Meet the Instructors
Melanie Sawyer
Originally born in the Cotswolds, England, Melanie Sawyer's passion for nature, history and helping others learn has lead to the creation of Thunderhawk Living History School teaching about what life was like in the 18C in schools, great camps as well as the historical forts, battlegrounds and surroundings of the Adirondack State Park.
Melanie's historically researched 18c persona is that of an English woman who is married to an officer of Mohawk and Scottish blood and who was adopted into native society. This will lead to her wearing both Colonial and Native details in her clothing and kit as was the custom.
Melanie loves to use her knowledge to teach groups about Historical survival foods eaten by people of the 1700's, traditional fire starting and wilderness survival.
Melanie was chosen out of 43.000 applications to be one of 10 participants for Season 10 the History Channels ALONE show. She used her knowledge of historical foraging to place 4th out of 10. We congratulate her!
Alex Nischa Meechgalanne Warrington
Alex can trace his bloodline back through the Menominee tribe as well as having both French and German ancestry. He is well known as a Traditional drummer, Woodland Indian Historical Researcher, Traditional Woodland Indian Craftsman and Historical Trecker.
If you have not heard of the term Historical Trecker before it means that our guides hike and teach in traditional clothes amongst the locations in the areas mentioned in history during the French Indian War.
Cody Van Buren
Cody Van Buren was raised in Historic Cherry Valley, NY and has been an active member of his towns historic society since he was a young man. Codys Anglo, Scottish, Mohawk bloodline can be traced all the way back through to 1739. His fascination of subjects such as Primitive navigation, shelter building, fire starting, hunting, trapping, fishing, finger weaving, beading, copper smiting, period archery and flint knapping which he teaches has led him to dedicating his life to not only learning forgotten information of the past, but keep his ancestors legacies alive to share with others. "Those that know, do, those that understand, teach." Aristotle.
Brian McCormack
Brian is well known in the fields of historical interpretation. This year, 2023, he was tapped to become the Commander of Native Forces on the North Eastern Coast. Brian's family has roots in Mohawk, Irish and Scottish heritages.
Scott Reed
Scott feels it is essential to continue to teach the world about wampum in order to keep the history, tradition, customs and diplomacy of the Iroquois alive. Scott is very well known for his beautiful museum quality reproductions of wampum belts and of teaching about them. You can learn about Scott, our newest Guide of Thunderhawk Living History School by finding both him and his page concerning his passion "Keeper of the Wampum" on Facebook