On Wednesday, August 19, the Boston Red Sox will hold their Native American Indian Celebration at Fenway Park during the team’s game against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Tobias Vanderhoop, an Aquinnah Wampanoag leader and member of the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah), has been invited to sing an original tribal honor song as part of the opening ceremony.
Vanderhoop is a Harvard Kennedy School graduate, former chairman of the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah), and currently serves as tribal council secretary. A longtime community leader with deep ties to Martha’s Vineyard and Aquinnah, this will be his first time performing at Fenway Park.
Fans will also have the opportunity to purchase a special jersey designed by Boston resident Sage Carbone, who is Northern Narragansett and Mi’kmaq. The design incorporates traditional and modern elements representing strength, prosperity, and sovereignty. It features the four directional colors of a medicine wheel, while the collar is inspired by a wampum necklace, traditionally crafted from quahog shell, and once used as a form of trade currency.
The day will bring Wampanoag tradition, music, and culture to one of New England’s most iconic stages
The game is on Wednesday, August 19, at 4:10 pm.
