Join us for a limited-size workshop on Native language and the history of indigigenous people in the Saratoga region, in tandem with our exhibit First Saratogians. Workshop is led by Jesse Bruchac – Language Director, Ndakinna Education Center, Greenfield, NY.

Jesse Bowman Bruchac, a citizen of the Nulhegan Band of the Coosuk Abenaki Nation, became fluent in Abenaki (an Eastern Algonquian language), learning it directly from the last generation of first language speakers. In a transformative program, he introduces the foundational intricacies of Algonquian languages along side his original songs — written to enhance the accessibility and memorability of the language. 

This endeavor encompasses not only the mechanics of language but also delves into the distinctive manners in which our perceptions of self and the surrounding world are molded by linguistic constructs. An examination of the meanings of place names and words loaned into English directly from Algonquian languages as examples. Time for Q&A will also be available toward the end of the program. 

Beyond the acquisition of new vocabulary, the acquisition of a new language opens doors to perspectives and profound connections to ourselves, one another, and with the environment. Jesse is the director of the Middlebury College School of Abenaki and has been a language instructor at the University of Southern Maine over the past seven years. 

In addition to his work with the Abenaki language, he worked to help reawaken Virginian Algonquian during the production of three seasons of the PBS series “Jamestown.” Presently, he is involved in collaborative efforts with the seven tribes of Virginia, united in their pursuit of language revitalization. An underlying theme in Jesse's language-centered initiatives is the integration of music. His compositions hold a central role in the resurgence of the Abenaki language across the Northeast, acting as catalysts for reclamation efforts.

Tickets $15 for general public, $10 for History Museum Members, available HERE.