The health disparities and economic injustice within minority communities that have become clear during the COVID-19 pandemic and rise of social justice activism against police brutality, bigotry, and systemic racism show a deep urgency for artists who identify as Black, Indigenous, and/or People of Color (BIPOC) to have safe spaces for free creativity and healing.
Join us in helping to create this space.
GATHER series: Conversations led by Black and Indigenous Change-Makers is a celebration of the East End’s diversity, a recognition of fault and colonization, and, most importantly, an opportunity to build and implement new understandings. Devised specifically for community leaders, service workers, teachers, and developers, this series platforms the voices and experiences of various BIPOC scholars, artists, and leaders, providing both lessons on our past histories, and strategies and examples of how to progress forward together. The series spans from Friday, July 16 – Monday, July 19, 2021.
This iteration of GATHER is programmed in tandem with the Guild Hall exhibition, Alexis Rockman: Shipwrecks. Proceeds from this series aid the education initiatives at Guild Hall of East Hampton, the development of Ma’s House & BIPOC Art Studio, and the institutions and artists involved.
Left Behind/Within
July 16, 6pm – 7:30 pm at Ma’s House on Shinnecock Territory
Poet and storyteller, Andrina Wekontash Smith welcomes audiences for a shared-meal and an evening of spoken word and communal discussion, reflecting on her relationship to her ancestors and the inherited griefs Shinnecock hold but are told to leave behind.
This event is held outdoors at Ma’s House & BIPOC Studio on Shinnecock. All are asked to bring their own seating – blanket, mat, etc.
Tuktu Paddle Tour of Shinnecock
July 17, 10 am – 12 pm & 2 – 4 pm at the Shinnecock Nation
Join Tuktu PT on a guided paddle tour of aboriginal Shinnecock waterways to learn about indigenous plants, culture, landmarks and more. Each tour is led by Tuktu PT founder, Gerrod Smith, and includes a short hike along Shinnecock’s private coastlands and, if the tides flow right, a fresh taste of local shellfish handpicked from Shinnecock Bay.
Each tour is limited to 12 people. The rental of a single-person kayak, two-person kayak, or three-person canoe is included with registration.
BOOK TALK: WHALING CAPTAINS OF COLOR WITH AUTHOR, SKIP FINLEY
July 18, 4:30pm – 6pm at Guild Hall
Join Donnamarie Barnes and Dr. Georgette Grier Key in conversation with Skip Finley, author of “Whaling Captains of Color; America’s First Meritocracy”
Many of the historic houses that decorate Skip Finley’s native Martha’s Vineyard were originally built by whaling captains. Whether in his village of Oak Bluffs, on the Island of Nantucket where whaling burgeoned, or in New Bedford, which became the City of Light thanks to whale oil, these magnificent homes testify to the money made from whaling. In terms of oil, the triangle connecting Martha’s Vineyard to these areas and Eastern Long Island was the Middle East of its day. Whale wealth was astronomical, and endures in the form of land trusts, roads, hotels, docks, businesses, homes, churches and parks. Whaling revenues were invested into railroads and the textile industry. Millions of whales died in the 200-plus-year enterprise, with more than 2,700 ships built for chasing, killing and processing them. Whaling was the first American industry to exhibit any diversity, and the proportion of men of color people who participated was amazingly high. A man got to be captain not because he was white or well connected, but because he knew how to kill a whale. Along the way he would also learn navigation and how to read and write. Whaling presented a tantalizing alternative to mainland life. Working with archival records at whaling museums, in libraries, from private archives and studying hundreds of books and thesis, Finley culls the best stories from the lives of over 50 Whaling Captains of Color to share the story of America’s First Meritocracy.
WAMPUM: HISTORY, CRAFT, & PRACTICE
Monday, July 19, 4 – 5:30pm at Guild Hall of East Hampton
Chief Harry Wallace and Tecumseh Ceaser lead an open dialogue and lecture on the understandings, teachings, and significance of Wampum. The conversation will touch on traditional practices, historical accounts and lessons, and what contemporary carvers have “learned from the shell.”
“Wampum has been used in my culture in ceremonies, regalia, trade agreements, and treaties to connect our people and remind them of their connection to the water and earth, which gives us life and food. We as eastern woodland natives treasure wampum; its beautiful colors allow us to wear it with pride and know that our ancestors have been working with it for thousands of years. My artwork allows me to connect with my ancestors by carrying on their traditions and saying to the world we are still here, and we are still connected with our genealogical ties to the land.”
Tecumseh Ceaser
Ma's House & BIPOC Art Studio is led by Indigenous artist artist and photographer Jeremy Dennis. Dennis is an enrolled member of the Shinnecock Indian Nation.
The house will serve as a communal art space based on the Shinnecock Indian Reservation in Southampton, New York. The family house, built in the 1960s, will serve as Dennis' house to manage the project that includes a residency program for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC), art studio, library, along with hosting an array of art and history-based programs for tribe members and the broader local community.
Whether you contribute financially or as advocate for good, you make a real difference. We are also seeking volunteers for various projects, along with donations of furnature and other house items!
Connect with us and make a real difference
Your generosity makes our work possible. Whether you contribute financially or would like to volunteer, please get in touch!
Read more about Ma's House, our vision, and who Ma (Loretta Silva) is by clicking the links in the menu.
Shinnecock Indian Nation tribal members volunteering in housing rehabilitation efforts. Taking a break after removing the 700+ pound rusted furnace from the basement of Ma’s House.
Since June, we raised over $30,000 of the $50,000 goal. With that money, a lot has already been done, including removing leaky plumbing, pouring a new cement floor in the basement to cover the dirt, and replacing the floor of the kitchen and bathroom.
in gratitude and support of Sanctuary Spaces of healing, creativity and local/global communityweaving <3
Just watched the video of your transformation of Ma's House. What wonderful work and vision. I look forward to hearing more in the future.
Wishing Denise a Happy Birthday!
Thank you for all that you do!!
This is a wonderful idea. So happy to have learned from this through the online Morgan Library program. I would love to visit any… Read more
This is a wonderful idea. So happy to have learned from this through the online Morgan Library program. I would love to visit any exhibitions once this pandemic ends. Thank you.
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