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Heritage Programs

Native American Heritage Programs shares Lenape (Delaware Indian) culture & contributions of Native Americans.

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  Siquon - Spring 

Step softly on Mother Earth - the Plant People are awakening!

Carla with basket of cornSnadbush book cover

 Carla Messinger

Program Presenter
Cultural Educator
Consultant
Author

Substitute teacher in Lehigh, Berks, Carbon, and Northampton Counties (1971-1982)

Founder & Executive Director of the Lenni Lenape Historical Society and Museum of Indian Culture (1978-2002).

While under her fulltime volunteer leadership the Lenni Lenape Historical Society / Museum of Indian Culture evolved into an all-volunteer organization described in a 2000 assessment funded by the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts as "a remarkable institution" that "offers rich and diverse programs, a host of activities, and resources for learning that reflect the best tradition of museum educational efforts." During her tenure as the sole administrator and primary educator at the Museum, she developed…

   Regionally-unique educational and cultural programs, exhibits, and  events attended by 185,000 visitors.

   High-impact hands-on, interactive educational experiences that helped over 32,000 school children meet PA Academic Standards for History and Arts/Humanities.

   A Speakers' Bureau presenting 150-175 offsite programs and/or exhibits annually at schools, libraries, other organizations, and at well-attended public events.

   The Native Treasures outreach program featuring a series of traveling learning boxes that take Native American technology and the history, lifeways, arts and crafts, games, dolls, etc. of various Native American groups into schools.

   The most comprehensive Native American-centered library / resource center in PA.

Founder / Director of Native American Heritage Programs (2002-ongoing)

As a descendant of the Lenape (Delaware) Indians, who were the first inhabitants of eastern Pennsylvania, western New Jersey, and part of New York, she wished to present a true picture of early American Indian life, refuting stereotypes and developing an understanding of the Lenape peaceful, nature-centered lifestyle that could be of value to our competitive, ecologically-troubled modern society.  The mission is "to present, preserve, and perpetuate the history, lifeways, culture, and contributions of the Lenape and other Native American groups," and as Director of Native American Heritage Programs she continues that commitment today.

Speaker for Pennsylvania Humanities Council “Commonwealth Speakers Bureau”, (2004-2005) (2008-2009) (2010-2011)basket of shadberries

Author of the children’s book When the Shad Bush Blooms (Fall 2007). 

Bark basket full of shadberries from Judy Dow, Abanaki basket maker.

                               Complete Count Census Committee 2009-2010

 Click Here For Short Extract of My Previous Experience in USA & Abroad.   University Work  

Flower Bordewr 2Allan makes cordage

Allan 1Allan Messinger

     Historian

Program Presenter

'Mr. History" makes cordage.

A highly knowledgeable docent, Allan, "Mr. History," is a veteran educator with 32 years experience as a History / Foreign Language and English teacher in the Allentown School District.  He pioneered the Gifted Elementary Program and taught German to 4th Grade Gifted students for 20 years. 

Speaker for Pennsylvania Humanities Council “Commonwealth Speakers Bureau”, (2004-2005) (2008-2009) (2010-2011)

Complete Count Census Committee 2009-2010

 Moccasin making

Al Zagofsky/Times News -

Carla Messinger shows the detail work on a Lenape moccasin to Environmental Education Program Coordinator Carissa Reilly Longo while her husband and assistant, Allan, looks on.  By AL ZAGOFSKY  Times News   8/11/05