In recognition of National Native American Heritage Month, Shiloh Museum is again partnering with the Arkansas Archeological Survey and about twenty different presenters for the 6th annual Native American Days all-virtual education event on November 19 and 20, 2025. A variety of sessions highlighting the history and culture of Native Americans in Arkansas will be offered live for registered attendees over a span of two days. Session recordings will be available following the two-day event. This event fits Arkansas curriculum standards for grades 5 to 7 but is open to all grades. All sessions over the two days are free but registration is required. See below for information on the 2025 speakers and sessions. To register, click here.
Day 1 Events Include:
We will present live sessions via Zoom which will introduce students to the Native Americans of Arkansas along with sessions about the historical interactions between Native Americans and European explorers. In the very first session on Wednesday morning, November 19, from 9:00-9:25, we will offer an introductory session to the program welcoming students and teachers and to give an overview of the program, introduce the hosts, and offer directions for navigating to sessions and corresponding with presenters.
Day 2 Events Include:
Archeologists will present live sessions via Zoom discussing how they learn about the ways Native Americans lived in Arkansas in the past.
We will send yarn, arrowheads, air-dry clay, and demonstrational sewing supplies for hands-on demonstrations to groups with 10 or more registered students while supplies last. Sessions using supplies will be noted on the schedule and in the materials shipped to each classroom. All registered participants will receive access to a digital page of resources for educators and students as well as recordings of all sessions. Questions about registration, schedules, or content can be directed to Shiloh Museum Education Manager, Judy Costello or Cori Williams, Program Manager.
Below are the scheduled presenters and their programs for Wednesday, November 19:
Kim Hosey, Judy Costello, Michelle Rathgaber, Introduction to Native American Days, 9-9:25
Details coming soon!
Tonia Weavel, Cherokee Clothing, 9:30-9:55
From pre-contact to present day, an historic timeline of clothing styles worn by Cherokees will be presented. Images from basic clothing to adornment will be viewed.
Weavel is currently employed with the Cherokee National Language Department as a cultural specialist. She has over 30 years experience sharing Cherokee culture through lectures, workshops, classes both in person and virtually to local communities, corporate diversity groups and international guests.
Weavel, an award winning textile artist, was granted the distinction of Cherokee National Treasure in 2012 in textiles, an award given to citizens that preserve and perpetuate the culture through art. She was awarded the Moscelyne Larkin Cultural Achievement Award by the Greater Tulsa Area Indian Affairs Commission in 2019.
Chase Earles, Caddo Culture, 10-10:25
In this session Chase will discuss the history and culture of the Caddo people from ancient pre-history into modern times. Topics will include origins, region, timeframes, material culture like pottery, and Native art appreciation.
Born in Oklahoma of the Caddo tribe, Chase Kahwinhut Earles has always been an artist. He discovered his purpose and voice behind his art was to revive and reintroduce his tribe’s prolific pottery tradition to the world as it had almost been lost. He attended SCAD for an art background, and today creates traditional and modern interpretations of his ancestral pottery in order to educate the public and his own people of his tribe’s cultural identity. His work can be seen in museum permanent collections all over the country including the DMA, MiA, Snite, MAM, Mulvane, Carlos, Crystal Bridges, Autry, Eiteljorg, and Gilcrease Museum. Chase Kahwinhut Earles is a member of the Caddo Nation and a traditional Native artist. Earles is an ambassador of Caddo heritage and tradition and a contemporary artist who has his work in over 30 museums nationwide and won numerous awards at prominent Native art shows such as those at Red Earth (Oklahoma City), SWAIA Indian Market (Santa Fe), Cherokee Art Market (OK), Cahokia Art Market (IL), Eiteljorg Indian Art Market (IN), Autry Indian Art Market (CA), and SEASAM (Ada, OK).
paige ford, plum bayou culture/site, Cherokee Potter, 10:30-10:55
Through a historical and archeological perspective, this presentation will compare and contrast the histories and practices of pre-Contact Native American groups. Paige Ford will emphasize cultural relativity, providing basic understanding that though these communities are defined under the umbrella term as “Native American,” they are incredibly diverse with different beliefs and practices, which should be understood in their own contexts. Dr. Ford will use archeological data (i.e., artifacts, features, and more) from cultures like Mississippian peoples, some Plains groups, and Plum Bayou peoples to show how diverse the perspectives and practices of these groups were prior to European contact.
