Perry Ground offers a unique platform to tell stories of indigenous people

A unique performance coming to town July 11 will tell the stories of indigenous people at the Newfield Public Library from 6:30-7:30 p.m. 

Perry Ground, a Turtle Clan member, 2021-22 Minett Professor at Rochester Institute of Technology and a storyteller from Turtle Talk Stories, will share stories and artwork from the Haudenosaunee Confederacy (also known as the Iroquois) through an engaging and interactive performance.

“I realized that not only were the stories positive and fun, but they could also be very interactive,” Ground said. “It could be a show and not just a talk. I wanted to talk with the audience, not at the audience.”

This “talking with the audience” comes through in the way that Ground performs his stories. Movements, art, attire and vocal cadences create a visually compelling and impactful performance. 

“By introducing the interactive element, it just made it much more fun,” Ground said. “It’s a fun and lively and interactive show, and I think it just engages the audience more than if I just stood up on the microphone.”

Ground started telling stories about the Haudenosaunee as a student at Cornell in 1988. He was inspired to teach nonnative people about indigenous people in a more creative and intriguing way, one that would inspire greater curiosity about indigenous people. 

“I thought it was a great and positive way to teach people about our culture and leave them with a positive feeling so they would want to know more,” Ground said. “I decided this was the way for me to go.”

The stories are great for everybody. Anyone who is interested can learn about the Haudenosaunee in an informationally engaging performance that’s not just for kids, but for adults too. In indigenous communities, storytelling is a cultural norm for all ages and all types of people.

“Adults forget how exciting storytelling can be, and now they have the opportunity to enjoy it once again,” Ground said. “I hope that it leaves them with a positive impression of storytelling and of Native Americans so that they will then want to go out and learn more about Native Americans.”

Ground travels the country to teach about the Haudenosaunee people and form connections with other tribes, bringing people together over a commonly shared cultural experience. He cultivates a sense of togetherness and appreciation for indigenous cultures. 

“I travel all over for my job, and I love it,” Ground said. “It’s great that I can share our Haudenosaunee culture in all of these different places. … It’s what I was meant for.”

“One thing that we talk about in Haudenosaunee is that we all have a purpose, we have instructions from the creator,” Ground said. “My instructions are to share these stories … and to keep them alive.”

Newfield Notes appears every week in Tompkins Weekly. Send story ideas to editorial@vizellamedia.com.

In brief: 

Newfield’s monthly planning board meeting will take place July 5 at the town hall from 7:00-9:00 p.m.

The Newfield History and Activity Center opens on July 8 from 10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m..

Yoga For Beginners will be held at Newfield Public Library Saturday, July 8 from 10:00-11:00 a.m. The event will be hosted by Phyllis KuanYin Chi and is suitable for beginners and those with mobility issues.

Family Story Time will be held at Newfield Public Library Tuesday, July 11 from 10:30-11:15 a.m. The event includes stories, songs and more for infants through age 5.