Saturday, October 11, 2025,
Newburyport, Massachusetts
Waterfront Park, 10 AM – 5 PM
Sponsored By Newburyport, Amesbury, Newbury, West Newbury, Merrimac, Salisbury, Rowley Cultural Councils
Join us for Newburyport’s 5th Annual Indigenous Peoples Day Observance to celebrate traditional and contemporary Indigenous cultural arts, knowledge and diversity, honoring our region’s Indigenous communities and all Native Peoples, and supports recognition of Indigenous Peoples Day at the city, state and national level. We welcome community participation to support this event, including Indigenous and allied partners, sponsors, volunteers, educators, students, and others to join us!
Donations Gratefully Accepted
Scheduled Presentations–
10:00 am Opening circle and acknowledgements with intertribal Indigenous representatives, city and state officials, with drumming by The Wampanoag Nation Singers and Dancers, Nicholas Paul and Family and Lonecry Singers.
10:45 am Roger Paul
11 am-2 pm Corn Husk Doll and Wampum Making Workshops with Toodie and Darius Coombs
11 am-2 pm Finger Weaving Demonstrations by Elizabeth James-Perry
11 am-2 pm Family Art Making Workshops with Sarah Small Turtle Levenson and Daniela Currie-Gutierrez
11:15 am Hawk Henries
12:00 noon Claudia Fox Tree
12:15 pm Thea Hopkins
1:00 pm Mihku Paul
1:30 pm Jennifer Kreisberg
2:15 pm Family program Larry Spotted Crow Mann
2:45 pm Student Poets and readings
3:00 pm Merrimack Muhsh8n and Aputamkon Birch Bark Canoe launch at the Waterfront Park terminating at The Public (Sea Wall) Boat Launch. Canoe paddle viewing areas include public access along boardwalks and trails at Waterfront park, The Custom House Maritime Museum and Sea Wall, 207-211 Water St.
3:00 pm Drum and dance demonstrations and community participation Waterfront Park and boardwalk trail.
4:00 pm Welcome back community celebration and closing ceremonies with Merrimack Muhsh8n and Aputamkon makers, Darius Coombs, Jonathan Perry, Phillip Wynne, Jared James, and Jason Pardilla.
Canoe Makers and Event Activities
This year’s event highlights Indigenous maritime cultural arts traditions in the Dawnland, including the creation, ceremonial launch and paddle on the Merrimack River of a traditional hand crafted muhsh8n (mishoon dugout canoe) made by Darius Coombs and Jonathan James Perry. Imagine Studios is honored and pleased to be a 2025 grant recipient of the New England Foundation for the Arts “Public Art for Spatial Justice” initiative for “The Merrimack Mishoon Project!” Stay tuned for public muhsh8n making events throughout September at the Custom House Museum and the inaugural launch and paddle of the Merrimack Mishoon, Saturday, October 11th at Waterfront Park.
Indigenous Presenters, Musicans and Artisans
This year’s Indigenous cultural presenters, musicians and artisans include: Lonecry Singers; Hawk Henries; Jonathan Perry; Darius and Toodie Coombs; Roger Paul; Nicholas Paul, Pauochau Nohkunnawai Waupi, and family drum/dance/song; Wampanoag Nation Singers and Dancers; Larry Spotted Crow Mann; Jason Pardilla; Chickie Red Dawn Dobson; Sarah Small Turtle; Daniela Currie-Gutierrez; Thea Hopkins; Jennifer Kreisberg; Jenny Tibbits; Claudia Fox Tree; Joseph Gray Sculpture and others.
Nicholas Paul, Pauochau Nohkunnawai Waupi, and Family –READ MORE
Nicholas Paul (Passamaquoddy from Motahmikuk, Indian Township, Maine and Wolastoqiyik, Maliseet, From Tobique First Nations in New Brunswick Canada), and Pauochau Nohkunnawai Waupi, “She who dances on night winds,” Narrangansett From Rhode Island and Peqout from Connecticut- joined by their children, Sipsis (lil bird) 19, Hiawatha (Keeper of the forest) 18, and Tihtiyas (Blue Jay) 8, and granddaughter Mauseck Wequai (Great Light) 1.
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Donations Gratefully Accepted
Contact Imagine Studios for More Information
(978) 834-0367 / kristine@imaginestudios.org
Imagine Studios 