Dr. Paige A. Ford is the Station Archeologist at the Arkansas Archeological Survey’s research station at Plum Bayou Mounds Archeological State Park. Her research focuses around reconstructing the relationships past peoples forged and maintained with one another by looking at how they made and decorated their ceramic vessels. She is passionate about public education, outreach, and advocacy, creating programs that teach the importance of archeology, cultural heritage, and collaboration with descendant communities. At Plum Bayou Mounds, she conducts new research as well as consults and advises state parks onsite preservation and management.
Robert Scott, Parkin Culture/Site, 11-11:25
The Parkin site is a large, well-preserved Late Mississippian and Early Contact period (AD 1300-1600/1650) site on the east bank of the St. Francis River in Cross County, Arkansas. It is a 17-acre village area surrounded on three sides by a wide moat or ditch. A platform mound is located on the west edge of the village immediately adjacent to the St. Francis River. The site is believed to be the Indian village of Casqui visited by the military expedition of Hernando de Soto in 1541. It is the only site in Arkansas where Spanish expeditionary period artifacts have been recovered through controlled scientific excavations by archeologists. Because of its importance for understanding Native American history and prehistory in northeast Arkansas, the “Parkin Indian Mound Site” was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1964 and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1966. Today, the Parkin site is located entirely with the boundaries of Parkin Archeological State Park (PASP).
This presentation will consist of a 15 minute pre-recorded walking tour of the Parkin archeological site. Dr. Scott will show students where archeologists have dug within the site, explain why they chose to dig in those locations, and summarize what was found and learned from those excavations.
Robert J. Scott is the research station archeologist at the Parkin Archeological State Park research station of the Arkansas Archeological Survey. Robert (Bob) received his B.A. from Southern Illinois University Carbondale (2000), his M.A. from the University of Alabama (2004), and his PhD from
Southern Illinois University Carbondale (2018). He worked previously for the Illinois State Museum, the Center for Archaeological Investigations at SIUC, and Panamerican Consultants, Inc (Tuscaloosa). Between 2004 and 2007, he worked as the station assistant at the Survey’s UAM research
station, and served in the same capacity at the ASU research station from 2010 to 2013 and at UAPB from 2010 to 2023. He has conducted archeological excavations in Illinois, Georgia, Alabama and Arkansas and has extensive experience in the laboratory analysis of Native American ceramics, lithics, and faunal remains from sites across east Arkansas. His research interests include the Late Prehistoric and Early Contact periods in the Lower Mississippi Valley, the archeology of colonial era Native Americans, the Late Woodland to Mississippian transition in northeast Arkansas, diaspora and Cahokia’s influence on regional communities in eastern and southeastern Arkansas, and applied zooarchaeology (mollusks).
lisa bailey, mary jacobs, quapaw culture, 11:30-11:55
Details to be announced.
patricia doughty, desoto interaction with casqui, 12-12:25
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Details to be announced.
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ryan smith, european exploration and settlement, 12:30-12:55
Students will discover how the creation of the initial point at Louisiana Purchase State Park was a watershed moment in Arkansas history and had roots going back in the 1700s. Its creation carved the landscape into lines and squares that formed the basis for property ownership that exists today and displaced American Indians that previously lived on these lands, permanently changing the relationship they had with European nations and the United States.
Ryan is a park interpreter at Delta Heritage Trail State Park and Louisiana Purchase State Park. His education background is in forestry from Southern Illinois University Carbondale. He has been with Arkansas State Parks for over 10 years, first at Parkin Archeological State Park and later Delta Heritage Trail State Park and Louisiana Purchase State Park.
matthew rooney, european and indigenous artifacts from 16th to 17th centuries, 1-1:25
Details to be announced.
