By Antonia Noori Farzan,Providence Journal, Dec. 31, 2021 Not too long ago, college campuses and gatherings of left-wing activists were the only places where you were likely to hear a “land acknowledgement” statement. Now, you only have to go as far as Barrington Town Hall. Over the last year, a few towns across Rhode Islandhave started […]
The Barrington Town Council unanimously voted to adopt a Land Acknowledgement statement on December 6, 2021. Councilors Jacob Brier and Annelise Conway introduced the measure that will require the statement to be read at the beginning of all future Council meetings. The statement reads: “We recognize the unique and enduring relationship that exists between Indigenous […]
American Indian Study Committee members Wendy Brennen, Deb Jobin, John Mensinger, Jacque Russom, Rock Singewald, and David Weed were joined by Pokanoket Sagamore William Guy and Sachem Tracey Brown as well as Town Council President Keri Cronin and Councilor Steve Calanda in front of the newly-installed Land Acknowledgement marker. The Town Council voted for what […]
The Sowams Heritage Area Project, Inc. sponsored a Business Forum on the Economic Development Case for establishing a National Sowams Heritage Area held at the East Providence Public Library on October 27, 2021.Participants in the Forum included Blackstone Valley Tourism Council President Robert Billington, RI Tourism Director Mark Brodeur , and Kristen Adamo, Pres. & […]
Two paintings by artist Ruth Major were placed on display at the Barrington Public Library October 6, 2021. Sowams Sowams Heritage Area Project Coordinator Dr. David Weed and Recreation and Senior Services Director Michele Gousie Geremia stand next to one depicting the Massasoit Ousamequin and in front of the other depicting the the settlement where […]
Four members of the Wampanoag Tribe visited the Bassetlaw Museum in Retford, England in preparation for events from September 21-25, 2021 as part of the Museum’s Plymouth 400 celebration. In preparation for the visit, they constructed a wetu on the grounds of the Museum, the first time such a structure has ever been built in […]
Amid the many discussions of whether John Winthrop’s call for the Massachusetts Colony to be a “city on a hill” was a claim for exceptionalism for themselves and a future America, not enough attention has been paid to what a “city on a hill” really meant in 17th-century New England. This talk by Dr. Francis […]
National American Indian Museum Visitor Services Specialist Melissa Bisagni was helpful in identifying dozens of Indigenous artifacts in their collection that originated in Sowams. Items from Bristol, Barrington, East Providence, Providence and Warren, RI that have been in the collection can be found by searching their on-line database. These items included glass beads, ornament fragments, brass spoons, pestles, cooking pots, pipe […]
Armand Lione, an amateur historian who lives on Capitol Hill, believes very few Washingtonians stop to think about the Native Americans who once lived in what is now the nation’s capital. Sowams Heritage Area Project coordinator Dave Weed had a chance to meet with Armond on a recent trip to D.C. More than 400 years […]
Two paintings by artist Ruth Major were placed on display at the Weaver Public Library in East Providence, RI on September 3, 2021. Sowams Sowams Heritage Area Project Coordinator Dr. David Weed and Library Director Joyce May stand next to one depicting the Massasoit Ousamequin and the other the settlement where he lived. Today’s East […]