Who came to these foot hills before us?
Where were they from and why did they come?
Come to Greenfield Community College Saturday and contemplate immigration to the Pioneer Valley — but also, just have a good time.
“Spirit of the Place,” the National Endowment for the Arts Big Read Kick-off, happens at the college all day.
It explores our sense of place in the valley through the lens of immigration and migration, with a free community meal at lunchtime.
“Spirit of place is always evolving — with new people, new experiences, and the resonance of new and old histories,” said Greenfield Community College Dean of Humanities Leo Hwang.
The day includes a morning of activities for families and an afternoon conference for adults and older students,
Here is the schedule:
10 a.m.: A performance by two-time Grammy award-winning storyteller, musician, and educator Bill Harley
11 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. Hands-on learning stations exploring the community’s traditions through art, music, dance, history and literature. They include a Día de los Muertos altar created by families in Turners Falls. All morning activities are free.
11:45 a.m. Free meal.
1 p.m. An afternoon conference for adults and older students with a keynote by Hilltown Families’ Sienna Wildfield. Afterward, a panel of scholars and artists explore issues around immigration and migration,
The afternoon conference has a suggested donation of $15 to $25.
The program is part of the 2016-17 Connecticut River Valley National Endowment for the Arts Big Read program, sponsored by the Mary Lyon Foundation (marylyonfoundation.org) and its library partner, Arms Library, along with Greenfield and Holyoke community colleges, and co-sponsored by the Pioneer Valley History Network.
The big read book, which many in the valley will be reading, is “Into the Beautiful North.”