International Connections ~ International North American Indian Association (INAIA)
Native American Lifeways: A Sustainable Life Style article at the end.
International Resource Centre and Lenni Lenape Resource Centre (UK)
Barrie Cox-Dacre, Executive Director Voice: 0131 453 1046
9 / 2 Dunsyre House (North) Fax: 0131 453 6143
33 Calder Crescent Edinburgh Web: www.inaiauk.com
EH11 4JH Scotland Email: barrie87@hotmail.co.uk
Native American Heritage Programs worked with the International North American Indian Association (INAIA) to provide a Lenni Lenape Resource Centre for the United Kingdom and Europe. The Resource Centre provided materials, information, and advice for schools and community groups. The collection included books, videotapes, music tapes and CDs, teacher resources, and outreach programs. The INAIA also offered consulting services to authors and television and film producers.
Interest Group The INAIA acted as an interest group bringing together people who want to share and develop their knowledge of the diverse cultures, histories, lifeways, and oral traditions of the original inhabitants of North America.
Good Road Garden Project The INAIA collaborates with the Good Road Garden Project sponsored by Newcastle-Upon-Tyne City Council’s Composting Project. The Good Road Garden is based on traditional Native American gardens and features a number of different types of corn (Maize), squashes, herbs, and other plants.
Its focus is on people, plants, and animals; our well being, and our relationships with each other and the environment we all share. The garden is a celebration of Native North American environmental practices!
Steve Tinling from the Good Roads Garden Project in Newcastle, England; Carla Messinger, Native American Heritage Programs, Allentown, Pennsylvania, USA; and Barrie Cox-Dacre from the International North American Indian Association, Edinburgh, Scotland.
Environmental Issues We all share Mother Earth and the INAIA tries to keep up with activities and occurrences in the USA which affect people and the environment.
Nature Watch Committed to the wildlife of our planet, the INAIA monitored the introduction of beavers and other species into the UK, and the effects of industrial activity in North America.
Supporting Native Charities The INAIA also made donations to a variety of Native American charities. International North American Indian Association (INAIA)
As a member you will: Support Native American endeavors, Give a voice to the First People of (Turtle Island) America, Gain insight into the true history and culture of the original inhabitants of North America, Learn more about current environmental and other issues affecting modern Native Americans. Keep up-to-date!
Memberships Membership is £12.00 per household, per year, which includes “The Turtle Islander ” and Bulletins.
Barrie Cox-Dacre at Carlisle Indian School Display in Carlisle, Pennsylvania.
United Kingdom 2003
Native American Lifeways: A Sustainable Life Style article at the end.
In July Carla traveled to the United Kingdom, stopping first in Newcastle-Upon-Tyne to spend consulting time with Steve Tinling of the Newcastle-Upon-Tyne Jesmond Dene Gardens Composting Project’s Good Road Garden initiative. See story below. Look for the Good Road Garden page!
Then a short visit and consultation with Barrie Cox-Dacre of the International North American Indian Association in Edinburgh, Scotland. –If you are a resident of the UK visit this page for information on how to contact them to arrange a visit to their library, school programs and a list of items for sale!
Gilford Library From there she took a short ferry ride to Belfast, Ireland, where she stayed with internationally know storyteller and author Doreen McBride and her husband George in Banbridge. From their home Carla made day trips to libraries in Banbridge, Gilford, Tandragee, Dormers in Northern Ireland and Rathfriland, Bessbrook and Monaghan in the Republic of Ireland. The programs were scheduled by Gerry Burns of the Southern Education and Library Board. Doreen McBride also arranged Carla’s program at the North Down Heritage Centre.
Rathfriland Library While in Ireland, Carla also gave two BBC Radio interviews for “Your Place and Mine” and a BBC-TV interview for “A Month of Sun-days.”
Storyteller & author Doreen McBride with Jack Doreen McBride Website: www.adarepress.com
Native American Lifeways: A Sustainable Life Style
During the late spring school term 2004, students from Gosforth Park 1st School, Newcastle Upon Tyne, England, once again studied Native American lifestyles as one of their core curriculum subjects. Steve Tinling of the Good Road Garden Project/Newcastle City Council’s Composting Officer was called in to act as cultural advisor and as the Northern England ‘Representative’ of Native American Heritage Programs. Sadly the stereotypical images portrayed, the general knowledge and many of the books concerning ‘American Indians’ in Britain are somewhat confused, to address these problems, Steve was able to loan the school many politically and historically accurate resource materials, donated to him by Carla Messinger, Native American Heritage Programs.
To round off their studies, near the end of term, Steve went into school in the guise of an early European explorer, to give
a light hearted, illustrated talk, taking with him many examples of cross-cultural exchange and ‘Trade Goods’ for the pupils to see, touch and smell. The talk was well received by both students and teachers alike and though light hearted, it did not trivialize the serious messages that were being putting across. It was also a very tactile experience for the children, one that brought many items from the pages of their dry; dusty books onto the tables in front of them and ultimately, into their hands. Steve is to further develop the Native Americans – A Sustainable Lifestyle talk to be included in Newcastle City Council’s Enviro-Schools Awards (formerly Tidy Schools Awards) an environmental partnership programme which is currently being rolled out to all Schools in Newcastle, (website under construction).