FREWSBURG – The Martz-Kohl Observatory will host a presentation by Janine Bowen at 7:30 p.m. Aug. 20 at the observatory, 176 Robbin Hill Road, Frewsburg.

Bowen is a member of the Beaver Clan of the Seneca Nation. She has centered her career on Seneca language revitalization efforts. In 2002, she began teaching Seneca language and culture to elementary and junior high school students on the Allegany Territory of the Seneca Nation. In 2007, at the request of the Allegany Education Director, she became a Seneca language instructor for Buffalo State College. In 2015, the Seneca Nation Chief of Staff encouraged her to take on the role of Allegany language director. She received a masters degree from the Harvard University Graduate School of Education, as well as an M.P.P. from the Harvard University Kennedy School of Government. In 2020, she started her path back to the field of education when she began coursework for a doctorate in educational leadership.

“Teaching Seneca language and culture to K-8 students, I quickly realized they had little understanding of the lunar cycle and the profound role the moon plays in our culture,” Bowen said.

realization prompted her to make a dedicated effort to track the Seneca moons and deepen her own comprehension of the lunar cycle.

Bowen’s presentation will be live at Martz-Kohl Observatory and available online via Zoom. Those attending can participate in a question-and-answer session after the discussion. The observatory will offer tours, and weather permitting, attendees will have the opportunity to experience viewing through the observatory’s telescopes. Dress appropriately for outdoor weather as the observatory domes are not heated or cooled.

For more information visit martzobservatory.org