Living History Clinics
A Sampling of Living History Clinics Past…
Jeff, in native garb, demonstrates the terrifying effect of an Iroquois warrior rushing an enemy crying his war-whoop and brandishing a tomahawk. Was it effective? Maybe ask the guy in blue…
Clinic: Battle of Cobleskill: (interactive, demonstrations, audience participation)
The first of New York’s Revolutionary War “Border Wars” May 30, 1778. Warfare skills of the Continental, militia, Loyalist and Native combatants, weapons used, how landscape impacted the battle, tactics and strategy. This clinic style can be done for any engagement that occurred in upstate New York where European-style warfare collided or combined with Native American tactics.
Jeff, again dressed as an Iroquois warrior, leads a raiding demonstration back in the days he led the Stone Fort Volunteer Militia. When employed correctly and allowed to fight in their own way when attached to British or American armies, the Iroquois warrior was a superior soldier who was fearless and much feared.
Clinic: Anatomy of a Raid: (interactive)
Frontier life during the American Revolution, terror and destruction of foodstuff as a strategy, goals and objectives of quick-hitting raids, life and death decisions, defending against raids, captivity, personal accounts.
Jeff, now dressed as a militia captain, explains battle tactics of the 18th century. Linear formations, massed volley fire and disciplined marching to perform strategic maneuvers while under fire were all part of the drilling part-time soldiers called to war from their farms and trades were forced to learn to defend their homes.
This style of clinic can be tailored for any period of similar conflict from Hudson’s arrival to the Revolution; it can also be customized to any specific raid or area.
Clinic: Wampum Belt Making (interactive, hands-on materials, audience participation)
A re-created wampum belt of the Five, and later, Six Nations, who call themselves Hodenosaunee, “People of the Long House.” Shown here are strings of glass white and purple wampum between shells that the original wampum beads were made from.
A young person weaves a string of wampum to a re-creation of the “Two-Row” wampum belt. This belt is a symbol of how two different peoples can co-exist as they travel the same river, or path, as long as each allows the other to live their lives under their own set of laws and customs without interference. It was often a belt that verified the good intentions behind treaties and alliances, which caused it to sometimes be called a friendship belt.
Making an Iroquois wampum belt; the Iroquois creation story, the Peacemaker and the Confederacy, the importance of wampum and how it was made, early trade with Europeans, belt symbols & patterns and their meanings, belt making demonstration & teaching audience to help add strings to a “Two Row” belt in progress.
Clinic: The Schoharie Indians: (intereactive, audience participation)
Pre-historic occupation of the Schoharie Valley, the beginning of the last occupation, Schoharie Mohawks and the Five (later Six) Nations, their relationship with the Palatines and Dutch, Seth, the French Wars, Seth’s Henry, The American Revolution. This clinic can be expanded to an in-depth look at the Mohawks and their relationship with the Dutch, French and English from Hudson’s arrival through the American Revolution or any specific period inbetween.
A view of Vromans Nose on the right and the ancestral home of the Schoharie Indians on the valley floor below on the left. This was no doubt a sacred place to the Schoharie Mohawks and later adopted remnants of the River Indians from Schaghticoke, who combined became known as the Schoharie Indians.
Clinic: The Tin Cone Jingler: (interactive, hands on materials, audience participation)
The tin cone and deer hair jingler was a popular native decorative item that adorned pouches, clothing and accoutrements.
A blend of European trade and traditional native decorative arts, it is a small, easy to make, yet ideal, object that helps explain colonial trade and how it affected both native and colonial dress. Children will have an opportunity to make one they can take home with them.
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