Full Snow Moon Gathering & Eastern Woodlands Social Dance

Name: Full Snow Moon Gathering & Eastern Woodlands Social Dance
Start: 2025-02-08T13:00:00-05:00
End: 2025-02-08T16:00:00-05:00
Location: Greenfield Community College

Schedule

Sat Feb 08 2025 at 01:00 pm to 04:00 pm

UTC-05:00

Location

Greenfield Community College | Greenfield, MA

Join the fun at Greenfield Community College Dining Commons, a rare opportunity to enjoy a traditional Eastern Woodlands Social Dance led by the Wampanoag Nation Singers and Dancers. The single-file call-and-response dances will be taught, are easy to learn, and enjoyed by people of all ages. People are encouraged to bring rattles and shake out the end-of-winter cabin fever! Refreshments will be available. Donations are appreciated.
The Wampanoag Nation Singers and Dancers are a group of musicians, educators, and artisans from the tribal communities of Mashpee on Cape Cod, Aquinnah on Marthas Vineyard, and Herring Pond in Bourne. Their performances of Eastern social songs and dances have both educated and entertained audiences of all ages in museums, schools, and various multi-cultural events. Their songs are accompanied by a water drum and handcrafted rattles. They encourage audience participation and prefer to dance with instead of for the people.
Other honored tribal guests will be in attendance and say a few words:
Jose Ite “Little Arrow” Santana is an avid hunter and fisherman and member of the Chaubunagungamaug Nipmuck Indian Council. As part of tribal food sovereignty and land stewardship, he works toward bringing back a food initiative that is not farming but rather the cultural hunt and fishing aspect. He founded Nipmuc Cultural Hunt and Fish Club where there was a natural fit for programs and events like ice fishing and hunt safety. He collaborates with other Massachusetts tribes for future endeavors.
Dan “Kwilawatow” Shears (he who searches for knowledge and uses his heart as his guide) will also attend. Shears is an enrolled citizen of the Nulhegan Abenaki, a bead worker, quill worker, traditional hide tanner, and birchbark artisan. Together with his cousin, he runs the Nulhegan Tribe’s Cultural and Historic Preservation Department. He will have handcrafted items available on sale.
The Nolumbeka Project is a non-profit, all-volunteer, non-tribal organization focused on honoring and celebrating Northeastern tribal heritage and modern-day presence. They create and promote intertribal educational opportunities, preservation projects, and cultural events in partnership with tribal members
Western Mass Rights of Nature is a grassroots organization connected to the global Rights of Nature movement, working to bring about the legal and cultural change necessary to recognize the inherent right of the Connecticut River, her watershed, and the myriad of life that she supports to exist, thrive, evolve, and be restored.
The Connecticut River Conservancy is a non-profit organization that focuses on restoring and advocating for clean water, healthy habitats, and resilient communities in order to support a diverse and thriving watershed. Through collaborative partnerships in New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, and Connecticut, CRC leads and supports science-based efforts for natural and life-filled rivers from source to sea.
This event is free and accessible, and the public is welcome. Donations in support of this program can be made at www.nolumbekaproject.org.
This event is co-sponsored by the Nolumbeka Project, Connecticut River Conservancy, Western Mass Rights of Nature, Greenfield Cooperative Bank, Greenfield Savings Bank, UMass Five College Credit Union, River Valley Co-op, Antenna Cloud Farm and Greenfield Community College. This program is supported in part by grants from the Bernardston, Deerfield, Gill, Greenfield, Leyden, Montague and Shelburne Local Cultural Councils, local agencies which are supported by the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency.