The Autry Museum of the American West will host the Marshall McKay Seminar for Empowering Native Knowledge, a one-day seminar on Saturday, November 18, 2023, that will focus on Native American baskets and include hands-on workshops exclusively for Native community members. Native basket weavers, knowledge keepers, scholars and other experts will address these topics during a half-day seminar open to the public, followed by an in-person weaving workshop for a limited number of Native community members in the afternoon.
The Seminar was named in honor of Marshall McKay, former chairman of the Yoche Dehe Wintun Nation Tribal Council and the first Native person to serve
as Chair of the Autry’s Board. The Marshall McKay Seminar for Empowering Native Knowledge seeks to empower Native knowledge by exploring topics that impact Native communities and beyond.
Associate Curator Amanda Wixon believes the seminar will empower Native knowledge and help to ensure Native communities have access to their cultural materials at the Autry.
“This year, we have a very diverse set of speakers from all over Indian Country that will share their cultural and environmental knowledge and experience with our seminar audience. We hope that each participant will learn something new that can inform their own style of indigenous activism,” Wilson said.
A top priority of the Marshall McKay Seminar is to make the information presented widely available, specifically to Native communities. The seminar will be held in person at the Autry Museum and will be streamed online.
For more information, please visit TheAutry.org/MarshallMckaySeminar. The Autry Museum of the American West is located at 4700 Western Heritage Way, Los Anglese, California. The is event is presented by the San Manuel of Mission Indians.
Seminar Schedule:
• 9-9:30 a.m. – Doors open; coffee and pastries available
• 9:30-9:45 a.m. – Welcome remarks and keynote speaker
• 10-11:20 a.m. – Panel Conversation #1 with Q&A
• 11:30 a.m.-12:50 p.m. – Panel Conversation #2 with Q&A
• 12:50-2 p.m. – Lunch