POLAND — John Bear Mitchell, a noted Native American storyteller, author, actor and educator, will present two programs on Friday, Jan. 27: one for students at Poland Community School and the other for adults at Ricker Memorial Library.

Mitchell’s talk at the library, “Colonial House Revisited: John Bear Reminisces,” is based on his work with PBS in helping to create the reality show “Colonial House.” This behind-the-scenes look expands on his work as a researcher and participant in the show.

“Colonial House” was a nationally syndicated PBS reality show set in Machias that aired in 2004. It followed 27 individuals from the United States and England as they made their way back to the year 1628.

Mitchell is a member of the Penobscot Nation at Indian Island near Old Town and is outreach and student development coordinator for the Wabanaki Center at the University of Maine.

The presentation at Ricker Memorial Library is at 7 p.m., following a full day of talks for third-, fourth- and fifth-graders at Poland Community School.

Mitchell said his family has a particularly interesting connection to Poland Spring, and he is pleased to be speaking in that area.

“My grandfather and great-grandfather worked at the famous Poland Spring Resort as a bell hop and golf caddy in the 1920s,” Mitchell said, noting his family also was among Native Americans who made baskets to sell to tourists at the resort around the early 1900s.

“John Bear Mitchell visits only a handful of schools in Maine each year, and we are delighted that he has scheduled Poland for a southern Maine visit,” said Sarah Willet, librarian at the school and a Ricker Memorial Library trustee.

She said the talks for students “fit in perfectly” with the evening appearance. Each class is currently involved with Native American studies.

Mitchell’s meeting with third-graders will be related to the book, “Trickster: Native American Tales: A Graphic Collection.” His story, “Epsun and Grandfather,” is in that book, which features 21 colorfully illustrated Native American stories.

Willet said the popularity of the book at Poland Community School prompted her to buy several more copies for the school library. It was a winner of the 2011 Aesop Award and was nominated as best graphic novel for a Comic-Con award.

Mitchell is working on another children’s book and is also participating as an actor in the independent film, “Anatomy of Life,” which will open later this year at the Sundance Film Festival.

Willet said fourth-graders are studying Native American Wabanaki stories and fifth-graders are studying Colonial America.

Mitchell has acted and participated in a variety of theater and film productions. His singing and storytelling can be heard in many Maine PBS tribal-sponsored awareness videos and other documentaries with topics on Maine’s native people.

Mitchell will sign copies of “Trickster: Native American Tales: A Graphic Collection” at 6:30 p.m. prior to the evening library talk. His appearance complements last year’s Wabanaki presentation by Maria Girouard and James Francis.

The Jan. 27 event, put on by the Friends of Ricker Memorial Library, is free. Rain/snow date is Friday, Feb. 3. For more information, call the library at 998-4390.

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