“We’ve waited a lifetime for this day,“ Annawon Weedon, master of ceremonies, told the crowd of approximately 800 people gathered on October 10 at Albemarle Park for Newton’s Second Indigenous Peoples Day event. Weedon noted that there are holidays celebrating Italian, Jewish, and other cultures, but until now, there had been active suppression and no recognition of our country’s Native heritage. And yet, as the celebration demonstrated, that heritage linked to tribes across the country is vibrant and increasingly visible. Ironically, Albemarle Park borders some of the current village of Nonantum, which was the centuries-long home of the Massachusett Tribe; site of Rev. John Eliot’s first conversion effort of Native people; and subsequent gateway to succeeding generations of European immigrants.
Indigenous Peoples Day Newton (IDPNewton), a seven-person committee of indigenous and non-indigenous Newton residents, organized and performed in this year’s celebration. Hiawatha Brown, a member of the Narragansett Indian Tribe and Indigenous Community Liaison, opened the celebration with the Pipe Ceremony, honoring fire, water, air and land. Led by Newton committee members Krysia Villon (Quechua heritage), Robert and Mayela Quesada (both Nahua/Chichimecca descendants), and Dr. Darlene Flores (from the Taino Higuayagua Caribbean Tribe), tribal leaders and members from other communities joined in traditional ritual dancing, chanting, and drumming. Tribal leaders and representatives spoke about their enduring commitment to their heritage, including deep respect for sustaining and preserving the environment. Kerry Prasad, the organization’s clerk and event coordinator, and Emily McMannis, the committee’s treasurer, are also members of Families Organizing for Racial Justice (FORJ) and strong proponents for establishment of Newton’s Indigenous Peoples Day.
Wampanoag and other tribal singers and dancers demonstrated and then taught traditional dances to a large, enthusiastic group of adults and children filling the lower half of the Albemarle Park. Hiawatha Brown noted that they were dancing on land that sustained his tribal ancestors and that those people had been dispossessed of their land, their language, and culture. People in Newton do not know about Native American heritage, Brown said. Between performances, drummers and recorded songs and chants underscored the tribal themes of the day. Smoke from the central ceremonial fire and the aroma of incense and indigenous food invoked some of the Native atmosphere. At the same time, as the weather alternated between bright sunshine and darkening clouds, people wandered among the booths offering a variety of Native art, clothing, jewelry, and food. Environmental groups — 350 Newton, Green Newton, and Newton Conservators — were on hand to reinforce local commitment to protecting the environment. There were also booths focused on health and wellness, affordable housing, and civic action.
Robert Peters, a poet and artist whose paintings reflect his Mashpee heritage and his life in Boston, participated in the opening ceremonies as a tribal representative. People gathered at his booth to admire and buy his paintings, reproduced on magnets and note cards. Between ceremonial activities, Peters worked at his easel on a painting called Our Ancestors Are Watching. Having been an MBTA motorman for twenty-four years, Peters retired in 2007 and has been “painting for my own sake,” although his work clearly attracted people who bought the originals and their reproductions. As a representative of the Mashpee tribe, he interacts with Newton’s Indigenous community.
Supporting the Indigenous People’s Day initiative, Newton’s political leaders joined the buoyant crowd celebrating at Albemarle Park. Mayor Ruthanne Fuller and School Committee member Anping Shen heralded the celebration and the growing awareness of Newton’s indigenous heritage. Newton’s State Representatives Kay Khan and Ruth Balser explored the booths and chatted with constituents. City Council President Susan Albright was joined by City Council members Rick Lipof – Vice President, Tarik Lucas, Emily Norton, Pam Wright, Julia Ann Malakie, Bill Humphrey, Alicia Bowman, and Holly Ryan — all of whom supported Indigenous Peoples Day and were engaged in the performances and the wide array of booths. Several local leaders lamented the lack of exposure to Native culture in their own K-12 education, while some from other parts of the country reported an extensive curriculum in Indigenous heritage and history. All agreed that in Newton the new emphasis on the Indigenous experience is a good beginning.
Natalia Espinal, with Indigenous family ties, is an IPDNewton volunteer and member of Families Organizing for Racial Justice (FORJ). As a first-grade teacher at the Burr School, she wants children to learn that Indigenous culture is still here, that it has survived. She says even young children can understand unfairness and, she says, it’s important to teach that what we learn depends on who is teaching it, but we can change the lesson and attitudes.