Michelle Rathgaber, Archeology Lab tour, 1:30-1:55
The Arkansas Archeological Survey, part of the University of Arkansas System, is dedicated to studying, protecting, and sharing the history of archeological sites across the state. Through partnerships with universities, state parks, and the Winthrop Rockefeller Institute, the Survey operates ten research stations, serving as a model for archeological programs worldwide.
Dr. Michelle Rathgaber (PhD-University of Arkansas 2019, MSc-Bournemouth University 2011, BS-University of Wisconsin 2006) is the Educational Outreach Coordinator at the Arkansas Archeological Survey. She has worked as an archeologist since 2007 and has conducted extensive research on the Mississippian time period in eastern Arkansas, looking at how people responded to large-scale earthquakes through time. She has also taught classes about archeology to elementary, middle, and high school students as well as college classes and classes for the general public. Most recently, she co-directed an archeological curation field school for college students interested in working in archeology and archeological museums.
ben swadley, LIthics, 2:00-2:25*
* Demonstration materials can be provided while supplies last. Details to be announced.
Below are the scheduled presenters and their programs for Thursday, November 20:
mel zabecki, what's in an archeologist's bag?, 9-9:25
In “What’s in an Archeologist’s Bag,” Mel Zabecki will unpack her dig bag and discuss the different tools she and other archeologists use to perform scientific and systematic excavations at archeological sites.
Melissa (Mel) Zabecki is the Arkansas State Archeologist. She received her BA in Anthropology from Mount Holyoke College in Western Massachusetts and her MA and PhD from the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville. She began her career as an ancient Egyptian bioarcheologist, working at various cemeteries around Egypt, learning about past lifeways while adjunct instructing at a few different universities. Then, she became a Park Interpreter for Arkansas State Parks, where she not only became well-versed in educating the public, but learned about American archeology. Mel joined the Arkansas Archeological Survey as its Education Outreach Coordinator and then moved into the State Archeologist position. As State Archeologist, Mel collaborates with the Arkansas Archeological Survey station archeologists, multiple federal and state agencies, as well as private citizens to help spread awareness of the rich history of Arkansas and the importance of protecting archeological sites from destruction.
betty gaedtke, quapaw pottery, 9:30-9:55 *
* Demonstration materials can be provided while supplies last. Details to be announced.
Madelyn Rose, 3D Printing Artifacts, 10-10:25
This presentation introduces students to the exciting intersection of archeology and technology. Students will learn how the Arkansas Archeological Survey uses 3D scanning and printing to preserve, study, and share artifacts from sites. The process allows researchers to create detailed replicas of fragile or hard-to-access objects, making archeology more interactive and accessible. This demonstration will explore how these technologies are changing the way we study and understand the past.
Madelyn graduated with her Bachelor’s in Art History and Cultural Anthropology from the University of Arkansas in 2018. She started working at the University of Arkansas Museum as an undergraduate in 2014, where she then transferred to work at the Arkansas Archeological Survey in 2015. Since then, she has worked in various capacities at the Survey, from lab technician to lab lead to Assistant Registrar, where she runs the 3D Technology Lab. She is currently working towards her Master’s in Library and Information Sciences through University of Oklahoma Online, where she is set to graduate Spring 2025.
Curriculum Ties/Objectives
1. Introduce the basics of 3D scanning and printing – Explain how 3D scanning captures detailed images of artifacts and how 3D printing creates replicas from those scans.
2. Demonstrate the application of 3D technology in archeology – Show how archeologists at the Survey use these tools to preserve artifacts and conduct research.
3. Engage students in the technological process – Show students the process in action, with examples of scanned artifacts and printed replicas.
4. Highlight the importance of preserving cultural heritage – Discuss the significance of using technology to document and share artifacts that may otherwise be inaccessible to the public.
Jennifer Frazee, Choctaw Twining, 10:30-10:55*
Twining is a fiber arts skill practiced by many indigenous communities for centuries. The process is a method of weaving fibers into material that can be used as cloth for clothing, shoe soles, bags for gathering, foraging, and carrying essentials, etc. This session will give a brief history of the skill, its uses, and offer a demonstration of how the process works.
