Tea & Pops Archaeology on October 17th

ACADIA CENTENNIAL LECTURE: Is Archaeology Still Relevant In The 21st Century?

Presented by Rebecca Cole-Will, Chief of Resource Management at Acadia National Park

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the National Historic Preservation Act. This Act transformed the practice of archaeology and change has been rapid and existential in the discipline since then. Rebecca Cole-Will will reflect on how archaeology has evolved, the current role of archaeology in the National Park Service, and where the study of the past may lead us in the future. Tea and popovers will be served after the lecture.

Rebecca Cole-Will is the Chief of Resource Management at Acadia National Park. She has done archaeological research in Maine and the Canadian Arctic and was the curator at the Abbe Museum before joining the National Park Service. She has a BA in anthropology from the University of Maine and an MA in anthropology from the University of Alberta.

Monday, October 17, 2016, from 7-9 pm.

$20 members, $30 non-members.

For reservations, please contact the Abbe Museum at 207-288-3519 or email rsvp@abbemuseum.org.

The Fall PechaKucha MDI Event Celebrates Acadia

The Abbe Museum, Northeast Harbor Library, and Southwest Harbor Public Library are proud to present PechaKucha MDI (PKMDI) Night on Friday, September 30, 2016, from 5:30 - 7:30 pm atThe 1932 Criterion Theatre in Bar Harbor. This special themed event features a series of presentations celebrating Acadia National Park on its 100th birthday. The event is free and open to the public.

“PechaKucha events are always surprising and entertaining,” said Southwest Harbor Public Librarian and PKMDI organizer Lisa Murray. “It’s not just about learning, it’s about meeting people in our community and gaining some insight into their lives. I walk away at the end of the night inspired,  impressed, and brimming with knowledge. Our community is full of talent and passion!”

In the usualPechaKucha format, each presenter is allotted 20 slides, advanced automatically every 20 seconds. The presentations revolve around Acadia National Park’s Centennial Celebration and will include hiking Acadia’s 10 highest peaks, natural history, traffic issues then and now, and a behind the scenes look at the search and rescue team.

Speakers include Jack Russell, Lynne Dominy, Julia (Clark) Gray, Tim Garrity, Amy Niemczura, Johannah Blackman, Hope Rowan, Davin O'Connell, Suzanne Greenlaw, and Mike Hays.

A special free Centennial ticket will be required to enter the event, which you can pick up in advance at the Abbe Museum, Northeast Harbor Library, or Southwest Harbor Public Library. You can also get tickets the night of the event. The box office will open at 4:30 pm on Friday, September 30th, and concession stands will be open during the event.

PKMDI is held three times a year at to be determined venues all over Mount Desert Island. For more details about the event, including the full line-up of speakers, please visitpkmdi.com and www.facebook.com/pkmdi. For information on how to become a participant, please visit pkmdi.com.

About PechaKucha
PechaKucha, literally translated as “chit chat” or “blah blah” in Japanese, was created by Klein Dytham Architecture in Tokyo in 2003 as an opportunity for young designers to meet, network, and show their work in public. It has since gone viral, and turned into a massive celebration, with events happening in more than 700 cities around the world, inspiring creativity worldwide. www.pechakucha.org

Improvements to Acadia National Park infrastructure to be completed this fall

Beginning on September 6, 2016, the National Park Service (NPS) will close Seawall Campground and certain visitor facilities at Sieur de Monts in Acadia National Park to complete major improvements to the septic systems that serve those areas.  Island Explorer bus stops at Seawall Campground and Sieur de Monts will be relocated during the construction. Both projects are expected to be completed by the end of November.

At Sieur de Monts, the Abbe Museum, Nature Center, and restrooms will be closed for the season beginning September 6. Access to hiking trails and the Wild Gardens of Acadia will remain open, and portable toilets will be available. Parking will be available for a limited number of cars, but buses and RVs will be prohibited from entering Sieur de Monts during construction. The Island Explorer will continue its regular fall service with the Sieur de Monts stop relocated to the Park Loop Road for the outbound Sand Beach route (#3) and to Otter Creek Road (State Route 3) near the park entrance for the inbound Sand Beach route (#3) and both directions for the Loop Road route (#4).

The last night of camping for the season at Seawall Campground will be September 5. Visitors who would like to camp in Acadia should check for availability at Blackwoods and Schoodic Woods campgrounds online at recreation.gov.  The Island Explorer’s Southwest Harbor route (#7) will continue its regular fall service with the Seawall Campground stop relocated to Seawall Road (State Route 102A) at the entrance to the campground.  The Seawall Picnic Area will remain open and restrooms will be available there through September. Visitors will continue to have non-motorized access to Hio Road through the campground.

