Come together for a day of stories and songs with the Nehantic Native Nation and the Elnu Abenaki Tribe. This one-day, outdoor event is planned for Saturday, September 17, from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm on the Connecticut River Museum waterfront lawn, 67 Main Street, Essex. The event is free and open to the public. There will be limited seating available. Please check ctrivermuseum.org for updates and information.

Both the Abenaki and Nehantic have inhabited New England for thousands of years. The Abenaki Tribe are original Natives of Northern New England and The Nehantics moved throughout the lower Connecticut River Valley and Pawcatuck Rivers.

“We look forward to bringing together artists, speakers, and musicians from both the Abenaki and Nehantic Nations,” said David Brule. Brule is part of the Nolumbeka Project, a non-profit organization based in Greenfield, Massachusetts,whose mission is to honor Northeastern Tribal Heritage.

The day is centered on Indigenous arts, traditions, stories, and language.  Multiple presentations, including a talk about Native migration along the river, a time-honored Native drum group, and a traditional birch bark basketry demonstration are scheduled.  FREE and open to the public.  Families welcome.  The event will feature Native stories for children at 11:30am and 3pm, crafting and the opportunity to explore the inside of a Native conical house or wigwam.

The Nolumbeka Project, Inc. envisions a Connecticut River Valley where the histories, cultures, and persistence of Northeastern Indigenous Peoples are recognized and celebrated, and where all beings are recognized as sharing a mutual existence in an environment of balance and reciprocity.

Event collaborators: Nehantic Native Nation, Elnu Abenaki, Connecticut River Museum, The Nolumbeka Project and Essex Historical Society