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Transcription: [00:04:00]
{SPEAKER name="Helen Rountree "}
-- the contributions of Native Americans.

[00:04:02]
Thanks to the efforts of the Chairman of the Virginia Council on Indian [[?]], legislation was passed in the 1988 General Assembly to extend the celebration from a day to a week.

[00:04:14]
The legislation states the purpose of Native American Indian Week is to honor the culture and heritage of the American Indians; to recognize the historic continuing contribution of that heritage in our society, and in particular, remembering the special place of the tribes native to Virginia, [[?]] history of the Commonwealth.

[00:04:37]
To celebrate Native American Indian Week this year, there will be many, many special events taking place in the Commonwealth. Some ten thousand Virginia students, hundreds of thousands of visitors to this year's Virginia State Fairs will have an opportunity to see the 'living history' exhibits.

[00:04:57]
This new exhibit, which is part of the American heritage showcase, will demonstrate the skill and efficiency which Virginia Indians used to farm and hunt in the early 17th century. Governor Baliles will be visiting this exhibit on Governor's Day to see it and to meet the Indian people who participated and brought forth its development.

[00:05:19]
Also for the first time, Native American dancers will be performing at the State Fair, at [[? ?]] Day in Chesterfield County and at the Natural History Museum in Martinsville [[?]].

[00:05:32]
{SPEAKER name="Helen Rountree "}
Also, 500 schools have been sent packages of information about Native American Indian peoples. They have been invited to participate in the events planned by the Council on Indians and the tribes, so they can learn more about the contributions of Native Americans.

[00:05:49]
In October, each of the middle schools of Virginia will receive a booklet about the tribes native to Virginia. And it's the hope of the Council, and the tribes that these events--