Native American Heritage Day Pow-Wow Set For Nov. 20

The 26th annual National Native American Heritage Day Pow-Wow will be held from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., on Nov. 20 at the Kelly Gym at Bridgewater State University.

According to South Coast Today.com, “Harry Edmonds of the Pokanoket Wampanoag Tribe will open the program for Grand Entry with a traditional Thanksgiving Prayer. This regional celebration will feature Native American drumming and singing by the Iron River Singers from Southeastern Massachusetts and Eastern Sons from Mashpee.”

Entertainment at the event will feature seven-time Native American Music Awards winner, Joseph FireCrow, of the Northern Cheyenne Tribe. Dance demonstrations will be performed at the event, and will include the lady’s fancy shawl dance, jingle dress dance, grass dance, crow hop, lady’s traditional dance and men’s traditional dance.

There will also be inter-tribal dancing which allows guests to join in the circle. Also, Claudia Fox Tree will host an educational workshop with interactive conversations about Native American identity, culture, and history.

Annawon Weeden of the Mashpee Wampanoag Nation will lead in Eastern Social songs and dances. The songs are accompanied by a small water drum, which is a traditional Northeastern instrument. This will give the audience an opportunity to experience and participate in dances that are indigenous to the Native Peoples of the Eastern Woodlands region.

Native artisans will demonstrate bead work, quill work, and traditional ancient finger weaving. Kerri Helme, who is a Mashpee Wampanoag artist and craft maker, will lead children in craft making. Each child will be able to paint a deer skin bracelet and will be able to bring it home.

“Arts, crafts, and supplies will be on sale by vendors, including Wampum jewelry, beaded and quill jewelry, silver and turquoise jewelry, moccasins, ribbon shirts, blankets, stones, cedar boxes, native books and craft supplies.”

Admission to the pow-wow is $5 for adults and $3 for children between the ages of 4 to 16.  The event is free for children younger than four years old. Parking will be available in the Chapel Lot at the gym. Participants are encouraged to bring lawn chairs for seating. For information: 617-642-1683; mcnaa@aol.com; mcnaa.org.

With additional reporting by Sal Lopez