First Saturday Living History - The Talking Feather

518 Southwest 2nd Avenue,Albany OR 97321

06 November, 2021

Description

The Monteith Historical Society is hosting monthly Living History Saturdays, where children can learn a craft or skill from the 1800s. The Talking Feather The Living History activity for the Monteith House on Saturday, November 6 is the creation of a Talking Feather. Traditionally, many Native American tribes used the Talking Feather as a way to make sure everyone was heard at important family or tribal council gatherings. Every family member or councilor was given an opportunity to speak without interruption while they were holding the Talking Feather. Great meaning was given to the types of feathers, colors and other materials used create the group’s Talking Feather. The most sacred feather to use was the eagle feather, but owl feathers were sometime used to represent wisdom. The color red was often used to symbolize the life force and blue was used to represent healing power. The Kalapuya Indians that had lived at the joining of the Calapooia and Willamette Rivers very close to where the Monteith House was built in 1849 may well have used Talking Feathers to help organize their councils. So as we create a simple version of Talking Feathers on November 6 between 1:00 and 3:00 pm we will remember the Kalapuya people who called this area of the state home long before the Monteith family and other settlers arrived to build their houses and farm the land.