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Jefferson Patterson Park and Muesum (JPPM) staff gave MAPS members on 13-14 March 2010 a unique opportunity to experiencing what life was like for Mid-Atlantic Native Americans by opening their Indian village for us to sleep over night in a few of the bark lodges. We experienced first hand how the local natives lived by staying over night in a authentic tulip poplar bark (wigwam) lodge at Jefferson Patterson Park and Museum's (JPPM) Indian village. We all participate in this living history experience and learned something about Mid-Atlantic Native Americans. Tim Thoman, the Inidan villiage manager, walked us through the history of JPPM and gave various classes on bark lodge living, primitive fibers, cordage making, and friciton fire. Fun was had by all who attended and we had a full lodge this year with over 25 people of which 15 sleep over night. We had people from all over from South Virginia up through Pennsyvianna.
The weather that night was not as difficult as expected. We had a slight thunder storm over night with some small leaks inside the lodge but we all slept soundly. Some more soundly than other as could be told by the all night snoring going on.
In the eastern United States and adjacent parts of Canada the prevailing type was that commonly known under the Algonkian name of wigwam, of wagon-top shape, with perpendicular sides and ends and rounded roof, and constructed of stout poles set in the ground and covered with bark or with mats woven of grass or rushes. Doorways at each end served also as windows, and openings in the roof allowed the smoke to escape. In general the houses were communal, several closely related families occupying the same dwelling. We experienced the closeness of the early American Indian families. There was even a venison soup on the fire to warm our night of story telling by the fire.
We also practiced our cordage making into the night. The ability to twine, braid, twist, roll or weave fibers into cordage is one of the oldest of mankind's primitive skills. Now, we too, worked on making a bit of cordage to tie our newly found relationships together.
Participant comments
"The experience was everything I hoped for and more. We had good company and got plenty of practice on skills. ...I saw a new way of doing [cordage]. Also, Tim explained why you want to twist the fibers together The added strength of more fibers in a more compact area... It was great getting to practice skills with others. The wigwam is amazing. I feel very special being able to stay in one." --River
"The overnight bark lodge sleepover was amazing! I have seen smaller wigwams and bark lodges before at museums, but never have I had the chance to sleep in one! Although the overnight stay was short, It was packed full of information and hands on experiences. Clay baked apples, dogbane cordage, bow drill fire making, a circle of all different amazing people, and a very warm fire." --Jesse H.
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