Last Thursday we joined a gathering of about 40 people under the pergola at the Cliffs to greet friends, eat the great takeout from Cliffhangers, and listen to the joyful music given out by Missis Biskis. Kids ran around, dogs sniffed each other, sea gulls kept a sharp eye out for untended snacks, and the waves sparkled down on the beach. It’s something of a summer tradition here in Aquinnah, and the next one is set for Thursday, July 17. Come on up and join in — it’ll warm your spirit.
The Fourth of July is a day to celebrate the revolutionary spirit that led to the founding of the experiment that is the United States of America. Early in the morning of the Fourth of July, Charley and I made a sign to put up over the pottery shed that said “To love your country: Freedom not Repression; Compassion not Cruelty; Justice not Tyranny; Constitution not Kings.” Meanwhile, others were putting the finishing touches on decor for their vehicle entry into the parade. By 10 am the circle was filling with bystanders. The parade started shortly after 11, led by police and fire vehicles with sirens blazing. There were lots of flags and signs, and several sharks, riders throwing candy to the onlookers, and general hilarity. First prize went to the Bologna family, whose 1991 VW van had a terrifying giant shark face on the front (sculpted by Nick), with nasty teeth (created by the kids), and a bloody head visible inside its mouth. My favorite sign was on the 1928 Ford Phaeton driven by Isaac Taylor. It said, “We LOVE Our Constitution.”
Genesis for the parade was 24 years ago, when Kristin Mannion organized the children on Old South Road to march down to Philbin, banging on pots and pans. Kristin was joined by John Patton, Sue Jensen, and Tom Murphy in keeping the annual tradition going, adding on treasure (candy) buried in the sand, and a map for the kids to use to find it. When COVID came, the marching parade and beach gathering had to stop, so instead the organizing quartet got folks to decorate their cars and trucks and have a safely separated parade, with WMVY providing patriotic music that could be heard in each vehicle. Three years ago, Gabbi Camilleri (town clerk at the time) put her powerful creative energies together with her community spirit and organized the first town picnic to follow the parade. And so the town picnic tradition began.
Exciting news from Martha Vanderhoop. On July 15, the book written by her son, Joseph Lee, “Nothing More of This Land: Community, Power, and the Search for Indigenous Identity,” will finally be available. Lee, Aquinnah Wampanoag, awardwinning journalist, weaves his own story and that of his family into a narrative of indigenous life around the world. It is a beautiful, enlightening work that is already gathering national acclaim. You can order it from Amazon, or request it from the Aquinnah library.
The Aquinnah library is hopping with programs for people of all ages. Teens ages 12 to 18 are invited to join the new Anime Club, which will meet for the first time on Thursday, July 17, from 4 to 5:30 pm. Every month they’ll have a watch party and discussion of favorite animated shows and movies, with snacks provided. Fiber artists are invited to bring their projects and join the new bimonthly Knit and Crochet Club at the Aquinnah library. They’ll be meeting every other week on Tuesday or Thursday, from 3 to 5 pm, with tea, coffee, and a welcoming spirit provided. To satisfy your need for a good beach read, the library is offering three summer reading programs. The program for children is in full swing, with kids invited to stop in anytime to sign up for prizes including the iconic summer reading T shirt and coupons to local vendors. There will be Stories and Slices for young adults ages 13 to 18, with teens invited to read “The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes” (or watch the movie; either works, and both are available to check out), and then get together on Thursday, July 31, at 4:30 pm to talk about it. And for the adults, the Aquinnah Library Book Group is reading Alice Walker’s recommended book “The Space Between Us,” by Thrity Umrigar, with the discussion about it slated for Saturday, July 26.
On July 16, the first meeting of the town center corridor overlay zoning visioning session will be held at 5:30 pm at the Town Hall. Call the Town Office for further information.
On July 15, send birthday greetings to Tobias Vanderhoop.