PRESS RELEASE 

Portland, IN – July 28,2003 - The National Center for Great Lakes Native American Culture, Inc. is finalizing plans for their 6th Great Lakes Native American Arts and Crafts Workshops, which will be held August 3 through 8 at the Old Mill Run Park near Thorntown, Indiana.  Old Mill Run Park is located within the 1818 Thorntown Reserve of the Eel River Band of Miami Indians.  

  The Workshops explore the arts, crafts and history of Great Lakes Native Americans through hands-on classes taught by Native American tradition bearers, talented artisans and experts on Native American culture.  Tradition bearers and participants are expected from 10 states, Canada and Sweden.

  Participants may learn how to make Woodland-style coiled pottery (pit-fired on the spot), women’s beaded hair ornaments, personal hand drums, personal dipper gourd rattles, rawhide Parfleches, boxes or personal rattles, hand-carved wooden spoons, pictograph rock painting, Woodlands elk-hide moccasins, coiled sweet grass baskets, basic fingerwoven sashes, black ash baskets, or learn the techniques for Great Lakes-style silversmithing, the art of storytelling, techniques for Great Lakes porcupine quill twining or embroidery or herbal traditions.  There also will be a Native American cultural immersion class for children ages 6 – 11.  

  Cost for each 2½ day class is $70 plus a small supply fee paid directly to the instructor, except for the silversmithing class which takes the entire week and costs $140.

  Evening entertainment includes viewing of the documentary on the Delaware in Indiana Long Journey Home: The Delawares of Indiana, featuring, among others, the family of Dee and Annette Ketchum of Bartlesville, Oklahoma.  This film was produced by Indianapolis Public Television WFYI, Michael Atwood, Clayton Taylor and writer Rita Kohn with special assistance from the Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust.   

  For more workshop information, please contact Karen Cochrane at Karen.cochrane@ncglnac.com (765-566-2334) or Kay Neumayr at kay.neumayr@ncglnac.com (765-572-2574).  The National Center for Great Lakes Native American Culture, Inc. may also be accessed at their website www.ncglnac.com. 

   The National Center for Great Lakes Native American Culture, Inc. was formed in June 2001 as a not-for-profit, 501(c)3 organization.  The Center, located in Portland, Indiana, is composed of Native and non-Native members whose mission is to continue and preserve traditional Great Lakes Native American art, history and culture by helping pass those traditions on to Native people and by educating the general public about the importance of Great Lakes Native art, history and culture.