After 31 years, Tonia Loran-Galban has retired from her position of Senior Native Interpretive Guide.
Since 1991, Tonia Loran-Galban
(Mohawk, Bear Clan) has been one of the cheerful faces waiting to greet you on
your visit to Ganondagan. Her friendly open manner, and passion for sharing Haudenosaunee
history and culture has made her an irreplaceable asset to the site.
Over her 30+ years of service at Ganondagan,
Tonia was instrumental in supporting Ganondagan’s growth. When Tonia began in
1991, she was a "jack of all trades" doing both interpretive walks
with visitors on the trails as well as site maintenance and mowing. When the
site began building its 17th century style Seneca Bark Longhouse, Tonia shifted
her focus learning about 17th century material culture so the
longhouse could be furnished and interpreted to students, families and visitors
from all over the world.
It was during this period that Tonia recognized
a gap in contemporary basketmaking, almost no one from the Haudenosaunee
communities was making the utility baskets such as corn sifting and washing
baskets. Those that were being made were not accurate for 17th
century interpretation. Through study and determination, Tonia was able to
replicate early examples of these baskets which became part of Ganondagan’s
exhibit. Additionally, Tonia began to teach traditional basket making to other
basket makers within the Haudenosaunee communities.
The
Seneca Art and Culture Center (2015) which features changing exhibits,
contemporary art, and a wider timeline than the Seneca Bark Longhouse was another
catalyst for Tonia to expand her knowledge as she trained staff and docents, helped
design exhibits, create material culture reproductions for the exhibits and
interpret these to the public. During her tenure, Tonia helped establish the
gardens (she plans to continue to assist with a children's garden), new
interpretive trails, and worked to re-establish indigenous plants on the site. These
gardens help supply materials to create 17th reproductions and serve
to help the public understand the connection of ecology and the Haudenosaunee
people.
“Ganondagan gave me a sense of wellbeing
because what I was learning was not widely known amongst my people. I realized
that Ganondagan was the whole package for me, I raised my family here; I could
work and be able to go home for ceremonies. It brought me in front of many of
the elders that have passed on and allowed me to have conversations with them,
learn and share with them. The next generation only knows them by name but I
got to learn from them.”
Tonia’s retirement plans include travel,
study, and supporting her family. “People know me as a basketmaker and
storyteller. I want to continue basketmaking, learning alternative materials
for baskets and containers (as the Emerald Ash Borer is making Black Ash more difficult
to find), teaching about wampum belts, but also expanding my work in beadwork
and sculpting with plant materials.”
Former site manager, Peter Jemison
says of Tonia “When Tonia first came to Ganondagan, she had no experience as an
interpreter, but she learned and honed those skills. She was shown how to weave
baskets but she really taught herself the craft of basketmaking and she now
excels at it, producing beautiful work. Tonia has been instrumental in the care
and upkeep of our Seneca Bark Longhouse and the adjacent gardens. She will be
missed, and it is now up to the next generation of interpreters to continue on
her work. Ganondagan offers a tremendous opportunity for learning.”
