This virtual program is part of our Winter Speaker Series, and will be presented on Zoom. A Zoom link will be emailed to all current SCHS members before the program.

Archaeologist Matthew LoBiondo will discuss his recent work, “Bead Color Symbolism and Colonialism in the Mohawk Valley.” Glass beads played a vital role in the social and spiritual lives of 17th-century Mohawks, reflecting their responses to colonialism, disease, and migration. By examining bead colors from the Veeder site (a Mohawk village), we can better understand how Mohawks navigated these challenges and expressed their cultural identity. Their selection of specific bead colors sheds light on the villages’ inhabitants state of being, and provides a way to further understand the intersection of colonialism and Native American interactions.