Museum celebrates 'Indigenuity'

Museum of Native American History leaders welcomed guests for a reception Oct. 7 at the museum in Bentonville to mark the beginning of the nonprofit organization's fifth annual Native American Cultural Celebration. The three-day celebration Oct. 7-9, titled "Indigenuity: Building a Bridge to the Future," featured a keynote conversation with Daniel Wildcat and Robin Wall Kimmerer.

Organizers say Wildcat "coined the term "'indigenuity,'" which connects indigenous tradition and innovation, simply indigenous ingenuity." Wildcat, a professor at Haskell Indian Nations University in Lawrence, Kan., writes about Indigenous knowledge, technology, environment, and education."

Kimmerer is the author of "Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants" as well as "numerous scientific papers on plant ecology, bryophyte ecology, traditional knowledge and restoration ecology."

Celebration presenters included Indigenous experts from all walks, among them astronauts, artists, musicians, scientists, scholars, "IndigeNerds" and chefs.

Those gathering to kick off the celebration included Tina and Bob Bogle, Jim von Gremp, Monte Boulanger, Marvin Jones, Germaine Simonson, Jeannie McIntire, Bianca Montoya, Uriah Nazario and Gayle Ross, Sandy Edwards, Becky McCoy, DeLinda Mace, Charlotte Buchanan-Yale, Stacy and Rod Bigelow, Jill Wagar, Austen Bailly, Rachel Spencer and Jessie Wagner.

TheatreSquared also played host to a kickoff on Oct. 10 as supporters joined the theater group for a block party in front of the theater on West Avenue and Spring Street in Fayetteville to launch its 16th season.

The evening included live music by Rodney Block and Bijoux, a comedy set by University of Arkansas theater graduate Sarah Colonna and the Historic St. James Missionary Baptist Church choir performing a song inspired by the play "The Mountaintop."

The season also will include productions of "Tiny Beautiful Things," through Dec. 5; "A Christmas Carol," Dec. 3-26; "The Mountaintop," Jan. 19-Feb. 23; "Tiger Style," Feb. 23-April 10; "The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity," April 13-May 8; "Miss You Like Hell," June 1-July 17; and a TheatreSquared world premiere as part of the Arkansas New Play Fest June 29-July 24.

Supporters celebrating the start of Season 16 included Yvette Murphy-Erby, Judy and Bill Schwab, Margaret and Dick Rutherford, Becky and Bob Alexander, Lynn Donald Carver and Joel Carver, Carolyn Allen, Nancy and Jim Blair, Stephen Ivey, William Smith, Carla Renata-Cleo, Denise Thomas, Carmen Cusack, Margaret Whillock, Terrye and Patric Brosh, Debbie Evans and Joyce and Bill Feldman.

For more event photos -- nwadg.com/photos/society.

Columnist Carin Schoppmeyer can be reached by email at [email protected].