-Winning Wigwam Escape, and a museum with temporary and permanent displays of authentic artifacts from prehistory to the present allows visitors to foster a new understanding of the world and the history and culture of Native Americans. The Institute for American Indian Studies is located at 38 Curtis Road, in Washington, Connecticut.

 

 

Medicinal Monday Common Cottongrass

Grasses grow on every continent in the world and can be found in a variety of habitats from prairies and tropical savannas to the Arctic tundra and woodland forests. It is estimated that there are more than 13,000 different types of grasses and according to the Smithsonian, identifying all of them is still a work in progress. One of these grasses is tall cottongrass which Native American communities found several uses for from medicinal to practical. 

About Common Cottongrass

Eriophorum angustifolium or common cottongrass is found across the Northern United States and Canada. It is a creeping perennial that spreads extensively once it is established. Ir flowers in early April or May, the small blooms are small brown and green flowers that develop distinctive white cotton-like heads that resemble tufts of cotton. This grass grows from a rhizomatous rootstock and produces up to 20 culms in suitable conditions. It also grows from seed over a five-year period. It can be found in peat bogs, meadows, marches, and tundras. It thrives around pond margins and in acidic soil. It also grows well in clay soils and is quite invasive. Common cottongrass is hardy and can grow in cold, temperate, subarctic, and arctic regions.

Edible Uses

Many Native American communities harvested young stems and roots and ate them cooked or raw. The seeds are edible and used in traditional Native American cuisine. Eskimos ate the seeds and dried leaves and stems with seal oil.

Medicinal Uses

The leaves and roots are astringent and many Native American communities used them as a treatment for diarrhea. The Yupik of Alaska made a poultice of the seeds to treat wounds and gastrointestinal issues. The Eskimos would give raw stems to those in poor health to restore them to good health. The Ojibwa used the tops of this grass to help stop a cut or wound from bleeding. The Eskimos made a poultice from the plant to absorb pus from a wound and to stop eyes from watering.

Did You Know...

The cotton-like seed hairs are used to make candle wicks.

The cotton seed heads were used to stuff bedding.

The dried leaves and stems were woven into soft mats that could be used as coverings.

The Cherokee called this grass "rabbit tail."