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November 07
December 2007
January 2008
February 2008
Winter Solstice Celebration
Scouting Programs

November


Saturday, November 10
Honoring the Nations’ Veterans

On Veterans’ Day join Mashantucket Pequot and other Native American veterans in the Gathering Space to acknowledge the contributions of all members of the armed services. All veterans and the public is invited to attend, from 11 am to 2 pm.

Friday-Sunday, November 16-18
Winter Moon Holiday Market*

Buy unique gifts direct from Native artists at the Museum’s annual Winter Moon Holiday Market – one week earlier this year! You can shop for hand-crafted art, exquisite jewelry, carvings, clothing and much more. Meet dozens of artists while you browse, listen to the stories behind their creations and learn about the traditions of these indigenous people. Give something truly special this year to the special people on your list. From 11 am-3 pm each day, admission is free to the public (no Museum admission required to attend the Market). Take a break from shopping to enjoy recording artist Robert Mirabal and his trio in concert in the Museum Auditorium at 1 pm each day. A flute-maker and member of the Taos Pueblo Tribe of New Mexico, Mirabal blends a variety of influences, including tribal traditions, into a compelling presentation. A reviewer termed his CD Taos Tale “A classic that successfully melds enticing traditional flute and contagious pop rock music with dashing hints of classical chamber music.” Mirabal performs his new program In the Blood (from his new CD of the same name) that includes a narrative cycle of songs reflecting a ceremonial quest for a brighter future. He also performs his all-time favorites like “Medicine Man” and “Dance Shimmer.” Guitar master Larry Mitchell provides the lightening and thunder for the trio, while brother Patrick Mirabal sings and plays flute and percussion. Robert sings, drums, plays the flute and dances. The performance is about family, hope and love. The shopping is free and the concert is free with Museum admission, free to Museum members.

Friday, Saturday & Sunday November 16-18
Recording Artist Robert Mirabel LIVE!**

Playing songs from his new CD In the Blood, Robert Mirabal and his trio appear in concert in the Museum auditorium on Friday, Saturday and Sunday at 1 pm. The show features 15 new Mirabal tracks spanning a dozen years of work. Infused with timeless spiritual energy, this latest stage performance takes the audience on an exhilarating journey. A flute-maker and member of the Taos Pueblo Tribe of New Mexico, Mirabal blends a variety of influences, including tribal traditions, into a compelling presentation. A reviewer termed his music “A classic that successfully melds enticing traditional flute and contagious pop rock music with dashing hints of classical chamber music.” Mirabal performs his new program “In the Blood” that includes a narrative cycle of songs reflecting a ceremonial quest for a brighter future. He also performs his all-time favorites like Medicine Man and Dance Shimmer. Guitar master Larry Mitchell provides the lightening and thunder for the trio, while brother Patrick Mirabal sings and plays flute and percussion. Robert sings, drums, plays the flute and dances. The performance is about family, hope and love. The concert is free with Museum admission, free to Museum members.

Saturday, November 17
Great Cedar Swamp Walk

Archaeologist Brian Jones leads a walk to some of the earliest Native settlement sites on the Reservation and examines environmental changes over the last 15,000 years and how that affected human habitation around the Great Cedar Swamp. The 500-acre wetlands basin was formed 18,000 years ago by the Wisconsin Glacier, the last to visit New England. Over millennia it has served as a rich resource for Native peoples, as evidenced by some 250 archaeological sites discovered near it. Dr. Jones also discusses the importance of the swamp in tribal culture and oral history as a place of refuge during times of trouble. From 11 am to 1 pm, limited to 25 (10 years and older), $15/$12 for Museum members, call 800-411-9671. Meet in the Gathering Space.

Friday-Saturday, November 23-25
Thanksgiving Weekend Fun

Family and friends can join the fun over the three-day holiday weekend at the world’s largest Native American museum – and all the activities are free with regular Museum admission. On Friday and Saturday the audience can take part in the Puppet Theater play Pushing up The Sky about a time long ago when the sky was way too close to the earth, from 1 to 1:30 pm each day. All three days, from 11 am-3 pm, enter our Expressive Visions Circle in the Gathering Space and make your own “Water Basket” to celebrate the new special exhibit Native Waters: Sharing the Source. Solve the Mystery of Caribou Hunting and learn how these large creatures were hunted millennia ago at 11 am, 1 and 2 pm each day. Limited to 20, call 800-411-9671 to reserve your spot for these half-hour sessions.



