Wrung From The Inside Out
November 23, 2022
Wrung From the Inside Out
By Andre Strong Bear Heart
Spoken word poetry dedicated to all of my Eastern Woodland Peoples, whose history of genocide still continues to be swept under the rug by society. Let the truths be told.

On May 2023, the collaborative effort of Westport River Watershed Alliance, Westport Land Conservation Trust, and Wampanoag Experience resulted in the 24/7 burning of a traditional Native American canoe, overseen by tribal members. The event, from May 13th to June 24th, provided a unique insight into Native American traditions and culminated in the River Day festival on June 24th.

Andre StrongBearHeart Gaines, Jr., and his nephews, Daishuan Reddeer Garate and Miguel Wandering Turtle Garate, present an original spoken word program offering a Nipmuc Tribal perspective on place. This program will explore the common themes that connect ten-thousand-year-old traditional Indigenous social songs with modern day spoken word poetry. hey will share stories about their ongoing relationships to the land, the persistence and resilience of the Northeastern tribes, differing world views, and ways they are able to maintain balance at the intersection between the traditional lifestyle and values they inherited through their ancestors and functioning respectfully in today’s complicated world.