Dances of celebration

Editor’s Note: Sept. 12 and 13 at the Aquinnah Circle is the Aquinnah Wampanoag Powwow. The general public is welcome to attend and witness this annual celebration of Wampanoag culture and arts. The heart of the powwow is the traditional dances and music performed in ceremonial dress; the grounds are also brimming with native food, artisans, artists, and other tradition-bearers.

Both days, the gates will open at 11 am, and the Grand Entry starts at noon. Entry is $10 for adults; $5 for children, seniors, and veterans; children under 5 are free. 

Juli Vanderhoop graciously accepted an invitation from The Times to share her personal experiences of the event. Juli is a tribal elder, an Aquinnah select board member, and the owner of the Orange Peel Bakery.

The Aquinnah Powwow is going into its 21st year. During those two decades, I have watched a generation of tribal members change from adolescents to adults. Many of those youths, now grown to adulthood, will be leading the dancers in our 2026 celebration of resilience and community. 

I was not raised within powwow culture. When I was younger, in the 1970s, the only reference to “powwow” that I ever heard was language signifying that some people would meet up and talk. My elders within the Wampanoag community focused on having Socials with other indigenous peoples, both from nearby communities, like the Mashpee Wampanoag, and others from distant lands, such as Chile or Argentina. Sometimes these involved people who didn’t speak English, but we shared a common interest with those who, like us, understood the honor of celebrating our community as we gave thanks to our motherlands.

The Aquinnah Powwow was created in 2005 by members of the Aquinnah Tribal Youth Group, all between the ages of 14 and 24, working with advisors Kristina Hook and Durwood Vanderhoop, and Bonnie Chalifeaux from the tribe’s human resource department. It revived an ancient tradition that had not been practiced in Aquinnah for at least 75 years.Today, there are more than 1,000 powwows of varying sizes in the U.S. Powwows are a great way for the general public to become educated about indigenous cultures.

In the Wôpanâak language, there is a word for when you are tired in a way that your hands will not work anymore. I think this signifies the responsibility to work and create. I love that my family wakes each morning to create. Every day, whether it is painting, bringing a vision to life through film and photography, or foraging and harvesting to create food for our community, and making a living doing all of it, we are fulfilling the responsibility to create. The powwow is another expression of that responsibility

I have often wondered why, in a matriarchal tribe, we don’t have more women taking the mike to speak about our culture. The stories that run through generations of families are interwoven, and it is interesting when you get to sit down with elders as they talk together about the stories of their youth. I believe that these moments offer a glimpse of the ancestral voices spoken by those who are left behind to carry the stories forward. When our elders speak to one another during our gatherings, I have been present for moments that are meaningful beyond measure. I hope that one day, these voices will be heard as commentary during our powwows, so the public can hear the voices that carry the knowledge of our people, past and present, in public.

At the powwow, there will be an honors ceremony for our oldest community elder, Edith Andrews, who grew up in Aquinnah and now resides in Dartmouth. 

I have watched the excitement grow as dancers and tribal drummers have been practicing both song and dance. Blanket dance is my favorite — watching the expressions on the dancers’ faces as they focus on the steps and movements. The blanket is such a treasured article for our people, offering shelter from winds, giving us a vessel into which to harvest, keeping our family warm through cold seasons.Today, with modern conveniences, we may not often think of our ancestors’ plight, but I think that when we dance the blanket dance, it brings us closer to our ancestors and the times when they were living a quiet life here in Aquinnah. 

There are lead dancers, proud dancers who may have been practicing moves, hopeful to win competitions across the country. They work on the traditional regalia for months leading up to the season, staying within the lines of traditional beadwork and design. Their hard work is seen this week, as the displays worn on each participant are often works of art. 

Our Wampanoag community will host native tribes, from Narragansett to Mi’kmaq, Anishinaabe, Mashpee, and Shinnecock, and more dancers, singers, and artists of all ages. There will be a feast together, and an opportunity to share our local harvest with our visitors. Meeting one another — some for the first time, others having longtime friendships — all participants will be welcome, and the excitement of celebrating together is palpable. This is an opportunity for our people to gather and see who our communities are, and celebrate that we will rise together through the times ahead. 

Many artists, young and old, will be on the grounds selling native-made items such as wampum jewelry, books, and clothing. Native food vendoring will be provided by Sly Fox Kitchen, Juli Vanderhoop Black Brook Catering Co. (formerly Orange Peel Bakery), and Aquila. 

The action begins at 11 am, and the Grand Entry, a parade of all the participants into the arena, just after noon on both Saturday and Sunday. I hope to see many of the faces that I am used to from around the Island, coming to visit and watch as the dances unfold, as the songs are heard and carried on the south winds blowing over Aquinnah.