Welcome to Mashpee, the home of our tribe for approximately 12,000 years.  Many a storm and visitor has swept through our woods and found comfort on our beaches both fresh and salt.  Our first visitors from the west were the Vikings during the year of 1004.  They anchored in Waquoit Bay and stayed for quite a while longer than most folks use their time-share abodes.  We’ve seen many come and go like Verrazano, Cabot, Zunis, Lenape and other explorers.  We have a history of hospitality one might say.  Our culture directs us to be kind, friendly, and hospitable, which allowed the early English settlers to prosper.  

The Mashpee Wampanoag are one of three surviving tribes of the original sixty-nine in the Wampanoag Nation.  The other two tribes still living on their original homelands are the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah) on Martha’s Vineyard and the Herring Pond Tribe in Bournedale.  The Marshpee (later called Mashpee) tribe was under the oversight of English missionaries for nearly 200 years.  The reservation period in Mashpee officially began in 1677 and restricted our freedom until 1868.  From that time up until around 1975 the tribe ran the town government of Mashpee.  We became overwhelmed with new residents that very quickly took control of the direction of the town with an easy five to one vote.  Today the Mashpee Indian population is less than 10%.

Economically the tribe has adapted and managed in a number of different ways besides hunting, fishing, and planting.  During the 17th and 18th centuries we were involved in the fur, rope, timber, and sassafras trade.  In the 19th and early 20th centuries Mashpee Wampanoag men were engaged in the whaling industry sailing the Atlantic, Pacific, Arctic and Indian Oceans.  Those mariners were usually out to sea for at least a year at a time hunting whales.   The fishing is still great here in Mashpee.  Our rivers, the Mashpee and Quashnet, have been loaded with herring during the spring months.  Smoked herring were exported to Europe from Mashpee during the 20th century.  The cranberry industry and a broom factory in Mashpee also once provided local employment. Today most Mashpee Natives are employed in the building and health care industries or working for the tribe in a variety of professions.  Subsistence farming, fishing, and hunting are still practiced by tribal members.  See you down the bay; try hard not to leave a footprint.

The Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe has both traditional and conventional leadership for our people.  The Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe is a federally recognized tribe (2007), allowing it to actively participate in federal programs designed for Indian Nations.   We maintain a government to government relationship with all federal agencies to support the health, education, and welfare needs of the tribe.  Our traditional leadership includes the Chief and his Circle of advisors, Medicine Man, and Clan Mothers.  The Chief and Medicine Man have permanent seats at the Tribal Council table to ensure cultural concerns are included in decision-making. Tribal members seek advice, ceremony, and social justice from these leaders.

The 102nd Annual Powwow is being held at the “Pow Wow Grounds” at 483 Great Neck Rd North Mashpee, MA. The powwow is a traditional celebration of Mashpee Wampanoag culture, featuring Native American dancing, drumming, games, food art, jewelry, wampum, gifts, crafts and clothing.  The tribe is offering prize money for dance and drum competitions throughout the weekend. 

Scheduled events and special performances include Host Drum: Red Clay, Eastern Social Songs and dance, Wampanoag Powwow Princess Contest, Little Miss Wampanoag Contest, and our traditional clambake.

The powwow will feature Chief Earl “Swift Eagle” Mills, Jr. as our Master of Ceremonies and Arena Director Phillip Wynn.

The Mashpee Wampanoag Powwow is open to the public and offers events and attractions for the whole family.  Gates open at 10:00 a.m. each day. 

Head Staff
Emcee: Earl “Swift Eagle” Mills, Jr., Chief 

Arena Director
Phillip Wynn

Head Dance Judge
Brian Moskwetah Weeden, Chairman

Host Drum
Red Clay (Hollister North Carolina)

Honorary Drum
Southern Eagle (Maxton North Carolina)

Invited Drums
Neesh-La (Wisconsin) 
Round House 

Traditional Leaders
Earl “Swift Eagle” Mills, Jr., Chief
Earl “Soaring Eagle” Cash, Medicine Man  

Clan Mothers
Anita “Mother Bear” Little - Bear
Shirleyann High Rock - Eel
Marlene Lopez - Rabbit 
Cherie Peters - Beaver
Janet Hendricks - Eagle
Carol Wynn - Otter 
Joan Tavares Avant - Deer

