Join us for an interactive videoconference performance about “Buffalo Bill Cody, the Wild West Show, and the Spirit of the West” by
award-winning author, actress, and storyteller Estelle Condra.
Through music, movement and the exciting story of Buffalo Bill, Condra
will bring the Wild West exhibition to life in a new and dynamic way.
WEDNESDAY, October 19 - “Buffalo Bill Cody, the Wild West Show, and the Spirit of the West” (Countries and Cultures series)
Presenter: Estelle Condra, award-winning author, actress, and storyteller
TARGET AUDIENCE: Students in grades 5-12
TIME: Two sessions: one at 9:00 AM CENTRAL TIME and one at 10:00 AM CENTRAL TIME
The
American West is deeply rooted in storytelling, an art form of its own
that ultimately shaped the way people view the West, both past and
present. Join Estelle Condra for a performance journey that “won the
West,” exploring stories such as the untamed western wilderness;
encounters with native animals and people; the wagon train spirit of
the pioneers; Native American life;
artfully embellished guns used by Buffalo Bill and the members of his
Wild West show; and famous cowgirls and cowboys culture.
We
are excited to reintroduce you to Buffalo Bill, the star of the
world-traveling Wild West show of the late 1800s. The Buffalo Bill’s
Wild West Show came through Nashville and several other cities in
Tennessee on numerous occasions.
INTRODUCTION
In
1883 William Frederick "Buffalo Bill" Cody founded "Buffalo Bill's
Wild West Show." This was a circus-like spectacle that toured the
United States annually. Over the years, the show changed names and was
constantly being updated with new and exciting acts. In 1889, Buffalo
Bill took his show to Europe and it was a huge success, especially in
France.
Included
in the Wild West Show were Buffalo Bill, Annie Oakley, Frank Butler,
and Sitting Bull. As you might expect, a shootin’ contest always ensued
between Annie Oakley and Frank.
Army
scout, buffalo hunter, Indian fighter, and impresario of the
world-renowned "Wild West Show," William F. "Buffalo Bill" Cody lived
the real American West and also helped create the "Wild West of the
imagination."
Born
in 1846, he took part in the great westward migration, hunted the
buffalo, and made friends among the Plains Indians, who gave him the
name Pahaska (long hair). But as the frontier closed and his role in
"winning the West" passed into legend, Buffalo Bill found himself
becoming the symbol of the destruction of the buffalo and the American
Indian. Deeply dismayed, he spent the rest of his life working to save
the remaining buffalo and to preserve Plains Indian culture through his
Wild West shows.
The
American West is a remarkable and storied place; both the real,
history-baked landscape and the “Wild West” that lives in the world’s
imagination. The Buffalo Bill Historical Center in Cody, Wyoming is one
of the best destinations in the world to learn about every side of the
West. Native Americans and Cowboys, landscape, technology, history,
art, and, of course, Buffalo Bill -- the BBHC tells these stories and
more through a vast collection contained within five distinct museums. Author James Mitchner referred to the Buffalo Bill Historical Center as “the Smithsonian of the West.”
Buffalo
Bill had a lifelong relationship with the Plains Indians. The Lakota
and Cheyenne were active co-creators of the Wild West shows, which
helped them preserve the spiritual essence of their culture in the
reservation era while also imparting something of it to white society
in America and Europe. This dual story of Buffalo Bill and the Plains
Indians clearly reveals how one West was lost, and another West was born, within the lifetime of one remarkable man.
PRE-ACTIVITIES
Students will prepare a timeline series of maps
of the United States showing territorial growth from 1846 – 1917, the
time period during which Buffalo Bill lived. Place students into
groups. The teacher will give each group of students 8 outline maps of
the United States, one for each decade. Each student should be assigned
to fill in two of these. Make sure students use bold colors and
create a key.
