Oneida Indian Nation and Colgate University Partner to Showcase Latest Story Walk at Several Locations This Summer

Story Walk is a collaboration that educates visitors about the Haudenosaunee culture through large outdoor displays and provides the community with an opportunity to view the book’s illustrations, along with the corresponding words in the Oneida language. The ‘Tale of Two Teams’ will be displayed for the community to experience at the Utica Zoo, the Shako:wi Cultural Center and Fort Stanwix.

Oneida Indian Nation Homelands (July 6, 2023) – The Oneida Indian Nation and Colgate University announced today the latest iteration of the cultural Story Walk will be on display at several locations this summer, including the Utica Zoo, the Shako:wi Cultural Center and Fort Stanwix.  The Story Walk is an educational collaboration between the Oneida Indian Nation and Colgate to bring stories of the Haudenosaunee culture to the local community. The latest Story Walk displays the Oneida book titled The Tale of Two Teams.

The pages of The Tale of Two Teams are presented as outdoor ‘stop and read’ stations that provide visitors an opportunity to see the illustrations, along with corresponding Oneida words and their pronunciations. Haudenosaunee legends are handed down from generation to generation and offer life lessons through storytelling. The Tale of Two Teams reminds people that every living thing has a purpose and to not judge its value by appearances or first impressions.

“Preserving our language remains an essential goal for the Oneida Indian Nation,” said Oneida Indian Nation Representative Ray Halbritter. “It is also important that our stories be passed down to younger generations of diverse backgrounds. We are proud of our partnership with these local organizations that bring a small piece of our culture to the community.”

Story Walk: Tale of Two Teams Traveling Throughout Central New York

July: Beginning this weekend, the new Story Walk will be displayed at The Utica Zoo.

August: The exhibit then travels to the Shako:wi Cultural Center on Territory Road in Oneida throughout August. 

September: This last location this summer will be at Fort Stanwix in time for the Fort’s second First Allies Craft Fair on Saturday, September 9.

The Tale of Two Teams is made available through cooperative efforts with the Oneida Indian Nation Language Program and the Madison-Oneida BOCES Staff and Curriculum Development department. Through this partnership, the Oneida Indian Nation has been able to produce learning materials that preserve Oneida culture and heritage.

This Story Walk project is a collaboration with Colgate University’s Teacher Preparation Program and the Institute of Museum and Library Science (IMLS) as part of the Museum Association of New York (MANY) Building Capacity Project. For three years, the University Museums at Colgate (Longyear Museum of Anthropology & Picker Art Gallery) and Colgate University’s Teacher Preparation Program worked to expand the way stories are told and how to educate younger people.

Programs like this present an opportunity to incorporate diverse educational resources that will serve to benefit children of all ages.

CLICK HERE to listen to The Tale of Two Teams on the Oneida Indian Nation’s YouTube channel.