Ostenaco (ca. 1703-1780), Cherokee leader, will be portrayed by Doug Wood of Hurricane in a West Virginia Humanities Council History Alive! program at 1 p.m. on July 7 at the Rupert Public Library. Ostenaco was an important Cherokee ally of Virginia military leaders during the French and Indian War. He was instrumental in recruiting and leading the Indian alliance that provided support and protection for British colonial settlements against attack by northern tribes allied with the French. His sphere of influence reached over a wide area and his relationships with Virginia leaders contributed to the expansion of English-speaking peoples into present day West Virginia. Ostenaco is one of the many available character presentations offered through the West Virginia Humanities Council’s History Alive! program as a means of exploring history by interacting with noteworthy historical figures. These programs provide audiences with the opportunity to question those who have shaped our history. Historical characterization is the vehicle for this program. Humanities scholars have carefully researched a variety of sources about the figures they portray such as journals, letters, official documents, speeches, autobiographies and research by other scholars in developing their presentation. The West Virginia Humanities Council is a private, not-for-profit organization dedicated to providing educational programs in the humanities for all West Virginians. For 40 years the Council has been providing educational programs in the humanities across the state. This program is available to both nonprofit and for-profit groups. For more information call The West Virginia Humanities Council at 304-346-8500 or visit the website: www.wvhumanities.org. [caption id="attachment_19907" align="alignleft" width="300"]<a href="https://mountainmedianews.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/13/2016/07/Ostenaco_Photo.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-19907" alt="Ostenaco as portrayed by Doug Wood" src="https://mountainmedianews.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/13/2016/07/Ostenaco_Photo-300x225.jpg" width="300" height="225" /></a> Ostenaco as portrayed by Doug Wood[/caption]
