RIDGEWAY – There is notable interest in Native Americans in our area, evident from the crowd who attended the Native American History and Culture event held at the Isaac C Thomas Historical Museum in Ridgeway on Saturday.
The event was hosted by the museum with funding through the South Carolina Humanities.
Event speakers Joshua Shumak, Program Coordinator for Native Affairs in SC, and Fairfield County Museum Director Pelham Lyles both entertained and enlightened the audience with their stories, facts and highlighted events revolving around the impact of Native Americans in our area.
Shumak, the state’s youngest recipient of the Order of the Palmetto, serves as co-chief of the Wassamasaw Tribe of Varnertown Indians.
“Native American history is not just in the past,” Shumak said. “It is also modern day as Native American communities are still thriving and moving forward, especially in South Carolina in both regulation and preservation.”
Shumak said the Cheraw tribe was most predominant in the Fairfield County area.
Local residents provided an eclectic collection of artifacts for display that included pottery, arrowheads, an Indian breast plate, tools and items brought to be identified by the experts.
Members of the Keepers of the Word: Turtle Drum group performed for the visitors creating an authentic mood for the Native American theme.
Additional photos from Saturday can be found at the museum: sites.google.com/view/icthomashistoricalmuseum/
The museum’s next event will be a presentation on the Women of the American Revolution, The Medallion Collection, with Penny Renwick, at 2 pm on Tuesday, Oct. 21. There is no admission charge. The public is always welcome.
