The Wampanoag Experience

The Wampanoag Experience project is a partnership between Mashpee Wampanoag Annawon Weeden, and environmental sustainability consultant and educator Peter Crawley. This project is generously supported by Round the Bend Farm, the Westport Cultural Council, Helen E. Ellis Charitable Trust and L. Knife & Son, a Sheehan Family Company. Round the Bend Farm (RTB), is a Center for Restorative Community, located in Dartmouth, Massachusetts. It is a working farm and educational non-profit devoted to the global paradigm shift toward hope and abundance by valuing diversity, modeling nature, and redefining wealth. Photos by Merri Cyr

The Wampanoag Experience provides opportunities to participate in Native traditions and lifeways to highlight Indigineous wisdom and build bridges amongst diverse peoples. Native approaches to environmental sustainability, community & governance, history, arts & crafts, and other topics are featured, the kick-off project being the communal building of a traditional Wampanoag wetu residence, under the guidance of Wampanoag Annawon Weeden, on the grounds of the Round the Bend Farm, South Dartmouth, MA. The wetu is available to the community at at Round the Bend Farm on Open Farm Days or by appointment.

On Saturday, September 17, 2022, the first annual pow-wow presented Native activities such as dancing & drumming, arts & crafts, farming demonstrations, Native food vending, story-telling, etc. Additional Wampanoag Experience events are in the planning stage and will be announced as finalized.

Peter Crawley, Annawon Weden and Desa VanLaarhoven worked in tandem to create the wetu and organize the powwow which brought over 2000 people to Round the Bend Farm on September 17th!