What We Do: Woodland Indian Educational Programs (WIEP) conducts interactive programs and engaging demonstrations, provides exhibit materials and consulting services, facilitates professional workshops and supplies educational materials/illustrations highlighting the Indigenous past of the Eastern Woodlands.* Our public outreach programs are on site, supporting the interpretation goals of museums, heritage sites, powwows and cultural events, etc.**
*Though cultural-history is our focus, we understand Native history needs to be taught in context, which is why we reference continuing traditions and contemporary communities as part of our usual dialogue. Many of our public programs are conducted alongside Indigenous voices. We encourage organizations and educators we work with to continue the narrative and include contemporary Native voices.
**Currently WIEP is unable to conduct public programs, demonstrations and workshops due to Jessica’s health, however Jessica is still consulting and providing exhibit materials as she is able to, from her home.
-
Our Mission: Our mission is to contribute to the general public’s awareness of Indigenous history here in Eastern North America.* WIEP content emphasizes everyday culture, including topics often overlooked (or ignored) by conventional educational outlets such as plant-derived textiles (material culture), the maple sugar trade (economic culture), and women’s autonomy (social culture). We use an anthropological approach in both research and interpretation, utilizing (and scrutinizing) first-hand accounts, academic interpretations, archaeological evidence, ancient technologies recreations, and Indigenous knowledge... all for a more comprehensive understanding of the past. This includes weeding out inaccuracies and addressing deep-rooted myths and stereotypes (past and present).
*A Double Mission: Our mission to share and educate the general audiences is just one side of WIEP's work… the more public side. We also freely share knowledge, sources, and media to Native organizations and educators, supporting Indigenous teachers and their students/community groups (like regalia classes, culture-skill camps, etc.). This is WIEP's lesser known mission, though not of lesser importance.
-
Our Truths: Native American history is not a sidekick to colonial history - the Indigenous past is the first history of this land, and a continuing narrative to present day. Native history stands alone as a subject. It is complex and multifaceted. There is nothing simple about the people declared “discovered” by a Western rationality. Since the first waves of European colonization on Turtle Island (North America), Native history has been told and controlled largely by non-Natives. Early Anglo historians and authorities manipulated the image of "the Indian" to support a narrative of Anglo superiority to Indigenous "races." Authors published articles and poetry celebrating the withdraw and impending extinction of Indian Peoples, thus creating the illusion of vacant spaces free for the industrious pioneer to claim (including settler-squatters)... regardless to the fact that the space was not empty and The People not extinct. These so-called histories (particularly of the 19th century) did less to archive culture factually than to sooth the collective conscience of Western-descended peoples living on Indian Land. Though very nuanced, many mainstream history lessons today still justify past aggressions and proclaim the inevitability of past events. Colonization as it was carried out, including Indian Removal, was not inevitable. We teach a history we take responsibility for, therefore we responsibly teach history. We know that even the history of our history is complicated. And settler history is but a small notch in the long timeline of Native history and occupancy on Turtle Island. This land is Indian Land,… every… last… square… inch. These are not just our truths - this is the actual historical truth. We recognize that truth, we accept that truth, and we teach from a foundation firmly built on that truth.
-
Click here to learn more about who we are.
|
