Join the Mitchell Museum of the American Indian on Saturday, August 9 for an exciting full day of programming with family activities followed by an in-depth lecture about horses and their significance in Native American Culture. Siobhan Marks (Ojibwe) and Mark Denning (Oneida), along with special guest the 2014 Indian Summer Festival ambassador “Medallion the Stallion,” will guide family activities starting at 10:30 am and 1pm followed by Mr. Denning’s presentation on the horse’s impact on Great Lakes tribes at 2:30 p.m.

“Medallion the Stallion” is touring the country from March through August to educate children about the role of horses in Native American history, including Woodlands and Plains tribes. “Our Medallion the Stallion Painted Pony Roadshow includes hands-on activities and learning for children, a Medallion making craft project, and the opportunity to paint life size horses using what you have learned. Kids can also watch and even participate in the Ojibwe Horse Dance,” says Siobhan Marks.

Mark Denning’s lecture will explore in-depth the relationships between Native peoples of the Great Lakes and horses. Native peoples have traditionally regarded the animals in our lives as fellow creatures with which a common destiny is shared. Visitors will learn about the relationship from today to years ago, with the ancestral Pliohippus and the re-introduction of the horse, Equus Cabilas, during the Spanish arrival to the Americas.

The program schedule is as follows:

10:30- 12:00 am: Family Introduction to Horses and Native America with children’s coloring activities. Free with regular museum admission.

1:00-2:00 pm: Medallion the Stallion visits the museum. Learn about the symbolism of the painted horse, and try your hand at painting a life-size horse. Free with regular museum admission.

2:30-4:00 pm: Mark Denning presents “Horses and Great Lakes Tribes.” Explore the role of horses in Great Lakes Tribal Culture. The lecture is $10 for members and $12 for non-members.

For more information, contact visitor.services@mitchellmuseum.org or call (847)475-1030.