It's not necessarily so simplistic to make something when there's literally three seasons of a year you have to gather just to have all the materials at the same place at the same time. Aquinnah Wampanoag. And that sounds, that sounds like being dead. So like, you know, if you wait till something's gone by, it's not like you can go back and just go to the store and get those because you miss the harvest. Today's HMSC Connects! The artist selects her shells carefully and cuts and finishes them all in the traditional way, by hand, to preserve their attractive contours and colors. Thank you both for being here for the podcast! You know, I never get tired of looking at them. And so the die is actually wearing off in sections of the woolen yarn. Over the years, discarded hard and soft shell clams, razor clams, mussels, and oysters accumulated to form large middens in the warm season. And they did some interesting research on it that really told us a lot about the age of the sash and possibilities of where it actually came from. Last Update. There's this idea of the connection, honoring the connection, loving that person and actually thinking of the work of your hands as having wholesome qualities, because you're being, in some ways, creative, like the Creator. Elizabeth James-Perry, Aquinnah Wampanoag tribal member of Massachusetts is a life-long traditional artist, taught by family and community. Elizabeth James-Perry: As Aquinnah Wampanoag people, our most important ancient stories address glaciation and the subsequent losses and trauma due to melts and periods of rapid sea level rise, so there’s a record of past events in this region we routinely remember to remember. Our culture teaches us to have a healthy respect for the sea, and we … So you just took everything down. Sample of Work. The artist hand picks shells; she grinds and finishes them by hand to create one of-a-kind sculptural jewelry. And I'll be your host. This piece, objectively, this was a very much loved article of gear. I'm gonna sit down with my friends and process cedar bark for all of the traps we're making. So there's always cool stuff. Elizabeth James-Perry is an enrolled member of the Aquinnah Wampanoag Tribe who is a master artist practicing traditional wampum jewelry and milkweed textiles. Elizabeth James-Perry (Courtesy) The objects featured include dried and smoked herring, multiple baskets, an anchor, and an eel trap, which was described by … No signup or install needed. As you can hear from Elizabeth, it's such a personal experience when you get to work with descendants of the artists who created these items that are now at the museum. The artist selects her shells carefully and cuts and finishes them all in the traditional way, by hand, to preserve their attractive contours and colors.… She received the Paul Cuffe Memorial Fellowship to research 19th-20th century Wampanoag tribal crew aboard the Charles W Morgan, which included members of the Gay Head/ Aquinnah and Christiantown /Manititoowatan island communities. And so there's this idea of movement and journey, and I think a certain amount of balance and harmony in that process. There's enjoyment in the moment, but there isn't necessarily in a culture where utilitarian objects are made beautiful, it's fine to use those. Copyright © 2021 The President and Fellows of Harvard College, Collection of Historical Scientific Instruments, Peabody Museum of Archaeology & Ethnology. I wanted to ask them both about the creation of this exhibit and the relevance of these objects within Wampanoag culture today. You want them to be used and appreciated and loved that way. 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