Annawon Weeden, a Mashpee Wampanoag presenter and performing artist, educates people about indigenous history and culture, and through his work, connects people throughout the Southcoast community and beyond. From 2005 through 2015, Annawon was the opening performer at the Marion Institute’s Connecting for Change Conference in New Bedford, while Desa was serving as Executive Director. Over time, their working relationship blossomed into a trusting partnership.
The Wampanoag Experience, a project led by Annawon and sustainability consultant and educator Peter Crawley, began in early 2022 as a collaborative initiative to build relationships and understanding across cultures. The project began with the construction of a traditional Wampanoag wetu at RTB, and continued with the hosting of a powwow in conjunction with our September Open Farm Day.
In September 2022, RTB hosted our first traditional Wampanoag Experience Powwow, emceed and organized by Annawon. The powwow focused on highlighting Native approaches to environmental sustainability, community and governance, history, food, and arts and crafts. This beautiful event included Native song, dance, crafts, foods, storytelling, drumming, and a dedication to the newly constructed wetu. Some highlights included a wampum demo with Darius Coombs, a Native foods cooking demo with Eleanor Coombs, the Eastern Sons drummers, and Wampanoag Nation singers and dancers. The powwow was our largest event turnout ever, with over 2,000 people in attendance. We look forward to the continued educational opportunities that will result from our collaboration with Annawon and other members of Indigenous communities.
