Still Here: Native American Resilience in New England

Chapter 5: The cultural power of a powwow

As Native communities face continued challenges to their overall well-being, many find strength in cultural heritage and tradition. Powwow gatherings are a chance to reconnect with family, culture and values. In our final chapter of “Still Here,” visit powwows and explore how the cultural power of the powwow echoes across generations.  Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate [http://wnpr.org/donate] See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

Chapter 4: A Native American reverence for water, celebrated with music

A Connecticut singer is taking Native art and culture to new places. He invited Indigenous musicians – as well as one of the world’s most famous cello players, Yo-Yo Ma – to perform at sunrise on the banks of the Connecticut River. The performance highlights Native peoples’ deep connection to nature and water. Water is a source of creation, shaping everything around us:  the contours of land, even names that define us.  Names like: Connecticut. In Chapter 4 of “Still Here,” we take you to the sunrise performance designed to “welcome the dawn with music.” Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate [http://wnpr.org/donate] See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

Chapter 3: ‘An unsung hero:’ The story of Tarzan Brown

In the 1930s, runner Tarzan Brown twice won the Boston Marathon – and carried the Narragansett tribe’s name out of obscurity and onto a global stage. “He was like an unsung hero for a long time,” his granddaughter says. “It’s just good to see him get the recognition he deserves.” In Chapter 3 of “Still Here,” discover how Brown put his tribe back on the map through endurance running, a tradition that goes back centuries in Native American cultures. Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate [http://wnpr.org/donate] See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

Chapter 2: The hidden history of Indigenous slavery

It's a surprising and overlooked story, a blind spot in the narrative of early America. As colonial powers took over Native land, white settlers were enslaving Native people. Some worked in New England. Others were kidnapped and shipped to an isolated tropical island. For generations, a lost tribe in Bermuda wondered about its past. Centuries later, they’ve reconnected with family – in New England. In Chapter 2 of “Still Here,” learn about the hidden history of Indigenous slavery. Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate [http://wnpr.org/donate] See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

Chapter 1: For Native Americans, an enduring spiritual connection to the land

For more than 10,000 years before Europeans arrived, the Northeast was home to many tribes with organized leadership and governance; it was among the most prosperous parts of North America. A connection with the land endures – and you care for it like it’s a member of the family. In Chapter 1 of “Still Here,” take a fresh look at the history of our region and listen to Indigenous voices today. Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate [http://wnpr.org/donate] See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.