In recognition of National Native American Heritage Month, Shane Weeks, a Shinnecock artist, singer, dancer, and cultural consultant, will discuss and sign copies of his book "Good Neighbors: A Shinnecock History From a Shinnecock Perspective," at the Southampton Arts Center on Friday at 3 p.m.
Published in March, the book features traditional knowledge, opinions, facts, and insight into his life as a member of the Shinnecock Nation. Questions will be encouraged, and guests have been invited to bring artifacts and histories to share. The program is free.
Also on Friday, from noon to 5, a free Indigenous Artisan Fair will be held in the center's galleries. Artisans from the Shinnecock Nation will be on hand, as will representatives of local bookshops.
Gears will shift on Saturday, when Carl Safina and Joan Maloof will talk about "The Importance of Old-Growth Forests" at 3 p.m. The first endowed professor of nature and humanity at Stony Brook University, Dr. Safina has published 10 books, hosted the PBS series "Saving the Ocean," and received numerous awards, including a MacArthur Fellowship.
Dr. Maloof, a writer, ecologist, and professor emeritus at Salisbury University in Maryland, has published many research articles and books, including "Among the Ancients," "Nature's Temples: The Complex World of Old-Growth Forests," and "Teaching the Trees."
A $15 donation has been suggested for the talk, which is presented in conjunction with the arts center's current exhibition, "A Celebration of Trees."