Farmington Hills Nature Center Hosts Native American Storyteller

Genot Picor wants to make sure that ancient Native American traditions are not forgotten by today's children.

On Saturday, he'll bring his program of interactive storytelling, music, dance and games to the "Thanksgiving for Nature" celebration, held from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Clinton Township resident said he feels so strongly about his work that he has retired from teaching and entered graduate school to study Native storytelling.

"Stories are really the focus of the afternoon," Picor said, "stories about what the earth gave us and why we should be thankful for what the earth has to give us."

He said children will play the roles of animals in his stories; they'll also learn the "bear walk", provided the ground is dry, and Native American dances like the "crow hop" and "rabbit dance". Picor said he'll also teach some Native American sign language.

"We'll keep 'em busy," Picor said.

The afternoon includes a self-guided scavenger hunt along the trails in .

Thanksgiving for Nature is open to all ages. The fee is $5 per person with kids five and under free. The Nature Center is located within Heritage Park at 24915 Farmington Road, between 10 Mile and 11 Mile Roads. For more information, contact Nature Center Supervisor Ashlie Simons at 248-477-1135 or asimons@fhgov.com.

To learn more about Picor, visit genotpicor.com