Cultural Exchange with Hawai’i Community College

Community members from the Hawai’i Community College visited our territory last month and tribal members were able to participate in a cultural exchange. A small gathering was held in honor of their arrival to Mashpee where eastern social songs were led by tribal member Darrel Wixon, and the Hawaiian visitors also held a gifting of song and dance and presented offerings to tribal members. While in Mashpee, the group visited the Museum where they learned about Wampanoag history and culture from Clan Mother Marlene Lopez. They also visited the Old Indian Meetinghouse where David Weeden spoke about Mashpee’s history. Both our tribal members and our guests also took part in a sunrise ceremony. According to Marlene, having the Hawaiian visitors here was a beautiful experience, and the connection that they shared was very deep and strong. She noted that it almost felt as if they were family members reconnecting, as if they had known each other for a long time. Darius Coombs also felt it was a wonderful experience and hopes that one day the two groups could have another exchange in Hawaii. Kutâputunumuw to all who assisted in making this memorable exchange happen for our guests and tribal community.