Explore the rich
tapestry of Native American history and culture by visiting these four museums
and living history sites.
Teepees, Totem Poles,
Tribal Music
On a quiet Sunday morning,
the Peabody Museum of Archeology and Ethnology in Cambridge, Massachusetts, exudes a
feeling of reverence. Perhaps it's the tribal music playing softly in the
background, or the filtered light. As we venture forth, there’s a sense that
the past is this mystery to explore—and respect.
My young daughter
whispers excitedly and pulls me along. She’s attracted to the dioramas of long
houses, round houses, pueblos, teepees, and igloos. These dwellings are unique
but somehow similar to having split levels, colonials, and capes populating our
town. A few of the diorama children are mostly naked, which reminds her of
Mowgli from The Jungle Book. She stops in front of the life-size
powwow dancers, a Sioux man and a Kiowa woman, admiring their colorful outfits
and ornate jewelry.
We step deeper into the
recesses of one room and, suddenly, the massive totem poles light up on
automatic light sensors. My daughter hides behind me, momentarily frightened by
the carved wooden faces from British Columbia.
Meeting a Native
Following the trail
at Plimoth Plantation in the South Shore
town of Plymouth, Massachusetts, we search for the Wampanoag Homesite. At a clearing,
a cooking fire crackles near a traditional wetu (house). A man dressed in
17th-century deerskin clothing uses fire and tools to carve out the insides of
a canoe. He invites us to look inside the wetu, to touch the woven bulrush mats
and furs.
Unlike the Plantation's
1627 English Village, this man is not an actor re-enacting history. He's a
native Wampanoag living nearby and working at Plimoth Plantation to share his
experiences and his culture in this historic setting.
The Circle Quest
To the north is the
unexpected treasure of the Mt. Kearsarge Indian
Museum, 20 minutes northwest
of Concord, New Hampshire. The museum is divided into galleries that showcase
Native Americans of the Northeast, the Southeast, the Southwest, the Plains,
and the Northwest Coast. Each grouping highlights the diverse lifestyles of the
tribes, from their shelters, tools, and clothing to their crafts and ceremonial
artifacts. Tribes in the Northeast used birch bark containers, for example,
while those in the Southwest created painted clay pots. The common threads
throughout are the ways in which these people adapted to the land and respected
nature.
We follow the Circle
Quest, a series of clues to objects in the museum. It makes learning fun, part
of a game. Outside, there’s the Medicine Woods Quest with clues to the native
plants that the Indians used for food, medicine, and shelter. During the year,
the museum offers special events and celebrations that include Native American
craft demonstrations, traditional music, and dance performances. During the
summers, the Indian Museum also has weekly camp programs for children ages 6 to
14.
Past and Present
The Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, Massachusetts, is known for its maritime and East
India trade collections. However, since its founding in 1799, the museum has
also amassed thousands of Native American artifacts and works of art, from
headdresses, beaded moccasins, spear points, and clay pipes to contemporary
paintings, sculpture, and crafts. After viewing the Native American Art
gallery, the Contemporary Native American Art gallery allows us to see how
today's natives view the past, present, and future through their art works.
Visiting these places
helps you put history and culture—and your genealogy—in perspective.
