Annual Cicadas

Drone on: Alabama cicadas get help from a few billion friends: Montgomery Advertiser – May 19

… John Abbott, director of museum research and collections at The University of Alabama said Alabama’s annual cicadas, as they’re called, emerge after spending two to five years living underground in their nymph forms where they feed on the roots of trees. Once they emerge, they morph into their flying adult forms, make a bunch of racket, mate, lay eggs in twigs and die in about three to four weeks. “Adults are flying around, calling for mates — that’s what the noise is: males calling for a mate,” he said. “It is loud. In fact, the loudest insect in the world is a cicada from Africa.
The Tuscaloosa News

UA Opera

World premiere chancel opera will honor longtime UA opera director Ed White: Tuscaloosa News – May 19

… “Naaman” is being performed in honor of Ed White, director of opera at UA from 1975-2001. White, who died in 2020, with his wife Karen was also active in choral music at First Presbyterian… Former students of White’s, many of whom have gone on to professional music careers, are performing all the roles, save Bonnie Blackwell, a current UA study who’s singing the part of an adviser, and working as understudy.

Saturday in the Park

Moundville hosting Native American tools showcase at Saturday in the Park: WVUA – May 19

Interested in Native American culture? The University of Alabama’s Moundville Archaeological Park is hosting its latest Saturday in the Park series this weekend, with this session focused on tools and weapons used by Indigenous peoples.

NAGPRA

University of Alabama holds Native American remains and funerary items: National Public Radio (National) – May 19

… For example, The University of Alabama is one that has a reputation for drawing tribes into lengthy NAGPRA dealings, and while the University has inventoried and categorized 80% of its items, Panther says that doesn’t mean it’s actually that easy to get them. “I dread sometimes when I see something from them, because I just know it’s going to be a fight about it.” The University of Alabama declined to comment. The institution has never had a dedicated NAGPRA coordinator, but is currently looking for one.”