Museum Members’ Events


Saturday, September 15
Whale Watching (and More) Off Provincetown

Join the Museum’s Public Program Director Trudie Lamb Richmond (Schaghticoke) on this Whale Watch Dolphin Fleet voyage to see these magnificent creatures on the high seas and to hear epic stories about Native mariners. After our adventures on the Bounding Main, we repair to the the Lobster Pot for dinner, grog and tall tales. This exhilarating day trip begins at 7:30 am in the Museum’s large parking lot and we’ll be back by 9:30 pm. The oldest whale watch operation in the Northeast, Dolphin Fleet guarantees whale sightings – or you receive a free ticket for a future trip. Please RSVP to Sarah Eleazer at (860) 396-6890 or seleazer@mptn-nsn.gov by August 31. Price $95.

Saturday, September 23
Know Your Museum: Behind the Scenes in Research

Join Executive Director Kimberly Hatcher-White, Dr. Kevin McBride and Museum staff in an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of the Research Department. Visit state-of-the-art archaeology and conservation laboratories where rare artifacts and ethnographic pieces are examined and preserved, and learn the latest discoveries about the histories and cultures of eastern tribes. These informal get-togethers allow members to learn how the museum operates, to meet key staff and to understand our goals, successes and ongoing challenges in a very personal way. Coffee and dessert served following the tour. From 1 to 4 pm, meet in the Gathering Space. Please RSVP by September 20 to Sarah Eleazer (860) 396-6980, seleazer@mptn-nsn.gov.

Saturday, October 6
Hammonassett Festival Trip

Join fellow Museum Members on a bus trip to the Hammonassett State Beach in Madison, Connecticut for a day of celebrating Native American traditions, from drumming, dancing and singing to crafts, Indian cuisine and art displays, 9 am to 5 pm. This popular annual event draws Native Americans from throughout the Northeast who showcase their tribal cultures and share their artistic creations and stories with festival-goers. Snacks and admission included, rain or shine, $40 Please RSVP by October 2 to Sarah Eleazer (860) 396-6980, seleazer@mptn-nsn.gov.

Sunday, October 14
Members-Only Preview & Reception
Executive Director Scott Frazier of Native Waters, the group that organized the exhibit Native Waters: Sharing the Source gives an insider’s tour of the special exhibit in the Mashantucket Gallery from 12:30 to 1:30 pm. Native leader, and Dr. Henrietta Mann (Cheyenne-Arapaho), Professor Emeritus of Native American Studies at Montana State University, presents the traditional blessing. The tour is followed a reception in the restaurant from 1:30 to 3 pm. Please RSVP by October 9 to Sarah Eleazer (860) 396-6980, seleazer@mptn-nsn.gov.

Sunday, October 21
Curator’s Brunch for Upper-Level Members

Head Curator Stephen Cook previews exciting exhibits and special projects scheduled for the next few years. This event is from 11 am to 1 pm and is for Supporting and Patron Members only. Please RSVP by October 15 to Sarah Eleazer (860) 396-6980, seleazer@mptn-nsn.gov.

Saturday, November 17
Make a “Strike-a-Light” Bag

Award-winning traditional Native clothier Gerry Schenandoah – who with his wife Cheryl dressed the figures in the Museum’s exhibits – demonstrates the art of creating a bag that Native people carried with them containing flint and steel that they used to make campfires while on a journey. Workshop participants make their own bag from materials provided and learn about this handy accessory. From 1 to 2:30 pm, limited to 20 (12 years and older), $50, please RSVP by November 13 to Sarah Eleazer (860) 396-6980, seleazer@mptn-nsn.gov.


*This event is sponsored by the Hard Rock Café and Citizens Bank
**These performances are part of The CL&P 2007 Performing Arts Series and are made possible by
a generous grant from Connecticut Light and Power Company (CL&P).

**The artists of Winter Moon will enjoy coffee donated by Willoughby's Coffee & Tea.