Native American Holiday Arts and Crafts Market

Litchfield Hills is dotted with many holiday fairs and festivals.  For those that are looking for something really unusual, take a trip to the Institute for American Indian Studies on 38 Curtis Road in Washington Connecticut to shop for authentic Native American Arts and Crafts.

At the Institute’s annual Native American Holiday Arts and Crafts Market you will find a wide array of unusual holiday gifts from local Native American crafters.  The Native American Holiday Arts and Crafts Market is taking place at the Institute on November 24 and 25, December 1 and 2, and December 8 and 9.  This special Native American Holiday Market will be open Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Sundays from 12 noon to 5 p.m.  The entrance to the Holiday Market is free!

Here you will find something truly unique for everyone from Native American jewelers, and artists that offer their creations at a variety of price points!  A highlight of the Market is the chance to meet and buy directly from the artists while learning about contemporary Native American art, crafts, and cultures. Just some of the treasures to be found here are decorative gourds, pottery, jewelry, rattles, artwork, flutes, and much more!

Litchfield Hills Archaeology Club Lecture

If you are at the Holiday Market on December 2 and have an interest in archeology and Native American Culture you might want to pop into the Litchfield Hills Archaeology Club Lecture Series from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.   Dr. Nicholas Bellantoni, Associate Professor at UCONN and emeritus State Archaeologist, will be discussing his new book The Long Journey Home: The Repatriations of Henry ‘Opukah’ia and Albert Afraid of Hawk. 

The book chronicles the repatriation of the remains of two Native men and the efforts of those involved in the process.  Dr. Bellantoni will give a lively talk discussing his involvement in the project and the writing of his book. Copies of his book will be available in the gift shop for purchase and Dr. Bellantoni will be on hand after the lecture to answer questions and sign books.

About Institute For American Indian Studies 

Located on 15 woodland acres the IAIS has an outdoor Three Sisters and Healing Plants Gardens as well as a replicated 16th c. Algonquian Village.  Inside the museum, authentic artifacts are displayed in permanent, semi-permanent and temporary exhibits from prehistory to the present that allows visitors a walk through time. The Institute for American Indian Studies is located on 38 Curtis Road in Washington Connecticut and can be reached online or by calling 860-868-0518.

The Institute for American Indian Studies preserves and educates through discovery and creativity the diverse traditions, vitality, and knowledge of Native American cultures. Through archaeology, the IAIS is able to build new understandings of the world and history of Native Americans; the focus is on stewardship and preservation.  This is achieved through workshops, special events, and education for students of all ages.

Beaver Moon Walk - November 23

The Institute for American Indian Studies located on 38 Curtis Road in Washington Connecticut has planned a variety of events for November and December that will be fun for the entire family from learning about the Beaver Moon and joining the Litchfield Hills Archaeology Club for a lecture to shopping for authentic Native American Arts and Crafts at the Annual Holiday Market.

Beaver Moon Walk

November 23 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. is the perfect time to get outside and walk off some of that Thanksgiving Day Dinner with the staff of the Institute.  On this walk, weather permitting guests will learn about the Beaver Moon, nighttime phenomena that people in the Eastern Woodlands have been experiencing for thousands of years.


The Beaver Moon that occurs only in November is more important than you think because it signals the start of winter and is the closest the moon gets to the Earth in its lunar cycle which is why it looks so full.  Symbolic Native American full moon names offer a personality to each month.  In November, Native Americans knew that beavers come into their fullness and would set traps for them early in the month.


The walk concludes with hot cider by the fire in the Institute’s replicated Algonquian Village. The cost of this walk is free for members of IAIS and $5 for nonmembers.

About Institute For American Indian Studies 

Located on 15 woodland acres the IAIS has an outdoor Three Sisters and Healing Plants Gardens as well as a replicated 16th c. Algonkian Village.  Inside the museum, authentic artifacts are displayed in permanent, semi-permanent and temporary exhibits from prehistory to the present that allows visitors a walk through time. The Institute for American Indian Studies is located on 38 Curtis Road in Washington Connecticut and can be reached online or by calling 860-868-0518.

The Institute for American Indian Studies preserves and educates through discovery and creativity the diverse traditions, vitality, and knowledge of Native American cultures. Through archaeology, the IAIS is able to build new understandings of the world and history of Native Americans; the focus is on stewardship and preservation.  This is achieved through workshops, special events, and education for students of all ages.

