May 11th is National Day of the Bead, so let’s talk about the most infamous bead from the East Coast, Wampum! What was it? The word “Wampum” actually comes from the Nanhigganeuck (Narragansett) word wampumeag and literally means ‘white shell beads’. Though often thought to be the name of the […]
Local History
19 posts
Will you be here on the island May 6th? Then you definitely want to check out our special guest Gray Michael Parsons to hear him speak on the frequently overlooked Chief Wingina. Who Was Chief Wingina? Where did he live? Why is he important? Why don’t we hear about him […]
Clay can be found across the globe and is often considered a nuisance to gardeners. But how does it go from being in the ground to a material that is able to be formed? The first step is digging the clay from the earth. At this point, it’s easy to […]
Tools & Weaponry of the Eastern Woodland People Shane Rader came for Day 2 of our Voices of the Past event to share his vast knowledge of both tools and weaponry. Many examples he brought were tools that he has crafted himself or uses on a regular basis. There were […]
Songs & Dances of the Eastern Woodland People This event was enjoyed by all that visited! Jack Mcclung came in full regalia to teach, share, and create a space where people could feel welcome to participate in several of the dances. Beginning with two welcome songs, it set the whole […]
We have two more sessions available this summer for visitors to learn about Chief Wingina of the Hattorask from GrayHawk Parsons. Gray is a local historian and author that has heritage in the Machapunga-Matamuskeet people. He was able to get adults and kids alike to peer into the past and […]
A while back, a visitor asked whether 1) sea oats were edible and 2) did indigenous people here eat them if they were? It’s taken a bit to finally answer this question because there’s not a lot of information focused on the edibility of them from reliable resources. But we’re […]
As many of you know by now, the snow storm that hit the east coast on January 22nd did not overlook the Outer Banks. While they predicted only up to about 3 inches at first, reports were between 7-9 by the end of the day from Nags Head to Ocracoke! […]
When we announced a GoFundMe to try and raise funds for a very large outdoor sign, we were delighted to reach our goal with mind-blowing speed! We sent it ASAP to Hatteras Island Vinyl Graphics in Buxton and waited patiently for the call. We knew it would be special but […]
A newly published paper on 22 new species of gall wasp may not be something you’d ever consider as having any connection to Native American culture. Most people have seen a gall before. A strange growth on a plant that makes the stem bumpy or puffed up. Sometimes little furry […]
If you’ve been to any of our amazing summer classes you’ve been able to see one of our latest accomplishments in person. Our Natural History Center was recently remodeled to provide a unique classroom experience of being out in nature without concerns like mosquito swarms. One of the things at […]
