Tribal Tales from the Rivers Edge explores Lewis and Clark from a Native perspective
President Thomas Jefferson sent explorers Meriwether Lewis and William Clark on an unprecedented mission from 1804 to 1806 to explore the newly acquired Louisiana Purchase. Along their 7,000-plus-mile journey, the Corps of Discovery collected stories, songs and artifacts from the dozens of distinct Native American cultures they encountered in their journey west from their starting point in Wood River, Ill., to the Pacific Ocean.
During the History Speaks Lecture Series: Tribal Tales from the Rivers Edge that will be held from 4 to 5 p.m. Sunday, March 13 at Naper Settlement, Brian "Fox" Ellis will share both the folklore and true history from the American Indians the explorers met along the way.
"For the bicentennial of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, there was some criticism raised by the American Indian community about its impact on the tribal folks living along the river, and there is no doubt that Lewis and Clark would not have survived without the generosity of Native People," Ellis said. "I wrote this program to explore Lewis and Clark from a different perspective."
He hopes that the audience will walk away with a deeper respect for the Native people along the rivers.
"The thing I like best and the audience seems to enjoy most are these other voices, stories that most folks do not know, stories about the many encounters with the various tribes along the river," he said.
In addition to learning some surprising stories about the famous members of the expedition, including Sacajewa, Ellis said the audience will also learn a few Native songs, so they should come prepared to sing-a-long.
"We thought this program would complement our Maple Sugaring Spring Fever event being held March 12-13 and the connection to the Native Americans' tradition of tapping trees to make maple sugar," said Lead Museum Educator Cindy Lackore. "Brian's knowledge of Native American history is phenomenal and our audience always enjoys his programs."
Ellis is part Cherokee and has studied with native Elders from several tribes. He has performed at Powwows and Native Gatherings across North America. In recent years, he was invited to perform at the Apple River Fort near Galena, Ill., for their commemoration of the Black Hawk War and for a group of Sauk and Fox Elders at the Black Hawk Museum in Rock Island. He has presented at the Trail of Tears Museum in the foothills of The Smokey Mountains and at the Assiniboine Reservation for a conference on "Seeing the Prairie Through Native Eyes."
The History Speaks Lecture Series is held at Century Memorial Chapel, 523 S. Webster St., Naperville. Day of event tickets are $7 adults, $6 youth (4-12), students and Settlement-6 and above members. Advance tickets save $1 each; call (630) 420-6010.
About Naper Settlement and the Naperville Heritage Society
Naper Settlement is a nationally accredited, award-winning outdoor museum set on 12 magnificent acres in the heart of Naperville, where history comes to play and community comes to connect. The Naperville Heritage Society is the administrator of Naper Settlement. With a commitment to the community and a focus to the future, the mission of the Naperville Heritage Society is to collect, document, preserve and support the history of Naperville, Illinois, past and present. For more information, visit www.napersettlement.org or call (630) 420-6010.