CORNING, N.Y. (WETM) – From Friday, October 8th to Monday, October 11th The Rockwell Museum brought awareness to indigenous people using featured galleries dedicated to Native Americans. 

Columbus day continues to be a controversial celebration for many. Instead, many celebrate October 11th as indigenous peoples’ day. The Twin Tiers along with many other parts of New York and Pennsylvania get many of their names and history from the native Americans.

Since the year 2000, the Rockwell Museum has used a focused collections policy to feature the Native American heritage and contemporary art. 

“We Have a gallery dedicated to the Haudenosaunee, and we are on the ancestral homeland of the Seneca people so, we felt it was very important to honor and recognize the indigenous peoples of this land,” said Mary Mix, Director of Education, Rockwell Museum

Native Americans in the area used words like Chemung and, Haudenosaunee to describe their lifestyle.

“We also have a collection of Native American arts and objects of material culture in our collection, because we feel it’s very important to have the many voices that make up the American experience since the beginning of our country,” said Mix

Approximately 20 percent of the Rockwell Museums’ permanent collection of art and objects are made by native Americans.

Three of the Rockwell museum galleries are dedicated to native Americans one of those being the Haudenosaunee.

The Rockwell Museum has developed drop-in activities for families to honor its Indigenous People’s day bringing attention to the history of Native Americans and Contemporary art that symbolizes the first inhabitants of the land.