As the leaves begin to fall and the weather begins to get a little chillier, the Native American Council's community efforts are only beginning to heat up. With a variety of activities hosted at The Rockwell Museum, guest's young and old had the opportunity to learn about the Native American culture.

Founded in 2001, the Native American Council currently has 27 members from across the global Corning community. With less than 1 percent of the U.S. population composed of Native Americans, the council's mission is to not only recruit more Native American people to Corning but to share the Native American culture with employees.

To further this mission, The Native American Council and The Rockwell Museum welcomed artist Steve Tamayo to the Corning community. Steve is a traditional Sicangu Lakota artist whose family originates from the Rosebud Reservation in South Dakota. As a Lakota artist, Steve is a regular consultant to the curatorial and conservation staff at the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian.

Native American Council Lunch and Learn: Lakota Arts & Culture

Corning employees from across the Valley were invited to join Steve, the Native American Council, and The Rockwell Museum for an exclusive Lunch and Learn event to hear firsthand from Steve about an array of symbolism used by the Lakota. Steve connected the historical and contemporary examples of Lakota art and culture from his experiences working with the Smithsonian and his time at the encampment at Standing Rock.

"The Native American Council is honored that Steve Tamayo was able to speak with Corning employees while visiting the museum," said Rita, founder of the Native American Council and diversity coordinator, Global Diversity and Inclusion. "We think his message about celebrating and preserving Native American heritage resonated with our coworkers, and it was a great opportunity to understand more about Native American culture."

Anjanette, a Corning employee at Sullivan Park and a longtime NAC member, attended all of Tamayo's appearances.

"I looked forward to hearing his thoughts on preserving our traditions, and what he did at Standing Rock," said Anjanette, a member of the Tuscarora Nation. "Keeping our customs relevant is important to every Native American. It's important that we teach future generations."

 Traditional Rawhide Containers: Two-Part Workshop

Did you know there were seven types of rawhide containers utilized on the Plains? In the two-day workshop, attendees created their very own rawhide containers with the guidance of Steve. They also learned about the function and historical evolutions of the containers, as well as symbolism and color concept. 

Lecture: Defenders of the Water School at Standing Rock

The Defenders of the Water School was formed during the resistance movement against the Dakota Access Pipeline in an effort to serve as a home education resource for families residing at the camp. Run by volunteers, workshops were offered by elders, students, artists, and others looking to share their knowledge. Attendees heard firsthand about Steve's work at the school and his experiences on the front lines at Standing Rock. 

"The Native American Council's mission is to share the Native American culture with the Corning community, which connects nicely with The Rockwell's mission of reaching all audiences in meaningful ways through authentic educational and cultural experiences, said Rita, diversity coordinator at Corning.