In preparation for Indigenous Peoples' Day Monday, October 11, Akron Public Schools social studies teachers are preparing activities and lessons to learn more about what is celebrated in Akron, Monday, October 4, as First Peoples' Day. In 2018, Akron City Council declared the first Monday in October as North American First Peoples' Day, a day to honor Indian history, life and culture.
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Many American Indians called Ohio home, at one time. First Peoples' Day honors this in Akron. Yesterday, Akron historian Dave Lieberth and Peter Jones visited art and social studies classrooms at Jennings CLC. Peter Jones is the creator of the statue of the American Indian portaging his canoe at the terminus of North Portage Path and Merriman Road. He is an expert on American Indian pottery.
Peter came to Jennings and shared pictures of his art, his American Indian culture and demonstrated to the students how traditional pottery was made.
In the photo above, with facilitation by Dave Lieberth, Peter Jones shares the story of his art and the culture that is reflected by it to students in Peyton Young and Candace Montalvo's art classes at Jennings CLC.
In the photo above, Jennings CLC art teacher, Peyton Young, watches her students explain their pottery projects to Peter Jones.
In the photo above, Jennings CLC students in Donna Demes' social studies class watch Peter Jones create a pot while learning about the culture and significance surrounding pottery of American Indians.
"Peter Jones is an internationally renowned potter and sculptor who works mostly in stoneware and white earthenware clay. He resides on the Allegany Territory of the Seneca Nation of Indians. He studied under the Hopi artist Otellie Loloma while attending the Institute of American Indian Art in New Mexico. His pottery, some of which is derived from traditional Iroquois pit firing, hand-built coiling and slab construction, is admired and collected by community members, Native American art collectors, and museums across the country and internationally."