Rockingham Times

PORTSMOUTH- For the second year, Strawbery Banke hosts Dawnland StoryFest, New Hampshire’s annual Native American Storytelling Festival, on Saturday, Nov. 5, 2022, in connection with the Museum’s Abenaki Heritage Initiative. The festival is free to attend, with a $10 suggested donation. Preregistration is required via StrawberyBanke.org/events/dawnland-storyfest.cfm.

 

The daylong festival takes place at the Museum in the TYCO Visitors Center, located at 14 Hancock St., from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Attendees listen to storytelling “concerts” or performances by five experienced Indigenous storytellers and a keynote address by Gayle Ross (Cherokee). The keynote address will be broadcast via Zoom for virtual attendees.

 

Dawnland StoryFest, the only traditional Native American storytelling festival in the state of New Hampshire, began in 2015 and occurred at various museums across the state. Strawbery Banke Museum hosted the traditional Native American storytelling festival for the first time in 2021. 

 

“After becoming co-producer of the Dawnland StoryFest in 2019, I immediately began looking for a permanent home for the daylong event,” says Anne Jennison, Dawnland StoryFest producer and co-creator of the “People of the Dawnland” exhibit at Strawbery Banke. “I was delighted when the Museum took on the sponsorship of the event as a part of its newly expanded Abenaki Heritage Initiative. Each year the festival is host to wonderfully experienced Native American storytellers and, in sponsoring the festival, Strawbery Banke Museum is helping to preserve and share a critically important part of Indigenous heritage.” 

 

The festival features 45-minute storytelling performances of traditional Native American lesson stories. Designed to be both entertaining and educational, each story has a compelling narrative, but also some subtle—and overt—life lessons. The program is carefully designed to allow participants to hear from each storyteller. Participants are also invited to participate in “Swapping Grounds” story-sharing sessions facilitated by Jonathan Cummings, when audience members can sign up to share traditional Native American stories.

 

Participating traditional storytellers include:

• Gayle Ross, Cherokee
• Anne Jennison, of Abenaki and European descent
• Darlene Kascak, Schaghticoke Tribal Nation
• Hears Crow (Nootauau Kaukontuoh - “She Hears the Crow”), Narragansett Tradition
• Louise Profeit-LeBlanc (Tse Duna - “The Beaver Woman”), Na-Cho Nyak Dun First Nation
• Jonathan Cummings

 

Gayle Ross, Dawnland StoryFest 2022 keynote speaker, is a direct descendant of John Ross, who was Principal Chief of the Cherokee during the 1830 Indian Removal Act. He led his people in resistance against the U.S. government and through the subsequent forced removal known as the Trail of Tears. Her storytelling concert will be broadcast via Zoom to virtual attendees at 3 PM. 

 

“Strawbery Banke is delighted to once again host Dawnland StoryFest,” said Lawrence J. Yerdon, President and CEO. “This event is a major component of the Abenaki Heritage Initiative and Strawbery Banke’s commitment to furthering relationships with Abenaki descendant communities and enriching the stories told at the Museum. After last year’s successful virtual festival, Strawbery Banke is looking forward to welcoming attendees and storytellers to gather in person to share, learn, and experience Native American storytelling traditions.”

 

Dawnland StoryFest 2022 was made possible with support from New Hampshire Humanities, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Humanities. 

 

For more information, storyteller bios, and to preregister, visit StrawberyBanke.org.

About Strawbery Banke Museum:

Strawbery Banke Museum, in the heart of downtown Portsmouth, NH, is a 10-acre history museum interpreting over 300 years of history, from Indigenous history to the present day, through historical houses on their original foundations, heirloom gardens, traditional crafts, and costumed roleplayers who share the stories of the families who lived in the authentic waterfront neighborhood of Puddle Dock. The Museum welcomes visitors, members, schoolchildren, and volunteers for daily programs, exhibits, skating, and signature special events throughout the year. Strawbery Banke Museum is funded in part by grants from the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation; the New Hampshire State Council on the Arts & National Endowment for the Arts; the Institute of Museum and Library Services; the National Endowment for the Humanities: Democracy demands wisdom; and the New Hampshire Land and Community Heritage Investment Program. For more information and a complete calendar of events, please visit StrawberyBanke.org

Original source can be found here.