Calusa Heritage Day slated for this Saturday
Join the staff at the Randell Research Center for an afternoon of learning and fun during this year’s Calusa Heritage Day. This event will take place at the Randell Research Center site in Pineland on Saturday, Feb. 21, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and will feature guest speaker Donna Ruhl from the Florida Museum of Natural History.
Beginning at 2 p.m., Ruhl will share her expertise on the subject of Florida’s ancient canoes as she has examined hundreds of canoes going back thousands of years in history.
Also on hand for the event will be several book authors, including Tom Joseph, D.L. Havlin, Roothee Gabay, John Missall, Holly Moulder, Robin Brown and Ed Winn along with storyteller Gene Tonkray.
Several artists will display their works and provide demonstrations. Among them will be Merald Clark and David Meo, as well as Felix Rodrigues who will be hand-carving canoe paddles from mahogany. Other demonstrations will focus on pottery-making and fiber technology like net-making and basket weaving, as well as arrowhead making and atl throwing.
No event is complete without food and during the Calusa Heritage Day event, visitors can dine on “Calusa snack food” consisting of clams, mullet and papaya from Mel Meo and Phil’s Grill.
Guided tours of the Calusa site also will be offered every hour of the event, and the Tropic Star, GAEA Guides and Calusa Ghost Tours will provide information about eco tours available in the Pine Island area.
Admission to the Calusa Heritage Day celebration is $5 and plenty of free parking is available in the south pasture, just past the Pineland Post Office.
For more information about the Calusa civilization, visit flmnh.ufl.edu/rrc/ or call event coordinator, Michael Wylds at 283-2157.