American-Indian Lectures at SUNY New Paltz

NEW PALTZ — The American-Indian Studies Program at SUNY New Paltz will sponsor three major speakers in the spring. All of these presentations will be held from 4 -6 p.m. in the Jacobson Faculty Tower 10th Floor Lounge and will be open, free of charge, to the public.

On March 12, Dr. David Oestreicher, one of the foremost authorities on the history and culture of the Indians of the Hudson River Valley will speak on the Delaware (Munsee) Indians and their traditions. Recently, Oestreicher who has worked closely with the elders of he Delaware Nation in Northeastern Oklahoma, has written extensively on the Walum Olum and has major articles including in “Natural History” magazine, on this controversial subject. A careful scholar, he is editing the works of the late Dr. Herbert Kraft, the authority on the Delawares, for publication.

On April 2, Dr. Peter Whiteley curator of anthropology at the America-Museum of Natural History, will speak on the Hopi Indians of Arizona as well as his work as an expert witness for the United States Department of Justice on Indian litigation. Whiteley, who taught for more than a decade and a half at Sarah Lawrence University where he chaired the anthropology department, has testified as an expert witness in seven cases involving American-Indians. The Cambridge- and University of New Mexico-trained anthropologist is an authority on the Hopi. Most recently, he was the expert witness for the Justice Department defending Cayuga Indian interests in a land claims case in federal district court in Syracuse.

On April 30, the nationally acclaimed poet Eric Gansworth, an Onondaga Indian who was raised on the Tuscarora Reservation in western New York, will read his poetry. Gansworth is the author of two well-received books: Indians Summers (1998) and Iroquois Moon (2000), both published by Michigan State University Press. He is also a visual artist whose paintings and photographs have been widely exhibited in New York State. Currently, Gansworth is a professor of English at Niagara County Community College.

A reception will follow each event. For more information about these programs, contact Professor Laurence M. Hauptman at (845) 257-3523.