First Peoples of the Plains lecture, family event to be Oct. 10, 12

            The University of Nebraska State Museum will welcome author and educator Virginia Driving Hawk Sneve and attorney Gena Timberman for the second annual Claire M. Hubbard First Peoples of the Plains Lecture on Oct. 10 at the Sheldon Museum of Art, 12th and R streets.

            Both speakers are highlighted in the University of Nebraska-Lincoln College of Journalism and Mass Communication's Native Daughters project -- a collection of stories, profiles and multimedia projects about a diverse group of Native women.

            The lecture and surrounding events are made possible by contributions from Dr. Anne M. Hubbard and the Claire M. Hubbard Foundation. The goal is to help advance the understanding and appreciation of the cultural heritage of the First Peoples of the Plains.

            All the Hubbard Lecture events during the weekend are free and open to the public.  The public welcome reception will be 6-7 p.m. Oct. 10 in the Sheldon Great Hall. Sneve and Timberman will deliver their presentations beginning at 7 p.m. in the Sheldon's Ethel S. Abbott Auditorium. Sneve will deliver "From Myth to Reality", a discussion of native daughters' adaptability over time. Timberman's lecture is "The Vehicles Through Which we Speak: Cultural Programs and the Value they Bring to our Lives." Judi gaiashkibos, executive director of the Nebraska Commission on Indian Affairs, will moderate a question-and-answer discussion with the audience following the lectures.

            "We are very grateful to Dr. Anne Hubbard for her generous gift in memory of her mother, Claire M. Hubbard, to endow this Native American lecture series for the University," said Patricia Grew, director of the NU State Museum. "The Hubbard sponsorship makes it possible to bring these distinguished visitors to campus and to offer free public admission to these events."

            Sneve, who lives in Rapid City, S.D., is an enrolled member of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe. She has published 25 books, most recently "Standing Bear of the Ponca" (University of Nebraska Press).

            Timberman is a member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma and lives in Oklahoma City. She is president of the board of directors of the Oklahoma Museums Association and is principal of the Luksi Group.

            In conjunction with the lecture, the International Quilt Study Center and Museum will host free family activities and a Native quilt exhibit from 1-4 p.m. Oct. 12. "Native American Star Quilts" will be on display Sept. 30-Oct. 12 in Quilt House's First Floor Gallery.

            "The International Quilt Study Center and Museum is excited to partner with the Hubbard Lecture First Peoples of the Plains, because it allows us to showcase spectacular examples of Native American quilts and quiltmaking traditions," said Leslie Levy, Ardis and Robert James Executive Director of Quilt House. "These pieces are truly gems of our collection, and we are delighted to share them with our community as part of this series."

Writer: Mandy Haase-Thomas, University of Nebraska State Museum