The University of Southern Mississippi’s Center for American Indian Research and Studies will host a four-part series of public lectures and demonstrations exploring how Native Ancestors across the southeast used native plants, shells and soils in their daily lives. The program series, entitled “Yakni Achukma, Okla Achukma (Healthy Land, Healthy People),” is supported with a grant from the Mississippi Humanities Council and will take place at the Southern Miss Medicine Wheel Garden located on the USM campus.
The lecture and demonstrations series begins Feb. 18 at 10:00 a.m. the Southern Miss Medicine Wheel Garden located on the USM campus near the Liberal Arts Building. Jeanette Stone, a retired educator with 20 years of expertise experimenting with natural fibers, will discuss “Plant-Based Cordage and Fibers.” Her presentation will explore techniques of the Southeastern Muskogean communities for using plant materials such as yucca and palmetto plant leaves, cattails, tree bark and Spanish moss to create ropes for fishing nets, as well as for crafting clothing, belts, moccasins and more.
The lecture and demonstration series is free and open to the public. Future program topics will include shell carving, medicine making and creating pigments from plants.