During construction, visitors may also encounter temporary one-lane closures on the Park Loop Road near Sieur de Monts and on Seawall Road across from Seawall Campground.

“We appreciate the cooperation and understanding of visitors as we complete essential upgrades to the septic systems at Seawall Campground and Sieur de Monts,” said Superintendent Kevin Schneider. “These improvements will provide better service to park visitors and enhance the protection of the environment.”

For the latest information on the Island Explorer bus service, please call 207-288-4573 or visitwww.exploreacadia.com. For updates on the closures and other park information, please call 207-288-3338 or visitwww.nps.gov/acad.  Please join Acadia’s online conversations atwww.facebook.com/AcadiaNPS and https://twitter.com/AcadiaNPS.

This information was provided by:
Acadia National Park News Release
Release Date:  August 31, 2016
Contact:  John Kelly, john_t_kelly@nps.gov, 207-288-8703

Schoodic Institute Artist in Residence: Gina Brooks, Maliseet

Gina Brooks and Abbe Museum Director of Collections & Interpretation Julia Gray at the 2015 Native American Festival & Basketmakers Market

New this year, the Abbe Museum and Acadia National Park are partnering to offer an artist in residence program at the Schoodic Institute in order to provide more opportunities for park visitors to learn about Wabanaki history and culture.

The artist, Gina Brooks, Maliseet, works in many art forms, including pen and ink, acrylic paint, ash baskets, quillwork, moosehair embroidery, and countless more. Considering herself an artist that is informed by Wabanaki culture and tradition, Gina uses traditional knowledge and designs to create intricate, one of a kind pieces that often reflect Wabanaki oral histories. Join Gina at various times during the week to learn about her different mediums, artistic process, and cultural influence as a professional artist.

Monday, July 25

Painting Demonstration at Dorr Hall, Schoodic Institute

11 am – 3 pm

Storytelling at Schoodic Woods

7:30 – 8:30 pm

Rain Date: July 26

Tuesday, July 26

Basketmaking Demonstration at Dorr Hall, Schoodic Institute

11 am – 3 pm

Wednesday, July 27

Porcupine Quill and Moosehair Embroidery Demonstration at Nature Center Patio, Sieur de Monts Spring in Acadia National Park

11 am – 3 pm

Rain Location: Abbe Museum downtown

Wednesday, July 27

Storytelling at Schoodic Woods

7 – 8 pm

Thursday, July 28

Birchbark Etching Demonstration at Dorr Hall, Schoodic Institute

11 am – 3 pm

Friday, July 29

Pen and Ink Demonstration at Dorr Hall, Schoodic Institute

9 am – 12 pm

Location: Schoodic Institute at Acadia National Park, 9 Atterbury Cir, Winter Harbor, ME 04693

The Maine Thing Quarterly Features the Wabanaki and Acadia National Park

The latest edition of The Maine Thing Quarterly features a chapter on the Wabanaki, which includes interviews with the Abbe's Director of Collections & Interpretation, Julia Clark, and Museum Educator, George Neptune. ‪#‎NativeAmericanHeritageMonth‬

Meet a Wabanaki Artist Fellow: Emma Soctomah

Emma Soctomah is 11 years old and a member of the Passamaquoddy Tribe living at Indian Township. She is an Honor Roll student who skipped the 4th grade, and will be in the 7th grade this fall.

Artwork is very important to her, and she spends much of her time outside of school making baskets. She has attended the Santa Fe Indian Market twice and has returned with top awards each time.

"My inspiration would definitely be my Gram, Molly Neptune Parker. She is always working on baskets and stopping to help me or my cousins. I am very thankful to have my Gram because she always helps me when I need it. She also makes very beautiful baskets. I am my brother George Neptune's apprentice, so I go to markets with him. He helps me work as hard as I can, but sometimes too hard, but that's okay. He just wants me to do as good as I can."

Here she is (in the pony tail), teaching Franklin Delano Roosevelt's great grandchildren how to weave a basket. Roosevelt was good friends with Tomah Joseph, who was from Indian Township, and a family relation to Emma and George.

As a Wabanaki Artist Fellow, Emma is off to the Santa Fe Indian Market this month to see what other awards she can win. But, it's not just about winning awards; making baskets is about keeping a tradition alive and well.

"I want to be sure that basketmaking keeps going so that we don't lose the tradition. At one point we started losing the tradition but my Gram started teaching more and more people. I want to be just like her and teach people to make baskets and keep it going. I will teach all of my children that I have in the future."

The Wabanaki Artist Fellowships were made possible through support from Dawnland, LLC, the concessioner in Acadia National Park.