Medicinal Monday - Sassafras

Sassafras is such a whimsical name for a small deciduous tree that is native to Eastern North America. Native Americans used sassafras wood for dugout canoes and used its leaves, roots, and bark medicinally.

About Sassafras

This small but sturdy tree that grows between 18 and 20 feet in height with a truck that ranges from one to two feet in diameter in the northern range. In the southern range of her growth area, a sassafras tree can grow up to 100 feet high.  One unusual feature among several in regard to this tree is that it has three distinct leaf patterns on the same tree: unlobed oval, bilobed that resemble a mitten shape and trilobed or three-pronged leaves. The entire tree gives off a scent, young leaves produce a citrus-like scent when crushed. The tree produces tiny yellow flowers and the fruit of this tree is a stone fruit (similar to a peach or berry) that is blue-black when ripe.

Another interesting feature of the sassafras tree is that it reproduces through cloning through its root system. The "mother" tree sends off rootlets that grow into new trees that live off the nutrients of the mother tree until it can reach light and reach into the canopy.  The sassafras tree loves the sun and is often found on the edge of the forest.

Medicinal Uses of Sassafras 

Cherokees gave an infusion of sassafras bark to treat their children for worms and used a sassafras poultice made from roots and bark to treat open wounds and sores, they even applied sassafras infused water to treat sore eyes. The Chippewas/Ojibwes used the root bark as a blood thinner, the Choctaw used a decoction of roots to treat measles and the Houmas used the roots to treat scarlet fever.  The Iroquois soaked sassafrass roots in whiskey to treat tapeworms.  The Koasatis used a poultice of sassafrass to treat bee stings and the Rappahannock used raw buds of the tree to increase vigor in men.

The Mohegan used an infusion of young shoots as an eyewash and they also used a compound infusion including sassafrass root as a spring tonic. The Seminole used the bark to treat diarrhea and vomiting as well as a decoction for cow and horse sickness.  They also used the bark as an emetic in purification after funerals.  Many tribes used sassafrass in various forms for blood thinning, blood purifying and as a spring tonic.  Euell Gibbons in his book, Hunting the Wild Asparagus that traditionally, sassafrass root was made with maple sap water for a spring tonic to help the body better withstand the heat of the coming summer.

Did you know...

Sassafras has been called by many names such as the auge tree, saxifrax, cinnamon wood, sallop, smelling stick, tree tea, and chewing stick.

Sassafras was one of the first "discoveries" made in North America by Europeans and eas exported back to the Old World at a time when objects made of wood played an important role in everyday life.

Sassafras ships would make it back to England without harm and became known as a lucky wood because of its rot resistant properties.

Eric Sloane wrote about sassafras in his book "In Reverence of Wood" calling this tree the American Wonder Drug.

The largest sassafras tree is in Owensboro Kentucky.

Traditional root beer uses sassafras as a primary ingredient along with black birch branches or wintergreen.

Although sassafras has had a long and traditional use in medicine, today the main component in the wood, safrole which is concentrated in the roots is considered possibly carcinogenic by the FDA.

IAIS to Honor Native American Veterans Charles Lindberg and Earl Anderson Kilson on Nov. 10

The origin of Veterans Day goes back to Nov. 11, 1918, and is the anniversary of the signing of the armistice which ended World War I hostilities between the Allied Nations and Germany.  As many of us remember and honor those who have served the United States in the military, many of us remain unaware of the major contributions Native Americans have made to our armed forces. 

It is interesting to note that Native Americans served in the U.S. military in greater numbers per capita than any other ethnic group and that they have served with distinction in every major conflict in our history. 

It is estimated that more than 12,000 Native Americans served in World War I and that 44,000  Native Americans, out of a total population of 350,000 served with distinction between 1941 and 1945.  During WWII on the home front, more than 40,000 Native Americans left their reservations to work in factories and other war industries.  Many of these battle-hardened Native Americans that served in WWII also served in the Korean War along with new Native American recruits like Charles Lindberg Kilson and his late brother, Earl Anderson Kilson.  More than 42,000 Native Americans, 90% of them volunteers fought in Vietnam, and Earl Anderson Kilson was one of the many Native Americans that continued to serve their country in the Vietnam War.  Today, there are almost 200,000 Native American military veterans.

