The four-week comprehensive series will be made available to the public beginning on November 5, and will provide the community, as well as teachers and students, a new digital educational resource about Haudenosaunee history. As the ongoing pandemic presents new challenges for the community and students to visit the Oneida Indian Nation’s Shako:wi Cultural Center in-person and learn about the Oneida and neighboring Haudenosaunee Nations, the Oneida Indian Nation is offering this original video series as a digital interactive experience that brings the center directly to their screens.

Oneida Indian Nation Homelands (November 2, 2020) – The Oneida Indian Nation is set to launch a new virtual video series exploring, sharing, and celebrating its rich culture and history in recognition of Native American Heritage Month (November 2020). The comprehensive original series will be made available to the public and will also provide teachers and students a new digital educational resource for enlightening students on Haudenosaunee history, in lieu of field trips to the Nation’s Shako:wi Cultural Center amid the coronavirus pandemic.

In years past, schools from across the Central New York region have visited the Shako:wi Cultural Center to enhance the state’s curriculum on Indigenous history and culture. As the ongoing pandemic presents new challenges for students to visit the center in-person and learn about the Oneida and neighboring Haudenosaunee Nations, the Oneida Indian Nation is offering this video series as a digital interactive experience that brings the center to their screens.

Over four weeks in November, the Oneida Indian Nation will publish short vignettes that cover everything from the Oneidas’ role as first allies to the United States, to traditional Oneida artistry and storytelling. It will also bring the Shako:wi Cultural Center to life through a virtual tour and offer exclusive interviews with Oneida Indian Nation Members integral to its construction in 1993 and who will speak to its continued significance for the Oneida people.

“The Oneida Indian Nation has a great deal to share with the local community and the country about Native heritage,” said Oneida Indian Nation Representative Ray Halbritter. “This series not only celebrates our contributions to the founding of the United States of America, but also offers an in-depth look at Native American culture, its meaning, and shares its significance with fellow neighbors and citizens in a new and exciting way.”

Teachers, students, and members of the public will have full access to the series on the Oneida Indian Nation website and will be able to share, offer comments and questions, and interact with friends through the Nation’s Facebook page. Additionally, through the Nation’s Facebook page, the Oneida Indian Nation will be able to respond to comments and answer questions in real-time when videos debut.

The first video is scheduled to debut on Thursday, November 5th at 10am EST and will provide a brief overview of Oneida history, recognizing the Oneidas’ role in the American Revolution, as well as a virtual tour of the Shako:wi Cultural Center and its exhibits.

“The Oneida Indian Nation played a crucial role in the founding of this country but so few people know the complete story,” Halbritter added. “Our cultural center has been a place for students to learn more about that sacred bond formed during the American Revolution. Preserving our history and giving voice to a more complete telling of our collective story is vital for the future generations.”

Each week at 10am ET, videos will premiere on the Nation’s Facebook page, website and its YouTube Channel.

  • Thursday, November 5: Intro to Oneida History & Culture and Shako:wi Cultural Center Virtual Tour
  • Monday, November 9: Regalia and Social Dance
  • Monday, November 16: Legends and Storytelling
  • Monday, November 23: First Allies and the Revolutionary War

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About the Oneida Indian Nation

The Oneida Indian Nation is a federally recognized Indian nation in Central New York. A founding member of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy (also known as the Six Nations or Iroquois Confederacy), the Oneida Indian Nation sided with the Americans in the Revolutionary War and was thanked by Congress and President George Washington for its loyalty and assistance. Today, the Oneida Indian Nation consists of about 1,000 enrolled Members, most of them living in Central New York. The Nation’s enterprises, which employ more than 4,750 people, include Turning Stone Resort Casino, YBR Casino & Sports Book, Point Place Casino, The Lake House at Sylvan Beach, Maple Leaf Markets, SāvOn Convenience stores, RV Park and three marinas. Proceeds from these enterprises are used to rebuild the Nation’s economic base and provide essential services, including housing, health care, and education incentives and programs, to its Members.

 

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Media Contact:
Joel Barkin, VP of Communications
315.361.8173
jbarkin@oneida-nation.org