Photo Essay: the Pokanoket Wampanoag at the John Alden House

"The past is never dead. It's not even past." (William Faulkner)

Readers, in honor of today’s Thanksgiving holiday, here is a brief photo essay, centered around an event earlier this month, Pokanoket Heritage Day at the John Alden House in Duxbury.

The Pokanoket Wampanoag reside around the eastern shores of Narragansett Bay, primarily in Rhode Island; the Herring Pond Wampanoag, of Plymouth, and the Mashpee Wampanoag, of Cape Cod, are located in southeastern Massachusetts. The John Alden House (1654) is the oldest house of one of the original Mayflower Pilgrims still standing, and is now on the National Register of Historical Places, as well as serving as an obligatory, and interesting, field trip for students at Duxbury Elementary School. This event occurred on the afternoon of Nov. 5th, 2022, and the photos are my own.

For me, it was both powerful and illuminating to hear from the Pokanoket, including an extremely informative discussion of Algonquian languages and dialects. We heard from Wampanoag elders, relating knowledge passed down by their elders, and their elders’ elders, and so on through the ages.

It was, likewise, a small but hopeful moment, to witness the descendants of Massasoit discuss their experiences, and for the descendants of John and Priscilla Alden, and other Pilgrims, to listen. (cf. Matthew 11:15 —“He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.”)

Thank you to all and fond wishes for a restful, enjoyable day.