This November, we are sharing, learning, and exploring Native American history + culture internally with our team. Below you will find snippets of our team’s discussions throughout the month that we wanted to share with our community at large.
With our Cape House studio located on Wampanoag land, it is extremely important to us to not only learn and recognize, but also giveback and connect with the Wampanoag + Native American community.
NATIVE LAND DIGITAL
Ever wonder the history of the land you live on? Native Land Digital does just that! The interactive map allows you to search any address and see the Indigenous peoples that have lived in that specific area.
The not-for-profit, Indigenous-led organization that created the map writes, “Native Land Digital creates spaces where non-Indigenous people can be invited and challenged to learn more about the lands they inhabit, the history of those lands, and how to actively be part of a better future going forward together.”
Cape House is located on Wampanoag land. Mashpee is home to one of the three surviving tribes of the original 69 in Wampanoag Nation. The Wampanoag, meaning “People of the First Light” have lived in MA + RI for over 12,000 years. In the 1600’s, there were 69 villages and over 40,000 people that made up Wampanoag Nation, with villages spanning from what is now Weymouth, all of the Cape + Islands, to Rhode Island. Today, three Wampanoag Tribes remain: Mashpee, Aquinnah + Manomet.
Federal St, WAREHOUSE + Wellesley are all located on Pawtucket land. The Pawtucket tribe, also called Pennacook or Merrimack, lived all over MA, NH, VT + portions of ME. Their name is derived from the Abenaki word, “penakuk” which means, “at the bottom of the hill.” The Pawtucket people were fishermen, farmers, hunters + gatherers. The Pawtucket tribe is no longer a “distinct tribe,” but their descendants, the Abenaki people, live in New Hampshire, Vermont, Maine, Massachusetts, and Canada.
RUMBLE: THE INDIANS WHO ROCKED THE WORLD
Checkout the documentary, RUMBLE: The Indians Who Rocked The World. It’s a super informative + eye opening film/documentary that highlights the overlooked influence of Native & Indigenous culture on modern music. Music is such a beautiful form of expression + healing and it’s so important to learn, honor and respect its origins.
FUN FACT: Did you know that JIMI HENDRIX was part Cherokee? So cool!! I won’t spoil the rest but there are some very cool rock & roll and U.S. history nuggets in here. The film is FREE to watch if you have Amazon Prime, just search the title on Prime Video.
LOCAL LEARNING: CAPE COD
There are so many great local opportunities to learn more about the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe, other local tribes, and the history behind the land we inhabit here on Cape Cod.
- Wampanoag Exhibit at the Pilgrim Monument in Provincetown – Take a trip “down Cape” and discover this wonderful opportunity to learn, focusing on the difficulties faced by the Wampanoag Nation, and navigating a relationship with the early pilgrims.
- Mashpee Wampanoag Museum in Mashpee – On display you’ll see heirlooms and artifacts spanning thousands of years of tribal history.
- Plimoth Patuxet Museums in Plymouth – Truly a place that brings to life the history of Plymouth Colony and the Indigenous homeland. Major exhibits include the Patuxet Homesite, 17th-Century English Village, Mayflower II and Plimoth Grist Mill.
Don’t miss out on these opportunities to learn about how the Wampanoag tribe has shaped the land that The Cape House calls home!
Thank you to everyone who joined us for our Indigenous People’s Day R/DE FOR IMPACT + our Native American Heritage event! Two very special days at Cape House filled with community – As James said in class, “Let’s learn, unlearn, and celebrate together.” 100% of profits from both classes were donated to the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe to support their programming, services + culture.
