As a part of the museum’s 2020 initiative to shed light on the history of women’s rights, join Historic Huguenot Street to honor the stories and celebrate the lives of Native women in the larger narrative of our communities.
Choose your experience:
JOIN US IN PERSON
Check in at the Museum Shop in the DuBois Fort Visitor Center (81 Huguenot Street) to peruse educational texts related to the history and culture of the local indigenous population available for purchase. View the 1677 land agreement, a 340-year-old document that reveals the marks, or signatures, of several Esopus Munsee women who participated in or witnessed the land trade made with the Huguenot settlers. A guide stationed at the replica Munsee wigwam will explain the significance of the structure, which was built in 2017, as well as the daily life of a Munsee woman living in the region, pre-contact.
Across the street from the Visitor Center, on the lawn between the Bevier-Elting and Deyo Houses, Indigenous Chef Quentin Glabus will be serving sample dishes of his modern take on traditional Munsee cuisine.
Heather Bruegl, the Cultural Affairs Director for the Stockbridge-Munsee Community of Mohican Indians, will live-stream from Wisconsin about the important role that Indigenous women play within their families and communities for thousands of years. Her talk will focus on Native women throughout history who have broken down barriers to become soldiers, doctors, politicians, and activists. She will also focus on her own important work as an activist for Indigenous culture and communities. Time will be left at the end of the presentation for Q&A.
FIND US ONLINE
Anyone who does not live locally, or who is not comfortable participating in the in-person program, may register for the virtual experience at a slightly discounted price. Registrants will receive an email containing links to the following:
A digitized version of the 1677 land agreement featuring the marks, or signatures, of several Esopus Munsee women
A time-lapse video detailing the construction of the replica wigwam, completed in 2017
A recipe for one of Chef Glabus’s Indigenous dishes to try at home
A link to access Heather Bruegl’s virtual presentation of “The Power of Native Women,” shared simultaneously with the attendees viewing it on-site
CHECK OUT VIRTUAL SESSIONS
Whether or not you chose to attend the program in-person or virtually, all registrants will be invited to additionally participate in follow-up virtual sessions, taking place at various times throughout the following week. These sessions will allow participants to have more intimate conversations with our speaker, tribal representatives, and activists working to preserve Indigenous land, rights, and culture. The times, dates, and presenters for each follow-up session are to be announced.
Sponsored by the New York State Council on the Arts, Lothrop Associates, Marshall & Sterling Insurance, and America’s Best Value Inn of New Paltz.
Funded in part by Humanities New York with support from the National Endowment for the Humanities.