Each year on November 10, The Institute for American Indian Studies, located on 38 Curtis Road in Washington holds a traditional ceremony at 12 noon that includes prayers and drumming to honor the contributions and valor of Native American Veterans. This year there will be a very special traditional ceremony at the Institute for American Indian Studies to honor Charles Lindberg Kilson, Senior, as well as the memory of his brother Earl Anderson Kilson, Senior of the Schaghticoke Tribal Nation. Both brothers served in the United States Navy during the Korean War. Earl also served during the early years of the Vietnam War.  The Institute is inviting the general public, veterans and non-veterans alike to join them in a moving traditional ceremony to honor these two Native American brothers.  After the ceremony, visitors are invited to a light lunch in the museum to learn more about the fascinating story of these two brothers.  This event is free and open to the public. 

About Charles Lindberg Kilson

Charles (Lindy) was born on May 16, 1931, and currently resides in Sandy Hook, Connecticut. For many years, he and his family lived on the Schaghticoke Indian Reservation in Kent, CT where he is an active member with the Schaghticoke Tribal Nation.  He has many memories that remain alive of his younger days of hunting and fishing on his land.

The War Years

On December 29, 1950, Charlie took the train from Kent, CT and traveled to the Brooklyn Navy Yard in New York where he enlisted and was sworn into the United States Navy. Shortly after boot camp, he was assigned to duty on a destroyer named, the USS Purdy. Afterward, he was assigned to another destroyer named, the USS Dickson #708. Both homeports of both vessels were located in Newport, Rhode Island and both ships, at different times, were at port off the Korean coast during the Korean War patrols.

On October 19, 1952, Charlie had to undergo major surgery at the Newport Naval Hospital, which involved removing part of his left lung. This particular medical procedure kept him hospitalized for nearly six months.  While in the hospital, Charlie's father, Earl Kilson, Sr. was able to visit his son with the assistance and kindness of a Kent Resident State Trooper who drove him there. Upon Charlie's release from the naval hospital, he immediately requested to be put back on the USS Dickson where his brother Earl, Jr. was stationed. Earl had enlisted in the Navy four years prior. The Navy granted Charlie's request and both brothers served together until Earl's transfer to submarine service where he worked in fire control ignition. Charlie also requested a transfer and was denied due to the complexity of his surgery.  Naval officials told Charles that he and Earl were the first brothers to be put on a naval ship together, since the death of the Sullivan Brothers during World War II.

Back Home

While on the USS Dickson, Charlie was a 1st Class Seaman­ Gunner's Mate. He specialized and assisted in bow guns, which were 5 inch-38s. Charlie stayed on the USS Dickson until January 1954, when he returned home to the Schaghticoke Reservation, where his family resided with his younger brother, Russell.  He found work with the Thompson Brothers Excavation Company. Shortly after his return home, Charlie met Mildred (Millie) Fagan the woman that he was to spend the next 63 years with.  Together, they began a family and moved to Sandy Hook where, in 1970, they both were employed with the Newtown High School, Charlie as a School Custodian and Millie as a Cafeteria Assistant. After 42 years at the Newtown High School, both Millie and Charlie retired.

On November 11, 2009, the Town of Kent dedicated a monument for veterans serving in World War II, the Korean and Vietnam War Veterans, and both Charlie and Earl, Jr. names are listed on it and were present for the dedication ceremony.  Charlie still has his Enlistment Card and still remembers his serial number.

Charlie is a profoundly proud member of his Tribe, the Schaghticoke Tribal Nation (STN). He has always been active within his Tribe & attends every Tribal meeting and every social event.  Many believe that Charlie is the oldest living member and that his many titles include Lindy (to his family) Charlie (to his many friends) Dad, Pop, Grandpa, Uncle, Cousin, Big Dog, and Elder/STN Tribal Member.

About Earl Anderson Kilson

Earl (Bub) Kilson was born on July 11, 1928, and lived with his family on the Schaghticoke Reservation in Kent, for much of his young life. Upon his death, he was an active member of the Schaghticoke Tribal Nation. Earl had many memories of his hunting and fishing days on his land.

