Native American issues and culture will be featured in the second annual Claire M. Hubbard First Peoples of the Plains Lecture and related events Oct. 10-12.
The University of Nebraska State Museum hosts author and educator Virginia Driving Hawk Sneve and attorney Gena Timberman for the Hubbard lecture, 7 p.m. Oct. 10 at the Sheldon Museum of Art, 12th and R streets. A public reception is 6 p.m. in the museum’s Great Hall.
Both speakers are highlighted in the College of Journalism and Mass Communication’s Native Daughters project — a collection of stories, profiles and multimedia projects about a diverse group of Native American women.
Other First Peoples events include a quilt display and family fun event, both at the International Quilt Study Center and Museum.
For the Hubbard lecture, Sneve will discuss “From Myth to Reality,” exploring Native American women’s adaptability over time. Timberman’s lecture is “The Vehicles Through Which We Speak: Cultural Programs and the Value They Bring to Our Lives.”
The lectures are followed by a question-and-answer discussion with the audience. The session will be moderated by Judi gaiashkibos, executive director of the Nebraska Commission on Indian Affairs.
Sneve, who lives in Rapid City, S.D., is an enrolled member of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe. She has published 25 books, most recently “Standing Bear of the Ponca” (University of Nebraska Press).
Timberman is a member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma and lives in Oklahoma City. She is president of the board of directors of the Oklahoma Museums Association and is principal of the Luksi Group.
The First Peoples events conclude with a “Family Fun Afternoon,” 1 to 4 p.m. Oct. 12 at the International Quilt Study Center and Museum. The quilt museum is also showing “Native American Star Quilts” in an exhibition that closes Oct. 12. Admission to the event is free.
The quilt museum event will include a presentation by a Native American storyteller and family-friendly activities for children of all ages.
“The International Quilt Study Center and Museum is excited to partner with the Hubbard Lecture First Peoples of the Plains, because it allows us to showcase spectacular examples of Native American quilts and quiltmaking traditions,” said Leslie Levy, executive director of the museum. “These pieces are truly gems of our collection, and we are delighted to share them with our community as part of this series.”
At 2 p.m., storyteller Matthew “Sitting Bear” Jones will discuss “The Otoe Missouria Tribe: The Forgotten Nebrakans.”
Jones is a member of the Iowa/Otoe-Missouria tribe. The presentation will include a glimpse into the tribe’s lives, lifestyles and the personal feelings Jones has toward the people who once lived and hunted on the Nebraska prairie.
Jones will deliver the presentation attired in Native American dress. He has been involved in the revival of the rich oral tradition of storytelling for more than 20 years. He has worked on television scripts for NET Television and is winner of several awards. He also served as a consultant on films, including “Dances With Wolves.”
The lecture and surrounding events are made possible by contributions from Dr. Anne M. Hubbard and the Claire M. Hubbard Foundation. The goal is to help advance the understanding and appreciation of the cultural heritage of the First Peoples of the Plains.
“We are very grateful to Dr. Anne Hubbard for her generous gift in memory of her mother, Claire M. Hubbard, to endow this Native American lecture series for the university,” said Patricia Grew, director of the NU State Museum. “The Hubbard sponsorship makes it possible to bring these distinguished visitors to campus and to offer free public admission to these events.”
For more information on the Hubbard Lecture, click here. Information on the International Quilt Study Center and Museum event is available at http://go.unl.edu/cggh.
