Native Cultural Educational Interpretive Program - 2011, 2012

Monadnock State Park ~ Gilson Campground Area

It started in 2006 with a fire and story telling weekly at the state park campground area.

In 2010 a new campground area was established and opened to the public at the Gilson Pond entry of Monadnock State Park. A small section of the picnic area in the field looking out over Mt Monadnock (great spirit / mountain that stands alone) was offered for a fire pit and story telling area. During the summer camping season the campers and visitors of the park have been offered a story telling program on Saturday evenings. Many visitors to the park have returned to hear the stories of the Native American people as told by James Beard a.k.a. Noodin, story teller, author of White Mocs on the Red Road: Walking Spirit in a Native Way, and founder of the Northeast American Cultural Resource.

During the summer of 2011, the program is being expanded to include a: ceremony fire area, lodge area, birchbark wigwam, cooking fire pit and a crafting area under tarp cover. The photographs below indicate the ongoing progress of this project:

At Risk Youth Program - 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012

Eye of the Hawk: Last Chance Ranch

An intensive value based program to help youth!

Last Chance Ranch is a program to provide youth with an alternative opportunity when poor decisions have led them to have problems within the community and school.  it is the goal to provide youth with the tools necessary for a productive and successful future.  Encouraging youth to apply better judgment values to their own actions and the actions of their peers.

The program described is an overview. The part described below represents the program piece provided by Northeast American Cultural Resource as contractors to the Last Chance Ranch to utilize this unique approach to helping youth who are considered by the community to be at risk. Each of our facilitators operates as individual consultants working together for the good of the people.

Extraordinary experiences are provided by utilizing the values of Native American traditional teachings. Cultural values are offered to aid youth to find centering from within. Ceremony and Lodges as well as outings and the application of native crafting and music demonstrate the values of community. Legends are told to share the cultural values of a culture that thrived for millennia. A different approach to gain the attention of our youth.

Applications now being taken:

Please call (603) 964-7874.       

Eighth Fire Gathering - 2008, 2009, 2012

The work of Northeast Cultural Resource for this program was to assist in the coordination and gathering of the elders and to assure support for the work to be done.  Eighth Fire Gathering is put on by Sacred Earth Network at Earthlands in Petersham, MA.

A new beginning utilizing the technologies of today while incorporating the teachings that have sustained the America's for tens of thousands of years.  The Eighth Fire Gathering took place at Earthland in Petersham, MA last weekend and left all with a feeling of promise for the future.

Eighth Fire Gathering

Elders from tribal nations throughout the northeastern United States and as far west as Lake Superior spoke to People from all walks of life, interested as citizens of earth.  The message was simple and yet a message that will require great effort by all people.

Building a Network for Sustainability in the Northeast!

Continue to apply green technologies and work to regenerate mother earth!  Be aware that all things must be done, FIRST!, with respect, humility, wisdom, love, bravery, honesty and truth.  That these seven teachings must be applied to all we do.  No one should be excluded and all that is of the universe is equal and related.  This is what the elders show us by demonstrating that everything has a teaching.

The work that was discussed means nothing unless we begin to act!  Sustainability takes the effort of all of the people and requires gaining the attention and respect of all of our brothers and sisters.  We need your efforts to help our mother earth!  These things do not happen by force but by attraction of the people gathering together.

To help please contact:  www.sacredearthnetwork.org .

Sustainability first requires that all people of all races, diversity and cultures work together with respect in a good way. 

Odyssey Traditional Powwow - 2008

Odyssey NH Academy located in Hampton NH.  This program was created for the school to offer a unique experience to the students and staff incorporating a value based philosophy.

Powwow for Odyssey Academy - on site. 

A two day instructional program is provided prior to the powwow to educate the students and staff pertaining to native cultural teachings in preparation for the powwow event.  It is suggested that a particular class; History, Science or other be dedicated to this process in order to accommodate teachings to smaller groups and to assure that all students have the opportunity to participate.

1.       The first classroom day is an introduction to Native American Culture.  It consists of a brief over view of the traditional society of the people and is done utilizing some of the traditional stories of the people together with the use of the musical instruments of the people.

2.       The second classroom day focuses on the powwow event and the customs that correspond to it.  The teachings explain what a powwow is, how to enter the dance circle, the songs and the significance of them to the people and the powwow.

VisionQuest Youth Academy - Ongoing 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009

Native traditional people provide native teachings to troubled youth at alternative juvenile facilities.  Ceremony introducing the teachings of balance and centering are demonstrated.  Work is done in group and one to one with the youth.  Child Care Workers are educated to re-enforce the teachings and incorporate the benefits of the program in the milieu of the program. The teachings used by VisionQuest were given by the Crow People.  In the first picture below and to the right is Dan Old Elk who is one of the original people of VisionQuest.

State Parks - Ongoing 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012

Interpretive story telling is provided at camp sites throughout the summer camping season.  The program features the telling of Native American Stories by the fire and all campers are invited to attend.  Story telling is also provided at camp sites for scout and school groups camping at the parks. Program coordinator is Jim Beard.

Peabody Mill Environmental Center - Completed June 2005

Bring "Kids at Risk" from Souhegan High School to PMEC for day of learning about native people's and construction of 20' x 30' Native American Lodge.  Students would learn about native people's connection to nature; about northeast ceremonies surrounding construction of a lodge; what a lodge (was)is used for; do actual construction, including cutting of poles from the surrounding forest; Lodge would serve us for several years with minimal maintenance, as an additional outdoor classroom, while our new building addition is under construction.

We offer a Woodland Indians class, an Outdoor Awareness Skills class and a Nature Challenge class each summer - each class is offered twice during our summer program, and the lodge will easily tie in with those classes.

The lodge will also serve to provide an outdoor sheltered area for other nature based ongoing programs of PMEC. It would be a gathering place for nature walks, star watching programs and various workshops offered to schools and the community at large.

Mt Kearsage Indian Museum - Completed June 2005

Native painter, Nish Nong did painting of mural in museum and various art through facility to emphasize the artifacts presented.  Reconstruction of case holding native items to better present the artifacts and to properly respect the nature of the pieces being presented.