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Description
Native American educator and storyteller Darlene Kascak, a member of the Schaghticoke Tribal Nation, will bring a big bag of artifacts for visitors to explore during a hands-on history experience, "Quinnetukut: Stories of Survival,” at the historic Pardee-Morris House. The free, all-ages NH250 event will take place on Sunday, July 13, 2025, at 2 p.m. (Rain date: Sunday, August 24, 2025).
Kascak is the educational outreach ambassador and traditional Native American storyteller at the Institute for American Indian Studies in Washington, Connecticut. At PMH, she will shed light on the misconceptions and stereotypes surrounding her ancestors using artifacts and other cultural items that demonstrate how Indigenous people live a sustainable lifestyle.
Among the treasures Kascak will bring are beaver, bear, raccoon, and skunk furs; deer hide; a turtle shell used as both calendar and bowl; tools made from bone; gourd rattles; a replicated Native American longhouse model; stone tools, and more. She notes, “Our culture believes that all living beings are equal and possess the same rights as humans. When we take an animal or plant's life for sustenance, we honor and respect this gift by utilizing everything possible, ensuring nothing is wasted.”
The word Connecticut comes from an Algonquian Indian term Quinnehtukqut, meaning “land on and beside the long tidal river.” The state’s five recognized tribes have lived on the region for over 12,000-years yet little is known about them, Kascak says. The program’s exploration of pre-and post-contact history from multiple perspectives will provide a fresh understanding of the history of Connecticut, she says. “Much of what we learn about Connecticut’s past comes from a colonized perspective that has almost completely left out the voices of the Indigenous People.”
Kuscak also explains that Native American tribes did not own the land but acted as stewards, responsibly sharing its resources within our communities. “Our societies had sophisticated systems of government that are considered among the oldest participatory democracies in the world, she says. “In fact, this governing system inspired the American Constitution.”
About Darlene Kascak
Kascak grew up in Trumbull, Connecticut, where she developed a strong connection to her heritage through regular visits to the Schaghticoke Reservation. These trips with her mother were more than family outings; they immersed her in Indigenous culture and influenced her perspective on life. A key part of these experiences was her relationship with her mother's cousin, Trudie Lamb Richmond, known as Aunt Trudie. As a storyteller and historian, Aunt Trudie connected Kascak to their shared ancestry through narratives that illustrated ancestral ways of life. Her stories conveyed wisdom and cultural significance, teaching respect for nature, community values, and traditional practices—fundamental aspects of indigenous thought. These lessons deeply impacted Kascak fostering a profound respect for native traditions and wisdom—a legacy rooted in storytelling that continues to guide her today.
About The Institute for American Indian Studies
The Institute for American Indian Studies (IAIS) began in 1975 as a collaborative research hub between Indigenous and non-Indigenous archaeologists and community members in western Connecticut. IAIS has surveyed or excavated over 500 sites, including a 11,000-year-old camp site, the Templeton Site—one of the earliest known archaeological sites in Connecticut. Excavations are done in consultations with local tribal groups. IAIS manages over 6,000 ethnographic (post-European contact) items and over 300,000 archaeological artifacts that represent hundreds of Native American societies throughout the western Hemisphere that range in age from over 12,000 years before present to the 21st century.
About NH250
This event is part of NH250, an ongoing series of programming developed by New Haven Museum to complement “America 250.” Culminating with the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, the series will highlight inclusive, local, and lesser-known stories, connecting past and present.
Photo credit: Darlene Kascak, Institute for American Indian Studies
Date & Time
Sun, Jul 13, 2025 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM
Venue Details
Pardee-Morris House
325 Lighthouse RoadNew Haven, Connecticut 06510
