Little Compton is celebrating its 350th anniversary. As part of marking that major milestone the town is acknowledging the history, culture and achievements of its first inhabitants: the Wampanoag Nation. For 13,000 years, Little Compton was their homeland.
The Little Compton Historical Society recently invited Native American artist, educator and tribal leader Jonathan James-Perry to handmake a “mishoon”, the traditional dugout canoe of his ancestors.
The aim is to deepen the community’s connection to Indigenous people through the creation of this unique and ancient watercraft.
James-Perry is from the Aquinnah tribe of the Wampanoag Nation. He says sharing his heritage with the community helps counter centuries of attempts to erase Indigenous culture.
For a month, James-Perry and his crew of paddlers spoke with visitors as they built the dugout canoe outside the Little Compton Historical Society.
“These traditions, these practices, these connections to our ancient place and to our ancestors is something that is in our blood and our bones, it’s really important to me to see these teachings be passed down.”
According to James-Perry, the Wampanoag Nation is an Eastern Woodlands community however, they were also a seafaring people.
“I come from people who made vessels and whaled in the sea and shell fished and fished and utilized the edible sea grass or the seaweeds for our food.”
He adds mishoons were used for trade travel, government and military actions and water sport.
The primary tool for hollowing out the mammoth log is unusual. It is sculpted by fire. Townspeople were invited to watch and learn customs as the log burning began with kindling set along the length of a 16-foot white pine tree trunk. There was a “night burn” when the community came to feast, listen to stories and hear Native American singing with traditional Wampanoag instruments.
“Ultimately the fire is what does most of the carving, and you scrape charcoal, and you do occasional moving of the hot coals and material, so you can even out uneven areas of burn or thin the sidewalls of the canoe or get just the right shape.” explained James-Perry.
When the mishoon project was complete, a local crowd of all ages gathered on Lloyd’s Beach in Little Compton as members of several Indigenous tribes hiked to nearby Squant Rock.
It’s believed to embody the legendary woman who protects ocean paddlers, and it sits on private land.
“Other people, whether they realize it or not, whether it’s inadvertent or not, are now caretakers of a sacred space that we have held for thousands of years. And it is now up to them to have a relationship with us and to be good stewards of that place,” said James-Perry.
After the Wampanoag ceremony at Squant Rock it came time to set the mishoon in the waters of the Sakonnet. Some residents of Little Compton joined the Wampanoags in launching the mishoon for a short voyage.
A seaworthy vessel that proved worthy of bringing all people of a community together. James-Perry says ”Things are cyclical and there are times when things are taken away and then there are times and opportunities where things can heal.”
The mishoon will now be displayed at the Little Compton Historical Society.
