Award-winning West Virginia archaeologist Darla Spencer will presentWho Speaks for the Dead: Kin, Science, the Lawat 7 p.m. Tuesday (Feb. 17) in G24 Eiesland Hall on West Virginia Universitys Downtown Campus.

The talkwhich is free and open to the publicis the keynote address in the WVU Native American Studies Programs annual West Virginia Native American Heritage event.

Spencer will discuss the history of the Buffalo Village site in Putnam County, highlighting the ongoing controversy over efforts to repatriate and rebury the human remains that were excavated and removed from the site in the 1960s. She is studying pottery artifacts from the Buffalo Village to learn more about the origins and material culture of its former inhabitants.

Amy Hirshman, WVU assistant professor of anthropology, will also moderate a panel presentation that features related topics, such as indigenous cultural representation, collaborative protection of sacred sites and creating a respectful balance among scientific, historic and traditional native interests.

p. Participants include Native American Studies lecturer Joe Candillo (Pascua Yaqui); doctoral history student Isaac Emrick; author and professor Allison Hedge Coke (of Huron, Eastern Tsalagi, French Canadian and Portuguese descent); associate professor of English Ellesa High (Lower Eastern Ohio Mekoce Shawneea federally non-recognized tribe); assistant professor of history SilverMoon; sociology and anthropology lecturer Genesis Snyder; and cultural educator and traditional storyteller Suzanne Tewawina (Hopi-Navajo).

The event is sponsored by the Native American Studies Program with support from the Division of Sociology and Anthropology, Clarion Hotel Morgan and High, a founding sponsor of the West Virginia Native American Heritage Series.

For more information, contact Bonnie Brown, Native American Studies coordinator, at 304-293-4626 or ” Bonniem.Brown@mail.wvu.edu rel=nofollow> Bonniem.Brown@mail.wvu.edu .

More on the Net: http://www.wvu.edu/~nas