Aquinnah: Things like reading

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As I write this, Hurricane Dorian is pummeling the Bahamas and moving slowly towards Florida. There is no accurate prediction of what we will face (if anything) at this time. I truly hope that people and animals in areas affected by this storm remain safe, and that if Dorian does reach us, we do too.
This is the last week for Yoga on the Beach with Rachel Elion Baird at Lobsterville Beach. She will hold class on Thursday and Friday at 8 am (unless it is raining). Classes are an hourlong hatha asana practice; please bring your own mat or towel. Classes are $12 each.
The 2019 Aquinnah Pow Wow is this weekend! Saturday, Sept. 7, and Sunday, Sept. 8, the gates will open at 11 am and close at 6 pm. Grand Entry is Saturday at noon. There will be amazing drumming, dancing, food, and pageantry. This year Tia Roberts and John Thomas, both from Narragansett, will be the head dancers. The Pow Wow takes place at the Aquinnah Circle unless it rains; then it will be held at the Tribal Community Center at 20 Black Brook Rd.
The Aquinnah Cultural Center has a new exhibit opening Sept. 5. “Our Story” is an interactive traveling exhibit, told in the Native voice, which shines a light on historic events that had a significant impact on the Wampanoag tribe, their relationship with the Mayflower Pilgrims, and the founding of Plymouth Colony. Plymouth 400, a group out of Plymouth Plantation, worked closely with its Wampanoag Advisory Committee, with representation from both the Aquinnah and Mashpee Wampanoag tribes, in the creation of the exhibit. It was designed to bring to light key legacies of America’s earliest beginnings from the Wampanoag perspective, a voice largely silenced in the colonial narrative. Every year, a new theme is added to the exhibit. This year’s theme is “Governance,” which focuses on the unique style of governance practiced by the Wampanoag and other Algonquin nations. On Saturday at 5 pm, Paula Peters (Mashpee Wampanoag), co-creator of this exhibit, will be talking about the impact of 400 years of colonization on the Wampanoag people. The talk is after the closing of the first day of Pow Wow.
The Aquinnah library has some new programming for fall. There will be a Website Workshop on Thursdays, from 2:30 to 3:30 pm. In this workshop you learn how to plan, build, and launch a new website. You must register by calling the library at 508-645-2314. Remember to bring your laptop to the class. The next meeting of the book group will be on Thursday, Sept. 19, from 3:30 to 4:30 pm to discuss “The Rosie Result” by Graeme Simsion. On Tuesday, Sept. 24, at 5 pm the film, “An Inconvenient Sequel,” the follow-up to “An Inconvenient Truth,” will screen. The library will also have regular programming like Storytime on Thursdays at 3:30 pm and Saturdays at 10:30 am, and Drop-In Crafts on Saturday from 11 am to 3 pm.
If you need to kickstart your recovery from the summer, Cat Garfinkle will be leading a Restorative Yoga mini retreat on Saturday, Sept. 7, from 3 to 5:30 pm at the Yoga Barn. No previous yoga experience needed, only a willingness to be open. To register or for more information, contact Cat at catgee@me.com or 203-253-2261.
The Aquinnah Cultural Center, in conjunction with the Aquinnah energy committee, is organizing an “Earth First” event at sunrise at the Aquinnah Circle on Friday, Sept. 20. That is the first day of the Global Climate Strike. There will be more details, and an exact time, in the coming weeks. If you would like to help, call Mitzi Pratt at 508-645-3035, all ages welcome.
Now that summer is over, it’s time to pursue things we enjoy that are not work, things like reading. Aquinnah resident Phil Weinstein will be teaching an ongoing series through the Vineyard Haven library titled “Fictions of the Law.” The first seminar will discuss Charles Dickens’ “Bleak House” on Sept. 18 and Oct. 2. The seminar will be held at the KathArine Cornell Theater in Vineyard Haven. It is free and open to all.
Happy birthday to Paul Manning, who celebrates on Saturday!