The American Porcupine(Erethizon dorsatum), is from the rodent family. It is characterized by the long, sharp quills that line its back and tail. When threatened, a porcupine will bristle its quills and use them as defense against a predator by slapping the tail against the threat. Despite its aggressive appearance, […]
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The museum has the pleasure of greeting visitors from all over the world every year. Since our mission is to support Native people, we encourage our guests to include their tribal affiliation when they sign our Guest Book. Not only do we get to enjoy discovering how many of our […]
Buttons, especially metal military buttons, are often found when archaeologists are excavating the site of a native village. Does this mean that the two groups lived in harmony together? Not necessarily. While it was not unheard of for natives and Europeans to coexist, more commonly, the two relied on each […]
Pipes for the natives typically evoke images of “peace pipes” with long, decorated, stems and a small bowl at the end. But not all tribes used that style of pipe. This example is a traditional pipe, carved in soapstone by David Big Bear. The pipe here is a fetish pipe […]
In response to our invitation for suggestions and questions for Museum Monday features, we were delighted that Becky Rollinson asked if wampum was used as currency by the tribes on the Outer Banks. The word “Wampum” actually comes from the Narragansett (from Rhode Island) and literally means ‘white shell beads.’ […]
As cold, Northern winds blow in, it’s time to remind our visitors of our Winter Schedule. December 10:30 AM – 5:00 PM Tuesday – Sunday We will be closed for Christmas Day January – February 10:30 AM – 5:00 PM Saturday & Sunday ONLY March March 1 – March 21 […]
Last call for a chance at the museum raffle! Check out below for more details This gorgeous dreamcatcher was made right here at the museum! The wolf was lovingly hand-carved into the antler and retains the natural coloring of the antler. Made to resemble a realistic spider web, the dreamcatcher […]
We had a wonderful visit from the Mattamuskeet Early College High School Multicultural Club on the 11th on November. The students and faculty met with our new Assistant Director, Ronnie Franscisco. They enjoyed the inside exhibits while learning facts about the history of the museum and items in the showcases. […]
Something new and exciting has begun at the museum! Last week, a fantastic group of volunteers got together to set in motion an exciting new project for our Nature Trail. In the next few years, we will be slowly turning our trail into a village. Our volunteers laid the foundation […]
The Pacific Northwest is well known for its amazing baskets made from cedar and local grasses. Some baskets made in this are were woven so tightly they were able to easily hold water! The lidded basket that pictured here is approximately 2 inches tall and is common to the Makah […]
As we drift into Autumn, we’ve gotten a new list of suggestions to share from our new interactive Seasons of Change exhibit! Use energy efficient appliances – A.C. Try to not cut down trees Live in harmony and respect nature Education! Teach Indigenous leadership and connect with the Indigenous environment […]
This is a fantastic carving of a bear. The Zuni were, and still are, the most well known for their fetish carving. Wait…did we just say “fetish”? The word may not have the same conotations here as its contemporary use. In this context, the word fetish goes back to its […]