My interest is immediately piqued whenever I come across anything of historical significance in the newspaper or on television.

The History Channel and The Travel Channel are two of my favorite channels on network television. I don’t know what I would do if I couldn’t have either of those two programs on my television set.

The more I read about Francis Broussard’s scheduled visit to the Native American Museum in Cassidy Park on Sunday for a talk and demonstration the more interested I became. He is also an expert on Native American customs and artifacts.

I’m interested in catching a glimpse of these Tibetan singing bowls I keep hearing about and seeing exactly what they can do. I imagine Broussard can make them sing like only he can. It’s reported these bowls have some kind of mysterious healing powers and also reduce stress in the process. Sounds like an interesting presentation to me.

It appears Broussard is a rather complex individual, according to his biography.

Not only does Broussard dabble in speaking on ancient Native American customs and life, but he is a professor at Southeastern Louisiana University in Hammond. His research is in Native American symbolism/iconography with ethnographic records. He is a member of the Louisiana Archeology Society and of the Academy of American Poets. He is an award-winning author.

Broussard’s speech will not be limited to his knowledge of Native American antiquities. He also collects items from Asia and many other places around the world in which he has traveled. He plans to display and talk about historic and prehistoric gorgets, bar stones, store points and beached pouches.

I’ve already learned something even before hearing Broussard’s presentation. After looking up what gorgets were, I learned they are carved shell pendants often worn around the neck. Broussard’s impending lecture has already paid dividends. I’m sure there will be much, much more to learn during his lecture. He is scheduled to speak at 2 p.m.

I’m sure Broussard has visited the ancient Aztec and Mayan sites in Mexico where those civilizations once thrived. The Aztec pyramids of Teotihuacan near Mexico City are sites to behold. The two principal pyramids at Teotihuacan are the Pyramid of the Sun and the Pyramid of the Moon.

For my tastes, I was more impressed with the Mayan site at Chichen Itza, near Cancun. It just seemed to be built on a grander scale to me. Or maybe it was because I grew up hearing about Chichen Itza and finally made it there. Either way, sites in both cities were simply awesome. Tulum and Xai-Ha, also near Cancun, were rather interesting sights as well. I was just in awe when I got the opportunity to actually gaze on these mysterious places.

I understand when the ancients played their version of football, the captain of the losing team was killed in a ceremony. It seems a huge stone ring was on the side of a wall in the arena. The idea of the game was to try and throw the ball, or whatever they used, through the ring. I know I would have hated to have been the captain of the losing team.

There are just so many interesting places to see in this world of ours that have stories to tell of times long past. We have a unique opportunity to learn some of it Sunday when Broussard visits.

Randy Hammons is a staff writer for the Daily News. He can be contacted at 985-732-2565 or by email at randy.hammons@thebogalusadailynews.com.