The annual celebration of Cayuga and Haudenosaunee culture includes informative lectures and a peach tree planting.
Wells College is pleased to once again host events for the Peachtown Native American Festival and Education Series, taking place September 19 to 23 on the Wells campus. Events during the week offer a chance for the Wells community to learn about the culture and continuing history of the region, including the land on which the College was built, and attend a ceremonial peach tree planting. All events are free, and the public is welcome.
The week’s schedule includes:
Monday, September 19:
12:20 p.m., Zabriskie Lecture Hall (106): “Haudenosaunee Biocultural Restoration.” Neil Patterson, assistant director of the Center for Native Peoples and the Environment at SUNY-ESF, will explain how approaches for restoring relationships between human beings and the Natural World are featured in the work of the Haudenosaunee Environmental Task Force and their Center for over the last twenty years, including the Tuscarora Migration Project, food sovereignty efforts and other environmental protection programs grounded in the biophysical and cultural systems of the Haudenosaunee people.
Thursday, September 22:
12:20 p.m., Stratton Lecture Hall: “After Many Years: the History of Peachtown and the Work of the SHARE Farm.” Dan Hill, member of the Heron Clan of the Cayuga Nation and the caretaker of the Cayuga Strengthening Haudenosaunee-American Relations through Education (SHARE) farm, will discuss the history of how the farm came to be, its ongoing importance moving into its second decade of existence, and the need to recognize Cayuga people in their homelands in which Wells College lives. Dan Hill is part of the Haudenosaunee Environmental Task Force and has taught Wells College First Nations and Indigenous studies classes at the SHARE farm in Union Springs.
Friday, September 23:
4 – 5 p.m., President’s House & Lawn: Peach Tree planting with Cayuga and President Gibralter. Wells College will commemorate the Clinton Sullivan Campaign by planting a peach tree with President Gibralter and Cayuga at the President’s house lawn.
These events are held in collaboration with the Cayuga Nation, Wells’ Center for Sustainability and the Environment, and the First Nations and Indigenous Studies Program.
Wells College is a nationally recognized private coeducational liberal arts college located in Aurora, New York, on the eastern shore of Cayuga Lake. Established in 1868, Wells has remained committed to providing a quality education to students through small, interactive classes in multiple disciplines and engaging coursework relevant to life in a changing world. Integrated hands-on learning opportunities, a connected community, and diverse educational opportunities give students the ability to take part in their own educations and prepare them to be active citizens and leaders.
