Drumming, singing, dancing and generations of ancestral knowledge and talent were on display for this weekend’s 2024 Aquinnah Powwow. Participants were decked in colorful and traditional Native regalia.
Held at Aquinnah Circle on September 7 and 8, the celebration welcomed tribal nations from across Indian Country, whose citizens traveled to the Island to take part in activities, reconnect with old friends, and to help close the gap between indigenous communities.
“It is important to come here to share and learn,” Chief of the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head, F. Ryan Malonsom said at the powwow.
The event began each day with the grand entrance followed by a ceremonial prayer. Next was a veterans dance, welcoming native veterans, non native veterans, and anyone who wished to show support to a veteran. Intertribal social dancing allowed all tribes to come together and celebrate their shared heritage, then a performative Eastern Blanket Dance showcased how indigenous women show off their blanket making skills as well as tell the story of their journey from childhood to adulthood through dance.
Vendors included professional artist and author Jannette Vanderhoop, who sold jewelry; Donald Widdiss, who sold handmade wampum bracelets and necklaces, and Philip and Erin Cash, owners of Indigenous Clothing, a brand that focuses on handmade, ethical and fair trade, and eco-friendly fashion.
The Northeast Native Network of Kinship and Healing also participated, a local organization dedicated to ending domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, and sex trafficking in Native American communities.
“It’s great to see the cultures live on through the generations of the tribe, especially seeing it displayed on our own land,” said island native Wampanoag, Tristan Araujo, an employee and advocate for Kinship Heals.
