Covered Bridge Quilters Guild to host a tribal elder with the Ho-Chunk as speaker

The Covered Bridge Quilters Guild will host its monthly meeting at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 3, at the New Hope Church of the Nazarene, 30 N. Sixth St., Princeton.

Its program this month will feature Gerald Savage, a tribal elder with the Ho-Chunk Nation and an Illinois Humanities Road Scholar speaker. Savage’s formal native name is Ho-Chunk Ska Ga (White Winnebago). He will discuss the reintroduction of his family into the Illinois area, tribal customs and ways, the history of the Ho-Chunk tribe, modern natives, naming ceremonies, stereotypes, environmental concerns, tribal settlements, reservations and how he got his Chief’s bonnet.

Gerald’s grandparents were influential in the teaching of Gerald the native customs and ways. He carries on his grandfather’s tradition of teaching people about their tribal customs and ways. His program is about the history, past and present, from a Native perspective.

Guests are encouraged and welcome at guild meetings. There is a $5 guest fee that can be applied to the guild membership fee if someone joins the night of the meeting. The guild is looking for new members and anyone interested in joining the guild may do so for an annual membership fee of $24.

In addition to its monthly meeting, the Guild also will have an open sew day at the church starting at 10 a.m. on Thursday. Bring your projects, machine, hand work or whatever you would like to work on and join them. For more information, contact one of the group’s co-coordinators, Cindy Smith at 573-603-4234 or Terry Johnson at 815-872-0534.