WBOB Original Reads

Tomaquag’s 60th Anniversary Indigenous Cultural Celebration Event at Trinity Rep

9/6/2018

Tomaquag Museum is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year. Join them Thursday September 6, 2018 at the Trinity Rep in Downtown Providence and support Indigenous cultural tourism in Rhode Island through a dynamic intertribal cultural celebration at Trinity Repertory Theater.

“It is an indigenous museum that highlights the Eastern Woodland Tribal culture” said Samantha Cullen-Fry, the Indigenous Empowerment Network Coordinator of the museum. The Narragansett Tribe receives a lot of focus as the only federally recognized tribe from the ocean state, however many different groups of indigenous people are celebrated.

The show will incorporate Indigenous drumming, dance performances, musical performances, and a small artist market, all in the heart of downtown Providence at the Trinity Repertory Company. Show features Hawaiian Native singer & ukulele performer Guy Kahokulani Imoto; an intertribal dance troupe and traditional drum group; The Harris Family of cultural performers; and the multi-Grammy nominated soul-funk-blues band, The GroovaLottos. There will be a select Indigenous artist market at the event featuring the work of local Indigenous Artists.

There are just over 3,300 Narragansett tribe people on the federally recognized roles. To legally identify as a member of the group, ancestral lineage must be traced back to the 1880 US Census as proof. While there are more than 3,300 people today with a connection to the tribe, many Rhode Islanders are unfamiliar with certain traditions brought on by their home state’s former inhabitants.

“Tomaquag Museum is focused on becoming a sustainable hub for the creation of Indigenous tourism, that brings to light the vibrancy of our people, culture and art in Rhode Island and throughout New England” says Lorén Spears, the group’s executive director.

The event will also honor several individuals who have made a valuable contribution to their community. Tomaquag’s Princess Red Wing Arts & Culture Award will go to Kenny Merrick Jr. (Posthumously); The Ellison “Tarzan” Brown Champion Award will be presented to Senator Louis DiPalma; and the Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented to Eleanor Dove.

The event takes place Thursday September 6th at 201 Washington Street in downtown Providence. The VIP reception will be from 5:30-6:30, and the doors open at 6:30. The show will go on from 7pm-10pm. Tickets will be available at the door, with general admission tickets are available for $35.

Tomaquag Museum, a Native led non-profit museum. is Rhode Island’s only museum entirely dedicated to telling the story of Indigenous Peoples from a first person perspective. Established in 1958, Tomaquag serves as a cultural bridge between the past, present and future as well as a facilitator between the Indigenous communities and the diverse world.
Tomaquag Museum is a recipient of the 2016 National Medal for Museum and Library Service, the nation’s highest honor given to museums and libraries for service to the community.
Our mission is to provide public education through our unique collection, lectures, arts & educator workshops, tours, and offsite programs regarding Native history, culture, arts, current events and environmental issues. The Museum is open Wednesdays, 9am-5pm and Saturdays 10am-2pm and is visited each year by artists, researchers, students, and travelers from across the United States and throughout the world. For more information visit www.tomaquagmuseum.org and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.