This program will be held in-person at the Newberry and livestreamed on Zoom. The online version of this event will be live captioned. Please register below.
This exciting conversation among representatives from the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma will foreground why archives and ongoing relationships with archival institutions, like the Newberry, are essential to Native nations' cultural revitalization efforts. Starting with discussion about what defines cultural revitalization and why it's important, Nate Poyfair, Jared Nally, and Morgan Lippert will then share their perspectives on various Myaamia revitalization projects, including those focused on language, written and oral histories, and textiles, as well the establishment of the Myaamia Heritage Museum and Archive.
"Conversations at the Newberry" are generously funded by Sue and Melvin Gray.
Speakers
Peepincihsia ‘Nate Poyfair’ (Myaamia), Second Council Person of the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma and Miami Tribe of Oklahoma Cultural Resource Office. Nate is a Miami University (Oxford) graduate with a BA in History and possesses a Project Management Professional (PMP) certification. Nate now works for his nation, the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma, in the Cultural Resources Office as a Project Manager. In this role, Nate participates in the cultural revitalization of Myaamiaki ‘Miami people’ and has a role in the education of history and culture within tribal events and outreach programs. He began working for the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma in 2022 and became an elected leader of the Miami Tribe in June 2025.
Nate's passions are his work in community engagement. He has worked in the “Eewaansapita” and “Saakaciweeta” summer youth programs ranging from ages 6 to 16, which teach tribal youth the language, history, and culture of Myaamiaki. He also participates in the continued education and teaching programs for tribal members located in Miami, OK, Ft. Wayne, Indiana, and Oxford, Ohio. Nate has worked in multiple roles related to cultural revitalization and he hopes to continue to learn from the cultural leaders of the Miami Tribe to evolve as a culturally knowledgeable citizen and into someone that helps to preserve Myaamia language, culture, and heritage.
Jared Nally (Myaamia), Deputy Tribal Historic Preservation Officer (THPO) for the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma. Jared is the Deputy Tribal Historic Preservation Officer for the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma and a citizen of the Tribe. Jared grew up in Kansas and attended Haskell Indian Nations University where he received a bachelor’s degree in Indigenous and American Indian Studies. Jared continued his education at Miami University as an Aanchtaakia Graduate Fellow at the Myaamia Center and received a master’s degree in environmental science and a graduate certificate in conservation biology. Jared works out of the Cultural Resources Extension Office located in Fort Wayne, Indiana where he can better serve to protect cultural resources in the Miami ancestral homelands. In addition to his work for the tribe, Jared is a weaver in his community and is focused on the revitalization of Myaamia textiles and cultural ecology and sharing that knowledge with his community.
Morgan Lippert (non-Native), Curator of Exhibitions for the Myaamia Heritage Museum and Archive, Miami Tribe of Oklahoma Cultural Resource Office. Morgan serves the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma as the Curator of Exhibitions for the Myaamia Heritage Museum and Archive (MHMA). As part of her work in developing exhibits, she conducts research on both MHMA and non-tribal collections to develop exhibits that are grounded in Myaamia knowledge and perspectives. Morgan previously interned at the Newberry’s McNickle Center, an experience she credits with setting her on a course towards archival and curatorial work with Native nations. Morgan has a B.A. from Beloit College in History and is pursuing an M.A. in Museum Studies at the University of Oklahoma.
Cost and Registration
This program is free and open to all. Advance registration required.
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