In order to preserve the past, BYU's Museum of Peoples and Cultures hosted a block party Saturday honoring Utah's Prehistory Week.
The block party taught and demonstrated activities of early Native American lifestyles of the South West.
"There are a lot of skills that have been lost, that we don't do anymore," said Katie Criddle, promotions manager for the museum. "But it's still good to learn what they [Native Americans] did."
Criddle thinks learning native activities like: flint knapping (carving tools out of stone), pottery making, and rock art will be a good experience.
"What I like best about the block party is you get hands on experience with indigenous technologies," BYU anthropology professor John Clark said. "You gain an appreciation of how they lived their lives in ancient times."
Cordage, a straw-like fiber braided like rope was another activity offered at the block party.
"This was survival for the native peoples," said Merianne Nelson, a cordage demonstrator at the block party. "They made their rabbit nets, their clothing, their shoes, everything; they had to have cordage, it was a basic thing."
Because many pre-historic activities are not practiced anymore, Nelson said she thinks it is important to learn about Utah's early history to "preserve the past for future generations."
Participating in these activities makes it possible to see the cultural differences between ancient and modern times.
"They're people just like us and they have different backgrounds, cultures, beliefs [and] skills ... which are interesting," Clark said.
During the block party, the museum also gave guided tours of its newest exhibit, "Touching the Past: Traditions of Casas Grandes."
The exhibit features a combination of ancient and modern Casas Grandes pottery from Chihuahua, Mexico.
"It really tells a story of the people," Criddle said. "It's through their pottery you can really see what their day-to-day life was like and what was important to them."
The Museum of Peoples and Cultures has been hosting block parties since 1993.
