Native American Heritage & Artifact Day - FREE EVENT
The Talbot Historical Society is presenting a Native American Heritage & Artifact Day, held on February 21, 2026 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., offering families and individuals a rare opportunity to experience centuries-old Native American artifacts along with the living history of the Pocomoke Indian Nation through demonstrations, presentations, and cultural displays.
The Waterfowl Festival Building at 40 S. Harrison Street in Easton will be filled with remarkable local artifact collections, displayed alongside their owners and finders. The stone tools on view date from 500 to more than 10,000 years old, offering a powerful glimpse into the deep Native American history of the region. Many of the rarely seen Talbot County collections will be on display, including the most comprehensive collection spanning thousands of years and multiple cultures, making this event a unique opportunity to view these historic remnants up close.
 Left: Photograph courtesy of Maryland State Arts Council. Center: Traditional craft of making a duck decoy using natural materials. Photograph courtesy of John Brinton. Right: Drew Shuptar-Rayvis, citizen and cultural ambassador of the Pocomoke Indian Nation, educator, and advocate for living Indigenous history. Photograph courtesy of Drew Shuptar-Rayvis.
Also featured will be “Pocomoke Indian Nation: History, Lifeways, and Resources within Their Homelands and Sphere of Influence”, featuring hands-on demonstrations by Tradition Bearers of the Pocomoke Indian Nation, Inc., including flint knapping, hide tanning using stone and bone tools, traditional turkey hunting techniques, a river cane flute, and cattail decoy displays.
At 1 p.m., Norris (Buddy) Howard Jr. will present an illustrated lecture, Pocomoke Indian Nation – Past, Present, Future, exploring the Nation’s history and continuing cultural traditions.
Additional highlights include historic maps, primary documents, the Nause-Waiwash Tribe with information about their history and community. and a special presentation, Eight Coates, Seven Shirts, Fifteen Fathom Wampum, by Drew Shuptar-Rayvis, citizen and cultural ambassador of the Pocomoke Indian Nation, educator, and advocate for living Indigenous history.
This free, family-friendly event, sponsored by the Talbot Historical Society, Talbot County Free Library, Waterfowl Festival and Talbot 250 and Mid-Shore Archaeology Club, is open to the public and suitable for all ages.
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