War Years

Earl enlisted into the United States Navy in 1946.  Shortly after his graduation from boot camp during World War II, he was stationed and onboard an aircraft carrier in the Sea of Japan.  He was later assigned to a destroyer and was stationed at the Naval Base in Newport, Rhode Island. His brother, Charlie, along with Earl both served on the USS Dickson, which was scheduling patrols off the Korean coast during the Korean War. Earl, later, transferred to submarine service working in fire control ignition. His first ship was an old diesel-operated submarine and his next advancement was serving on the USS Seawolf, the second atomic-operated submarine in the U.S. Fleet.  Most of Earl’s submarine training took place in Connecticut at the sub base in Groton.

During the Cuban Missile Crisis, the submarine that Earl was serving on was part of the blockade and was under orders to stay in position during that crisis.  At another point in Earl's naval career, he was stationed in the Pacific at Pearl Harbor during the initial stages of the Vietnam War.  At this time he served in the Atlantic Fleet as well as the Pacific Fleet. The final submarine that Earl served on was the USS Trigger.

Back Home

After 20 years of service, Earl retired from the Navy with the rank of Chief Electronics Petty Officer in 1966.  He, along with his wife Lillian, and their children moved to Dover, New Hampshire where he was employed at the Portsmouth Naval Yard in Kittery, Maine.  There, Earl participated in the sea trials associated with new submarines that were being constructed; his wife, Lillian was proud to be present at several sea trials.   

Earl retired from the Portsmouth Naval Yard after 20 years.  He was an active member of the Schaghticoke Tribal Nation and for many years would travel to attend the Schaghticoke Tribal meetings and socials.  He resided in Dover with his family until his death on March 16, 2014.

Medicinal Monday - The Bounty of Black Walnuts

Connecticut has its' fair share of black walnut trees that have been a popular source of food here, and the world over for thousands of years.  The indigenous peoples of Connecticut enjoyed the eastern black walnut in many different ways for it's nutritional as well as its medicinal value.

About Black Walnuts

The black walnut tree originated in the eastern United States and spread westward, between Connecticut and California.  The black walnut tree is a large fruit-bearing shade tree that can grow up to 100 feet.  The tree's root system is very deep and can be up to ten feet long making this ree very stable.  The drawback to deep roots is that this tree has difficulty in soaking up water which is why it is often found near rivers, ponds, streams or in areas with regular rainfall.

The leaf of the tree is spear shaped and is light green.  Small, green walnut fruit appears in early summer and matures into an egg-shaped sphere by early fall.  Ripe walnuts are green, brown or light tan and fall to the ground in a one to two month period, usually in September and October in Connecticut. The shell of the black walnut is really hard and not edible.  The husk and shell must be removed to get to the fruit inside.  Most Native Americans smashed the nut between stones. The nuts are a good source of protein and are rich in Omega-3 fatty acids and 75% of this nut consists of oil.

Medicinal and Culinary Uses

Medicinal 

Black walnuts were used in a number of ailments for humans and animals.  The Cherokee, Comanche, Delaware, Houma, Iroquois, and others used black walnuts as a dermatological aid; an infusion was made to use as a wash for sores, pulverized leaves were rubbed on the skin to treat ringworm, sap was collected and used to treat inflammation and an infusion of the nut shells were used as a wash for "the itch".  The Iroquois also used as a decoction that was mixed with brandy that was taken as a blood purifier.  The Iroquois also made a poultice of the bark to treat "craziness" and also used an infusion of bark as a medicine for rain.  The Meskwaki used charred twig bark and old bark applied in water for snakebite.  The Rappahannock used an infusion of the root of the tree to prevent dysentery; the north side of the bark was used as a poultice for chills.  The White Mountain Apache used to rub their horses and livestock with a concoction of the juice of the husk of the nut to protect their animals from parasites.

Culinary 

Records indicate that many tribes used black walnuts as a food but that the Apaches were particularly fond of this nut.  They ate the nuts fresh and raw and added them to a variety of dishes, especially soup and baked goods. A mash was made of nuts to flavor water and other beverages particularly in the southwest where the nuts were mixed with agave pulp.

Did You Know...

In Native American lore, it was used as a talking stick along with pecan that represented the gathering of energy or the beginning of new projects.
Walnut husks contain a high amount of Niethammer, 56 and were used as a dark brown dye.


American Pioneers used black walnut extract as an astringent, a laxative, a vermifuge -- and as a treatment for scorpion bites.


