Hello Everyone,

Now that our biggest public event, the Pocumtuck Homelands Festival, is over we continue the work of the Nolumbeka Project in multiple ways.

First, I'd like to call your attention to the event hosted by the Battlefield Grant Advisory Board coming up this Saturday, September 19, at the Turners Falls High School.

Nolumbeka Project Board Members David Brule, Howard Clark and Joe Graveline have been active participants in this exciting project unfolding at the Great Falls. 

You can read about it in an excellent article, "A fair understanding: mapping the Battle of Great Falls" by Aviva Luttrell @ the Greenfield Recorder ( Click to read).  This promises to be an interesting and informative meeting.

I​n addition to the event on Saturday we will be at the North Quabbin Garlic & Arts Festival on September 26 - 27. We're bringing a raffle of items generously donated to us by the festival vendors.

Also, mark your calendars now for the annual Beaver Moon Gathering on November 21. We will keep you posted about these events and others that will likely come up.

As summer comes to a close, the Wissatinnewag circle gardens are flourishing under the care of Brent Pitcher. The crops include a traditional three sisters garden, ceremonial tobacco and white sage. Historical research is continuing and a team has been out in the field monitoring sites that may be culturally significant to the Natives in an effort to document and protect them.

In addition, we find ourselves busy with day to day organizational tasks such as maintaining the data base, paying bills, and trying to manifest ideas to keep the non-profit afloat financially.

As always your past, current and future help in this valuable work is appreciated.
Diane Dix, for the Nolumbeka Project Board

Look for our table there!

POCUMTUCK HOMELANDS FESTIVAL RETURNS TO UNITY PARK

Black Hawk Singers to Perform

 POCUMTUCK HOMELANDS FESTIVAL 

UNITY PARK

TURNERS FALLS, MA

AUGUST 1, 2015

11 AM - 7 PM

FREE AND OPEN TO ALL

The Pocumtuck Homelands Festival returns to Unity Park Waterfront in Turners Falls, MA, on Saturday, August 1, from 11 a.m. – 7 p.m.  Sponsored by the Nolumbeka Project and Turners Falls RiverCulture, this free all day celebration of Native American culture and history will include live music, drumming, dancing, storytelling, traditional children’s games, children’s crafts ($2 materials fee), educational talks, primitive skills demonstrations, and a wide array of vendors of Native American arts and crafts.

Loril MoonDream and Medicine Mammals Singers

The Festival’s music this year will feature Cheyenne flute player Joseph FireCrow.  Considered one of the top three Native American flute players in the world today, FireCrow will present two sets of his award-winning music and stories on the riverfront stage,  along with returning favorites the Medicine Mammals Singers, led by Loril MoonDream (Apache).  The Abenaki group Black Hawk Singers, who celebrate their tribal spirit through traditional and new songs, and, for the second year, the popular Visioning B.E.A.R. Intertribal Singers, will set up their powwow drums under the trees along the banks of the river.

As well as demonstrations of traditional native skills by Neill Boivaird of Wolf Tree Programs, this year’s educational offerings will include two half hour historical presentations by the Nolumbeka Project’s David Brule, and Nipmuc Tribal Council Member David Tall Pine White on the significance to the Native Americans of the Great Falls/Peskeompskut-Wissatinnewag/Unity Park area. For the first time, Dr. Kevin McBride and Mary and James Gage will be present and share their expertise in the fields of pre-contact and contact period (1600s) New England archaeology/anthropology and Native American/colonial artifacts and historic stone structures identification. They will be available to interpret and analyze the significance of any artifacts or photographs that festival goers bring to their booths during the day. 

Other attractions during this day long event include an authentic wigwam, a birch bark canoe, tipis, and a concession serving Native American fare.  As always, the Pocumtuck Homelands Festival is free and open to all.  Unity Park is handicapped accessible.

( See Article on PHF by Aviva Luttrell. Greenfield Recorder, July 25, 2015 )

2015 Pocumtuck Homelands Festival Schedule
(Parking Map Below)

11 – 11:15 a.m.—Opening ceremony

11:15 – 1:30 p.m. - Black Hawk Singers and Visioning B.E.A.R. Singers

11:30 to 12:15 -   Story telling at tipi

Noon – 12:30 p.m. –   Brief Native American History lesson, 

David Brule and David Tall Pine White

12:30 – 1:15 p.m.   -   Children’s crafts at tipi ($2 fee)

1:30 – 2:15 p.m. - Joseph FireCrow

2:30 – 3:15 pm. - Medicine Mammals Singers

3:15 – 3:45 -   Friendship Dances  led by Loril Moondream and Medicine Mammals Singers

3:45 – 4:15 p.m. – Brief Native American History lesson, David Brule and David TallPine White

4:00 – 4:45 – Story telling at tipi

4:00 p.m.   – 5:15 p.m. - Black Hawk Singers and Visioning B.E.A.R. Singers

5:15 – 5:45 p.m. - Medicine Mammals Singers

6:00 – 6:45 p.m. – Joseph FireCrow

6:45 – 7:00 p.m. – Closing Ceremony

Festival Parking Map