The Glastonbury MLK Community Initiative invites you to a Community Conversation on November 3rd from 2:00 - 4:00pm entitled “Our Past and Our Present: Flying Bird’s Diary and the Mohegan Language” at the Congregational Church in South Glastonbury located at 949 Main Street. This free event will begin with an introduction and discussion of the importance of Indigenous storytelling from Melissa Tantaquidgeon Zobel, Medicine Woman, Tribal historian, and member of the Council of Elders of the Mohegan Tribe. This will be followed by a screening of the short film Flying Bird’s Diary.

Oral history and storytelling are the foundations of Indigenous culture, and Mohegan oral history begins with the story of creation, when the Great Spirit created the earth.  According to the Mohegan Tribe, culture expressed through oral tradition tells a different and deeper story than historic records can. Oral tradition is a selective, yet democratic form of spoken record-keeping. Indigenous cultures pass down their oral traditions through select culture-bearers; these individuals have been trained since a young age to interpret their traditions. However, unlike written record-keepers (whose writing were and are still inaccessible to many), spoken records (when retired) are subject to the correction and refutation of an entire community – whether the members are literate or not. Furthermore, stories passed down through oral tradition are fully understood by the story-keeper, enabling him or her to update archaic language and make the story more intelligible to succeeding generations. 

Flying Bird’s Diary tells the story of Fidelia Fielding (1827-1908), who was the last-known speaker of the Mohegan Pequot language. Directed by Madeline Sayet and written by Melissa Tantaquidgeon Zobel, this film dramatizes the efforts of Fielding to preserve the Mohegan language for later generations.

We believe – especially in today's climate – that we must identify common ground between and among citizens rather than continue to exploit differences. In this way, we can foster meaningful relationships and dialogue and forge a better community. 

Learn more about this event by visiting the Glastonbury MLK Community Initiative website.

For more information, please contact glastonburyMLKCI@gmail.com.