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2026 Schedule of Activities:10:00 am- Opening ceremonies with event MC Larry Spotted Crow Mann & Intertribal Representatives
Opening fire lighting and remarks by Newburyport Indigenous Peoples Day Master of Ceremonies Larry Spotted Crow Mann (Hassanamisco Nipmuc Band) of the Ohketeau Cultural Center with intertribal representatives and elected officials at Newburyport Waterfront to honor and acknowledge Indigenous Peoples Day. Welcome Drumming, songs and dances.
11 am – 4 pm- Family art & activities (Ongoing)
Toodie Coombs (Mashpee Wampanoag) Corn Husk Doll Making Workshop
Elizabeth Perry (Aquinnah Wampanoag) plant weaving demonstrations
Sarah Small Turtle (Mi’kmaq Lennox Island PEI) art activities; Daniela Currie-Gutierre (Mexica) The Center art activities.
11:00 am- Hawk Henries Eastern Woodlands Flute Music
Hawk Henries (Chaubunagungamaug Nipmuck Band of Indians) plays Eastern Woodlands Flute Music. He will also offer a flute making demonstration at 1:00 pm. Hawk is an artist, composer, and flute musician. His transformative performances create contemplative spaces for unity and meaningful reflection on how we each have the capacity to make change in the world.
11:45 am- Mishoon canoe makers speak about Native maritime traditions.
Featuring Darius Coombs (Mashpee Wampanoag), Jonathan Perry (Aquinnah Wampanoag), Phillip Wynne (Mashpee Wampanoag), Jared James (Aquinnah Wampanoag) and birchbark canoe maker Ryan Ranco Kelley (Penobscot).
12:00 noon – 12:45 pm- Wampanoag Drummers and Singers
Representing tribal communities of Mashpee on Cape Cod, Aquinnah on Martha’s Vineyard, and Herring Pond in Bourne, their performance of eastern social songs and dances both educate and entertain. They encourage audience participation and prefer to dance with the people instead of for the people.
12:30 pm- Ceremonial launch and paddle of the Merrimack Mishoon
Launch at the Merrimack River Waterfront.
12:45 pm- Poet Laureate of Haverhill Dan Speers (Cherokee)
1:00 pm- Nicholas Paul, Pauochau Nohkunnawai Waupi and family sing and teach social dances
Nicholas Paul (Passamaquoddy and Maliseet), Pauochau Nohkunnawai Waupi (Narrangansett and Peqout) and family share songs and teach participatory social dances. As a family they follow traditions and teachings that have been passed down to us from their elders and the ones who have gone before them. They pass these same teachings to younger generations.
1:00 pm- Hawk Henries Flute Making Demonstration
Hawk Henries will demonstrate his craft at his booth. He has flutes all over the world and in several museums. As a flute maker, Hawk’s focus is to remain historically consistent, in terms of relationship to, and the process of, building a flute. His attention to detail, both in tuning and aesthetics is evident. Working with hand tools allows him to intentionally accentuate the natural beauty of the wood grain, with each part of the flute being beautifully hand carved and meticulously sanded.
2:00 pm- Poet John Burciaga
2:15 pm- Storytelling and Singing with Albert “Oro” Ayala and Nicole Luz-Caban
Albert “Oro” Ayala and Nicole Caban are Indigenous Caribbean Cultural Keepers and multidisciplinary artists who share their heritage through storytelling, singing, music, food, and traditional arts.
3:00 pm- Lonecry Drummers and Singers (Mi’kmaq First Nation)
Lonecry Singers are based out of Charlottetown and Scotchfort, Prince Edward Island, Canada. They share and produce traditional music. Tim Sock, founder of Lonecry, is a knowledge keeper in his community of Abegweit First Nation, PEI, Canada, as well a pipe carrier, drum keeper and drum maker. Lonecry has performed all over the East Coast from Atlantic Canada to Quebec and Ontario as well as New England.
4:00 pm- Storytelling and Family Activities with Ohketeau
Larry Spotted Crow Mann and Jasmine Rochelle Goodspeed of the Ohketeua Cultural Center tell stories and share family activities. Larry (Hassanamisco Nipmuc) is an award-winning writer, poet, cultural educator, traditional storyteller, tribal drummer, dancer and motivational speaker. Jasmine (Hassanamisco Nipmuc) is an actor, singer, director, and playwright.
Seth Willey (Cherokee) will also tell stories and drum. Seth facilitates drum circles bringing mother earth’s heartbeat to the community. He shares stories and songs for all ages.
4:30 – 5:00 pm- Closing ceremonies, drumming, dancing, singing
*Photo of 2025 Newburyport's IPD Celebration by Maryann Zujewski
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Event venue
Waterfront Promenade Park, Newburyport,MA,United States
Tickets
Concerts, fests, parties, meetups — all the happenings, one place.