ST. MARY’S CITY, Md. — Indigenous Heritage Day, a culturally enriching annual event for all ages, will be held at Historic St. Mary’s City (HSMC) on Saturday, September 9, 2023, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The outdoor museum’s Woodland Indian Hamlet exhibit area will host ongoing demonstrations celebrating the history, culture, and traditions of Native American communities.
Among the day’s highlights, attendees can look forward to a 1 p.m. performance by Mark Tayac and the Piscataway Nation Singers & Dancers. Coming from Tayac Territory (Port Tobacco, MD), they will present a colorful, educational, and entertaining pow-wow-style event that features American Indian Dance, Drum, and song. The interactive session will allow community members of all ages to participate in American Indian Dance and song.
Another key event feature will be Drew Shuptar-Rayvis and his program “Eight Coats, Seven Shirts, Fifteen Fathom Wampum: Early Colonial Settlement and the First Deeds,” suitable for ages eight through adults. Shuptar-Rayvis will be available from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., engaging the audience with demonstrations and discussions on various topics. These include the relationships between Dutch, Swedish, English, and Algonkian peoples, the adaptation of Native American life to European settlement, and major early colonial conflicts like the Peach War, Kieft’s War, King Phillip’s War, and King William’s War.
Historic St. Mary’s City will also offer hands-on learning opportunities, with demonstrations on crafting stone and bone tools, corn husk dolls, leather bags, hide tanning, pottery, food preparation, and wampum making throughout the day.
The event will rain or shine at the Woodland Indian Hamlet exhibit on the museum grounds. Admission costs are $10 for adults, $9 for seniors, $6 for youth (6-18), and free for those 5 years and younger and museum members. Tickets will be available at The Shop at Farthing’s Ordinary (47414 Old State House Road) or the HSMC Visitor Center (18751 Hogaboom Lane, St. Mary’s City, Md 20686).