The black walnut is allelopathic, meaning that it produces a chemical called juglone that oxidizes in soil and prevents certain kinds of other plants from growing under or near it.


Black walnut shells showed up in fairytales; Thumbelina lived in a walnut shell, so did Tom Thumb.

Learn About Native America on CPTV

This fall, an epic new four-part series will premiere on CPTV: Native America. Made with the active participation of Native American communities and filmed in some of the most spectacular locations in the hemisphere, Native America illuminates the splendor of a past whose story has for too long remained untold.

Native America will be premiered on CPTV on Tuesday, October 23 at 9 p.m. Subsequent episodes will air Tuesday, October 30 at 9 p.m., and Tuesday, November 13 at 9 p.m. and 10 p.m.

Get ready for the premiere of Native America with a new series of video shorts from CPTV showcasing the history of Native American tribes and culture in Connecticut. Featured points of interest include The Institute for American Indian Studies and Research Center in Washington Connecticut, and the Mashantucket Pequot Museum and Research Center located in Mashantucket, Connecticut.  There will also be a segment about the life of Dr. Gladys Iola Tantaquidgeon, Mohegan Medicine Woman.

To check out the video short click here on the Institute for American Indian Studies and Research Center.  For a video about the Mashantucket Pequot Museum click here.

Medicinal Monday -White Oak - King of Trees

Donald Peattie, a famous 20th-century naturalist once said, “If oak is the king of trees, as tradition has it, then the white oak, throughout its range, is the king of kings.” Perhaps this is why it is the state tree of Connecticut.  In addition to acorns that provided a consistent source of sustenance for Native Americans, the oak tree was also used for ceremony, medicine, and building.   In many Native American traditions, the oak tree is considered a sacred tree and was used in a multitude of ways medicinally by many Native American tribes in North America.

White Oak Tree, West Hartford, CT

About the White Oak Tree

Native to Eastern and Central North America, the white oak tree is a large stately tree that can grow up to 100 feet tall and can be as wide as 50 inches in diameter.  The leaves grow to be around five inches and are silvery pink and covered with a soft down like substance in the spring.  They turn a glossy green in the summer and red or brown in the autumn depending on the climate and the genetics of the tree.  The bark of the white oak tree is whitish or light grey with a bark that ranges from scaly to ridged or furrowed. The deciduous white oak tree is usually found in dyer woodland areas and can live for centuries.

Medicinal Uses for the White Oak Tree

Today we know that tannins provide many of the healing properties of the white oak tree. Tannins strengthen tissues and blood vessels,  reduce skin inflammation and irritation.  The Cherokee, Meskwaki, Ojibwa used the bark of the white oak as an antidiarrheal medicine. One of the most common uses was for respiratory and throat ailments, an infusion of bark was taken for serious coughs and sore throats by the Cherokee, Delaware, Delaware, Oklahoma, Delaware Ontario, Meskwaki, and Mohegans.   

The Houma would crush the root of the white oak and mix it with whiskey and use it as a liniment on rheumatic limbs.  The Mohegans made an infusion of the bark and used it as a liniment on sore muscles; they also made an infusion of the inner bark that was used for muscle pain on horses and humans.  The Shinnecock also made an infusion of the bark and used it as a liniment to treat muscle pain.  The Iroquois made a decoction of the bark and served it as a drink to treat loneliness. They also brewed a decoction of white oak bark as "witchcraft medicine" to remedy, "when your woman goes off and won't come back." 

Dewy White Oak Tree, Granby, CT

Did you know...

Ancient Celtics considered the white oak tree a storehouse of wisdom because of its towering strength, massive growth, and wide expanse.  They took this as a sign that the white oak was to be honored for its endurance and noble presence. 

Some specimens have been documented to be over 450 years old.

The white oak does not produce large crops of acorns until it is around 50 years old.

Modern scientific research confirms that oak possesses the following healing properties: astringent, fever reducing, tonic, antiseptic, antiviral, anti-tumor, and anti-inflammatory actions. 

The white oak forever earned its place in history books when it was combined with other oak lumber to build the famous USS Constitution (also known as “Old Ironsides”). 

It was (and still is) the preferred wood for those beautiful wooden barrels found in wineries and whiskey distilleries across the United States because of the durability of the wood and its ability to seal in the flavor due to microscopic tissues called tyloses that plug the vascular cells of the wood.