Traditions of storytelling in Indigenous culture have long recounted a deep love and respect for land, culture, and identity. Through this passing of knowledge to new generations in traditional ways, an underlying theme of respect for nature persists. Today, as a global community, as humans face the effects of a changing climate, native stories can provide a platform for understanding this deep respect for earth.

Join us with Silvermoon Mars LaRose, Assistant Director of the Tomaquag Museum, in exploring stories that demonstrate the value and respect for earth as seen through Indigenous culture. We have two readings for this month:  The chapter titled "Council of Pecans" from the book Braiding Sweetgrass, by Robin Wall Kimmerer, and a second chapter titled "What we know about glaciers," by Christine Day, from the book Ancestor Approved: Intertribal Stories for Kids, edited by Cynthia Leitich Smith. Find the readings through the online padlet board.

Silvermoon Mars LaRose, a member of the Narragansett Tribe, assists the Executive Director with managing the museum’s collections and archives, cultural education, and the Indigenous Empowerment projects. Silvermoon has worked in tribal communities for over 20 years, serving in the areas of health and human services and education. Throughout her career, she has had the opportunity to travel extensively, learning from Indigenous communities throughout the United States. Silvermoon is also a member of the Rhode Island Foundation’s inaugural cohort of the Equity Leadership Initiative. As a public servant, Silvermoon serves as the secretary for the Charlestown Conservation Commission. As an artist and educator, she hopes to foster Indigenous empowerment through education, community building, and the sharing of cultural knowledge and traditional arts. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology, a minor in Justice Law and Society from the University of Rhode Island, and a partially completed Masters in Rehabilitation Counseling from Western Washington University.