Jennifer Frazee graduated with her Masters in American Studies and began her history career with the Oklahoma Historical Society in 2013 at Hunter’s Home in Park Hill Cherokee Nation. She has developed and conducted living history programs, educational tours for Hunter’s Home and other agency sites and partners as a historical interpreter until her recent promotion to Fort Gibson Historic Site. She works with educators and historians to develop supplemental educational materials for schools, colleges, and universities. Jennifer currently serves Oklahomans as director of Fort Gibson Historic Site where she and staff collect, preserve, and share the history of that region with visitors.
* Demonstration materials can be provided while supplies last.
T'ata Begay, Choctaw Code Talkers, 11-11:25
Details to be announced.
lisa rutherford, cherokee moccasins, 11:30-11:55*
Lisa Rutherford will discuss Cherokee moccasins and demonstrate making a pair of center-seam pucker toe moccasins from deerskin. Other examples of beadwork and decoration will also be shown.
Lisa Rutherford (Cherokee Nation) is a full-time artist specializing in pottery and textiles. Rutherford began making ancestral style pottery in 2005 and began researching and making historic clothing, including feather capes and mantles, twined textiles and 18th-century Cherokee clothing. She is a 1986 graduate of Northeastern State University (Oklahoma) and in 2009 participated in the Oklahoma Arts Council’s Leadership Arts program. In 2014, Rutherford was selected for the Art Leadership Program at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian, studying twined textiles, historic clothing and beadwork, and feather capes.
In 2018, she was named a Cherokee National Treasure by the Cherokee Nation for her work in preserving and promoting Cherokee pottery and culture.
Her work is in collections, including the Smithsonian Museum’s National Museum of the American Indian, the Eiteljorg Museum of American Indian and Western Art, the Fred Jones, Jr. Museum at OU, the McClung Museum, University of Tennessee, Knoxville and the Cherokee National History Museum in Tahlequah, Oklahoma.
* Demonstration materials can be provided while supplies last.
Sasha Bowles, Cherokees Through Arkansas, 12-12:25
Cherokees are not typically the first tribe that comes to mind when referring to tribes historically in Arkansas. They, however, began moving into Arkansas in the 1700s. We will look at the reasons Cherokees moved to Arkansas before removal, what prompted their move to other areas of Arkansas, and the issues that led to the Trail of Tears; their removal through Arkansas.
Sasha is a Park Interpreter II for the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage, and Tourism at Lake Dardanelle State Park in Russellville. Lake Dardanelle State Park is a registered Trail of Tears site. Sasha is a tribal citizen of the Cherokee Nation and the Past President of the Arkansas Chapter of the Trail of Tears Association. She spends much of her time sharing Cherokee history as well as the history of the area with local schools, civic groups, and park visitors.
cathy abercrombie, TBA, 12:30-12:55
Details to be announced.
Emily bartz, experimental archeology, 1-1:25
Details to be announced.
Emily Beahm, Native Plants, 1:30-1:55
Details to be announced.
michelle rathgaber, How Do we know all this stuff?, 2:00-2:25
Michelle Rathgaber will discuss how archeologists use artifacts, soil stains, and other evidence in the ground to help to draw conclusions about how people lived in the past. She will talk about making links between the artifacts and evidence that is found at archeological sites and how those things might have been used by people in the past. In addition to Dr. Mel Zabecki’s program “What’s in an Archeologist’s Bag?” from Day 1, this program will help to introduce some of the concepts and terms that many of the archeologists presenting on Day 2 may use during their programs.
Dr. Michelle Rathgaber (PhD-University of Arkansas 2019, MSc-Bournemouth University 2011, BS-University of Wisconsin 2006) is the Educational Outreach Coordinator at the Arkansas Archeological Survey. She has worked as an archeologist since 2007 and has conducted extensive research on the Mississippian time period in eastern Arkansas, looking at how people responded to large-scale earthquakes through time. She has also taught classes about archeology to elementary, middle, and high school students as well as college classes and classes for the general public. Most recently, she co-directed an archeological curation field school for college students interested in working in archeology and archeological museums.