Thursday, July 9, 2015

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.

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
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