Oneida
Member Donates Award-Winning Dolls to Mohegan Council of Elders
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These
award-winning No Face dolls have a new home: with Mohegan
Council of Elders Chief Marilyn "Lynn" Malerba.
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Standing together the No Face Dolls, hand-crafted in a fashion
to symbolize the Three Sisters, received a blue ribbon in the Great
New York State Fair in 2013. Since then the sisters, corn, beans
and squash, stood together in Linda Williams (Turtle Clan) home.
Now the award-winning No Face dolls have a new home: with Mohegan
Council of Elders Chief Marilyn "Lynn" Malerba.
Linda, on behalf of the Oneida Nation Elders Program, presented
the gift to Lynn in May when Elders program participants visited
the Mohegan Council of Elders. In exchange the Mohegans presented
the Elders with a hand-crafted Mohegan basket containing a hand-made
pouch complete with 8-row flint corn grown in their Three Sisters
Garden, a turkey feather, tobacco and a quahog shell. The basket,
along with braided sweet grass, is on display at the Elders Center.
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The
Mohegans presented the Elders with a hand-crafted Mohegan
basket containing a hand-made pouch with 8-row flint corn
harvested from their Three Sisters Garden, a turkey feather,
tobacco and a quahog shell. The basket, along with braided
sweet grass, is on display at the Elders Center.
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"I wanted them to be together," said Linda, explaining that
each doll took on the characteristics of the Sustainers of Life
who, according to Oneida legend, should never part: "Bean" wears
green regalia and a pea-in-the-pod charm necklace, "Corn" sports
regalia print that evokes Indian or multi-colored corn; "Squash"
is decked out in pumpkin colors complete with a pumpkin charm.
Linda presented the Sisters to Lynn and included a laminated
story "so they knew what it (The Three Sisters) mean to the Oneida."
(Click here to learn more about the Three Sisters.)
"They were happy to receive it from Oneida Elders," said Linda.
"We presented it as a thank you for all the hospitality they gave
us."
The trip held in May allowed participants of the Elders Program
a unique look at the Mohegan Council of Elders as they toured a
new administration building complete with council chambers and offices,
historical exhibits and recreation center. A Chiefs" Garden
a garden featuring life-size statues of past Chiefs sits
just outside the building.
"The building, the Council Room, it was beautiful in there,"
Linda recalled. "I presented the dolls to their chief and some of
the Council Members were there."
Following the presentation the Oneida Elders participants got
to tour the Mohegan casino, sample fine dining at various restaurants
and tour the Mohegan"s museum.
The May 2015 trip is just one of many events offered during
the calendar year geared toward Oneida Elders and other American
Indian Elders in the area. The goal of the program is to facilitate
socialization with others and promote healthy offerings and activities.
Other events during the year include trips to stores, strawberry
and blueberry picking at local farms, tours of local landmarks,
and several activities based right at the Ray Elm Children and Elders
Center.
For more information on this and other Elders programs call
315-829-8133.
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