Listen as Dirty Kettle plays his flutes, several of which are hand made from bones of turkeys, as was traditional among the Mountain Men. You'll be invited to play traditional Native American drums and join in traditional Native dances at some of the events..
The teepee is arranged as it would have been more than 175 years ago with items that were typical of the period, including willow beds covered in buffalo hides and back rests wrapped with deer and sheep skins. You will have an opportunity to touch the many furs that line the inside of the teepee, including bobcat, ermine, fox, beaver, mink, coyote, and Canadian timber wolf.
Sit back as Dirty Kettle teaches you about the traditions of the Plains Indians and the Mountain Men by passing around and explaining about the items used during that period, including dance sticks, talking and prayer feathers, bows and arrows, tools, traps, fire starting items, and hand-made musical instruments, such as flutes and drums.
Herb Heck - Dirty Kettle What began as a new venue for his catering services at a local Buckskinner event has turned into a passion for Herb Heck of Ashippun, Wisconsin. Herb began attending renactment events regularly in 1988 as a food vendor and was soon given the name "Dirty Kettle" by his fellow Buckskinners.
He enjoyed the events and became fascinated by the life and traditions of the Plains Indians and the Mountain Men who lived among them. His passion about this period in history led Herb to want to share the Native traditions with others. In 1996, he began offering presentations to schools and local civic groups. He started with a small teepee, but soon needed a larger one to accomodate full classes of school children who wanted to learn about Native American life. The demand for his presentations has grown along with his passion for sharing the Native traditions with others.