Powwow Princess
Amiyah Peters 

Little Miss Wampanoag
Sophia Cushing

Tribal Council
Brian Moskwetah Weeden, Chairman
Carlton Hendricks, Jr., Vice Chairman
Cassie Jackson, Secretary
Charles “Bobby” Foster, Treasurer 
Rita Gonsalves, Councilwoman
Nelson Andrews, Jr., Councilman
Domingo Tiexeira, Councilman
David Weeden, Councilman  
Roxanne Mills-Brown, Councilwoman 
Nitana Hicks-Greendeer, Councilwoman 
Winona Pocknett, Councilwoman

10:00 AM
Gates Open

11:00 AM
Storytelling with Mother Bear 

11:45 PM
Drum Roll Call

12:00 PM
Grand Entry
Prayer: Earl “Soaring Eagle” Cash, Jr., Medicine Man
Opening Remarks: Earl “Swift Eagle” Mills, Jr., Chief  
Introductions: Earl “Swift Eagle” Mills, Jr., Chief  
Veterans Dance
Intertribal 
Golden Age Dance Exhibition
Tiny Tots Dance Exhibition
Intertribal
Junior Boys Dance Competition
Junior Girls Dance Competition
Intertribal
TOR Sobriety Recognition 
Blanket Dance for Sobriety Honoring 

5:00 PM
Dinner Break
Storytelling
Eastern Social Song & Dance

6:00 PM
Grand Entry
Retire the Flags 
Golden Age Combined Dance Exhibition 
Junior Combined Dance Exhibition 
Teen Girls Dance Competition 
Teen Boys Dance Competition 
Adult Women’s Competition 
Adult Men’s Competition 
Drums Choice Intertribal
Hand Drum Competition 

7:00 AM
Annual Mish8n Race

10:00 AM
Gates Open

11:45AM
Drum Roll Call

12:00 PM
Grand Entry
Prayer: Earl “Swift Eagle” Mills, Jr., Chief  
Opening Remarks: Brian Moskwetah Weeden, Chairman
Introductions: Earl “Swift Eagle” Mills, Jr., Chief  
Veterans Dance
Honoring Nature: Talia Landry
Honor Song (Blanket Dance for Rights of Nature)
Tiny Tots Exhibition
Intertribal’s
Junior Girls Dance Competition
Junior Boys Dance Competition
Teen Girls Dance Competition
Teen Boys Dance Competition

3:00PM
Clam Bake

5:00 PM
Dinner Break
Storytelling 
Eastern Social Song & Dance
Music Provided by Uri Ridgeway
Drums Choice Intertribal
Adult Women’s Dance Competition (2 songs)
Adult Men’s Dance Competition (2 songs)

Dusk
Fire Ball

10:00 AM
Gates Open

11:00 AM
Storytelling by Mother Bear 

11:45 AM
Drum Roll Call

12:00 PM
Grand Entry
Prayer: Wayne Jackson
Opening Remarks: Carlton Hendricks, Jr., Vice Chairman
Introductions: Earl “Swift Eagle” Mills, Jr., Chief 
Veterans Dance
Blanket Dance for Tribal School 
Tiny Tots
Dance Off 
Little Miss Wampanoag Smoke Dance Special
Little Miss Wampanoag Dance and Crowning
Fire Ball Honoring
Memorial Dance
Special 

4:00 PM
Intermission
Eastern Social Dancing
Powwow Princess Memorial Special
Princess Dance Exhibition and Crowning
Intertribal - Drums Choice
Retire the Flags
Announcement of Winners
Travel Song

Gold Sponsors

• FS Advisors

• Attorneys at Law Rich May

• Sullivan Insurance Agency

• Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe Gaming Authority

• SmokeSygnals

• FS Advisors

• Jackson Lewis

Silver Sponsors

• Collective Strategies

• Lawrence Lynch

• Ocotillo Law & Policy Partners

 On behalf of the Powwow Committee, we would like to take this time and thank you for being a part of our homecoming. This is one of the most anticipated events provided by the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe that brings our family and friends together to honor The People of the First Light. This committee has worked very hard to make this event possible and we hope you all enjoyed your time with us. 

We hope to see you again next year!

Thank you,

Mashpee Wampanoag Powwow Committee