MONTICELLO - Those interested in seeing the remnants of history will have years worth of collected items at the annual Native American Indian Artifact Show in its 33rd year Sunday in Monticello.
The show, filled with up to 100 tables brimming with 40 to 50 displays of arrow points, stone, bone, copper, prints, rugs and other items from centuries ago, initially began in Monroe. Ralph Hammerly began with only five tables. A few years later, the collections and visitors were moved to the American Legion building in Monticello.
Eventually, it was moved to the Monticello School's Rehmstedt Gymnasium. In the past, it served as a curriculum accompaniment for fourth-grade Monticello students learning about American Indian history of Wisconsin. It became a part of the Badger State Archaeological Society of Wisconsin soon after its founding, and is the largest of the four shows held annually throughout the state.
Current co-organizer Janet Gobeli has been roaming around looking for artifacts since the age of 7. Hammerly and Gobeli's father, Calvin Drafahl, were friends, and it was the founder of the show who instilled the family tradition in Gobeli through her father. Trying to engage younger collectors is one of the reasons Gobeli and her husband took over the show when coordinator titles were passed down over years.
"We always try to encourage young ones to come in," Gobeli said. "Get them engaged and interested."
The Gobelis have three collections of their own, between pieces collected by Janet's father, their own finds and pieces they have purchased during shows.
Fellow coordinator and collector Steve Gobeli, Janet's husband, began his venture in collecting American Indian pieces when the couple began dating. One day, Steve asked Janet how she wanted to pass the time on a boring Sunday afternoon.
"I said, "Oh, you don't want to know,'" Janet Gobeli said.
But once shared, the couple went wandering in the woods close to home as Janet had done for years with her family. Now the couple said, in addition to engaging with experts and historians, they attempt to explain the difference between authentic pieces of significant age and copied pieces sold to unsuspecting collectors.
"Absolutely everybody there wants to talk about what they have," Steve Gobeli said.
The show promises a history lesson and experts on hand to explain anything brought in: They said if one person does not know about a specific rug or piece of jewelry, they will know who to turn to for an answer during the show.
From 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., the Gobelis said the show will easily attract 250 to 300 people. Occasionally a rare item will be introduced and people will literally stop the show to gather around and inspect the new element.
"This is 12,000 years of history and pre-history," Steve Gobeli said. "People don't realize the history of some of these pieces."
Boy Scout Troop 106 will be on hand with a lunch stand. The show will have awards for different displays, including best of show, best personal find, junior awards, judge's choice and best educational display.
The show, filled with up to 100 tables brimming with 40 to 50 displays of arrow points, stone, bone, copper, prints, rugs and other items from centuries ago, initially began in Monroe. Ralph Hammerly began with only five tables. A few years later, the collections and visitors were moved to the American Legion building in Monticello.
Eventually, it was moved to the Monticello School's Rehmstedt Gymnasium. In the past, it served as a curriculum accompaniment for fourth-grade Monticello students learning about American Indian history of Wisconsin. It became a part of the Badger State Archaeological Society of Wisconsin soon after its founding, and is the largest of the four shows held annually throughout the state.
Current co-organizer Janet Gobeli has been roaming around looking for artifacts since the age of 7. Hammerly and Gobeli's father, Calvin Drafahl, were friends, and it was the founder of the show who instilled the family tradition in Gobeli through her father. Trying to engage younger collectors is one of the reasons Gobeli and her husband took over the show when coordinator titles were passed down over years.
"We always try to encourage young ones to come in," Gobeli said. "Get them engaged and interested."
The Gobelis have three collections of their own, between pieces collected by Janet's father, their own finds and pieces they have purchased during shows.
Fellow coordinator and collector Steve Gobeli, Janet's husband, began his venture in collecting American Indian pieces when the couple began dating. One day, Steve asked Janet how she wanted to pass the time on a boring Sunday afternoon.
"I said, "Oh, you don't want to know,'" Janet Gobeli said.
But once shared, the couple went wandering in the woods close to home as Janet had done for years with her family. Now the couple said, in addition to engaging with experts and historians, they attempt to explain the difference between authentic pieces of significant age and copied pieces sold to unsuspecting collectors.
"Absolutely everybody there wants to talk about what they have," Steve Gobeli said.
The show promises a history lesson and experts on hand to explain anything brought in: They said if one person does not know about a specific rug or piece of jewelry, they will know who to turn to for an answer during the show.
From 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., the Gobelis said the show will easily attract 250 to 300 people. Occasionally a rare item will be introduced and people will literally stop the show to gather around and inspect the new element.
"This is 12,000 years of history and pre-history," Steve Gobeli said. "People don't realize the history of some of these pieces."
Boy Scout Troop 106 will be on hand with a lunch stand. The show will have awards for different displays, including best of show, best personal find, junior awards, judge's choice and best educational display.