Preserving and Reviving Culture: Food Practices of the Eastern Siouan

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Victoria Persinger Ferguson

A photograph of Victoria Ferguson

Explore the vast foodways of indigenous Roanoke Valley peoples with “Preserving and Reviving Culture: Food Practices of the Eastern Siouan.” Admission is free for this Salem Museum speaker series talk on Thursday, April 9, 2025, at 7:00 p.m. at the Salem Museum. The event will be livestreamed on Zoom for those unable to attend in person through a link on SalemMuseum.org.

In her talk, researcher and historical interpreter Victoria Persinger Ferguson will explore the diverse food-gathering practices of local Indigenous communities. Drawing on oral histories, archaeological findings, and traditional ecological knowledge, she will show how these foodways reveal deep connections to the land and enduring resilience in the face of both human and environmental challenges.

Ferguson is an enrolled citizen of the Monacan Indian Nation and a graduate of Marshall University. She has 30 years background in researching science methodologies and historical documentation on the daily living habits of the Eastern Siouan populations up through the early European colonization period. Ferguson has been involved with public history as a historical interpreter for over 25 years and has participated in numerous educational documentaries. She serves in the position of Program Director for Solitude/Fraction site on the campus of Virginia Tech and is the university’s Presidential Ambassador to Native Nations.