Visitors to Moundville Archaeological Park will be able to see the making of Native American beadwork firsthand this Saturday, Nov. 17 at 10 a.m.
Beadsmith Cat Sloan will demonstrate techniques such as finger weaving, twining and beading. She will also discuss Native American textiles.
Sloan’s demonstration is part of Moundville’s new Saturday in the Park program, which is designed to educate visitors on the lifestyle of Mississippian Indians who inhabited Moundville in the past.
So far, Saturday in the Park has included a carving demonstration by Daniel Bigay in which he etched traditional Native American designs into different media, such as gourds and shells. Bigay also discussed the making of a flute with river cane and other wooden materials.
In addition to demonstrations, Saturday in the Park features hands-on classes where visitors can make crafts while learning about Native American culture. One upcoming class taught by Moundville education coordinator Betsy Irwin will allow visitors to make holiday ornaments from unconventional materials. Participants will make a corn shuck angel, a dream catcher and a decorated gourd.
Brianne Billingsley, a junior majoring in anthropology with a focus in archaeology, spends much of her class time at Moundville. She said programs like the beadwork demonstration are a great idea for educating the general public about the lives of Native Americans.
“[Beadwork] is a type of art that is not normally studied by other people, so it really gives participants background into the lives of Native Americans,” she said. “[Through these programs], we can get closer to learning how [Native Americans] made things themselves and get a better insight into who they were and why they made these things.”
Demonstrations like this Saturday’s are free and open to the public. However, hands-on class sizes are limited and cost between $20 and $30 with a discount for museum members. Programs usually run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Participants can register for classes by calling (205) 371-8732 or downloading the registration form on Moundville’s website.
For more information on Saturday in the Park and other upcoming programs, visit moundville.ua.edu/programs.
