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Mayflower 400 is a true four-nation commemoration between the Wampanoag Nation, the USA, the UK and the Netherlands.
Native America is central to the Mayflower story, as is centuries of Wampanoag history and the voices of those determined to keep the stories of their ancestors alive through a series of commemorative projects, exhibitions and events.
These pages seek to tell their stories.
Four hundred years ago, the Wampanoag People watched on as a ship arrived on their shores.
It was not the first ship they had seen arrive, nor would it be the last. But this particular vessel and the people on board would have far and long-lasting consequences for their future and legacy.
Tisquantum was born in 1580 and became known as Squanto, though little is known of his early life.
Some believe he was captured as a young man on the coast of what is now Maine by Captain George Weymouth in 1605. It is thought Tisquantum was liberated some years later, when it is thought he returned to America in 1619 working as an interpreter for Captain Thomas Dermer.
When the Mayflower passengers arrived on the shores of North America, it is said that they formed an historic peace treaty with the Wampanoag chief Ousamequin.
However, over the years the colonies continued to expand into Wampanoag land, and relations soured. What happened next is still considered by many to be the deadliest war in American history, leading to the deaths of thousands of people.
Some 400 years ago, the Wampanoag people met the passengers of the crew of the Mayflower when they arrived in North America. Central to their culture was Wampum - items of huge spiritual significance, made and woven onto belts with extraordinary skill.
The creation of a new Wampum Belt is a cornerstone of Mayflower 400, with its aim being to unite contemporary indigenous artists and educators in the USA with museums and historic collections in Britain.
For almost four centuries, the impact of the colonists’ arrival on the Wampanoag Nation has been widely marginalised in the telling of Mayflower history.
Today, they are central to the Mayflower 400 anniversary – a true four-nation commemoration between the Wampanoag Nation, the USA, the UK and the Netherlands.
The creation of a new Wampum belt by the Wampanoag People is a project of huge cultural significance.
It will tour at venues across the UK nationally as part of a groundbreaking exhibition.
Bassetlaw Museum will welcome representatives of the Wampanoag nation, who will build a traditional wetu in the grounds of the Museum.
This will then remain as a visitor space and education resource for the 400th anniversary of the ‘first Thanksgiving’.
Wampum: Stories from the Shells of Native America unites contemporary indigenous artists in the USA with historic museum collections in the UK.
New dates have been announced for the first touring exhibition by The Box, Plymouth as part of the Mayflower 400 commemorations.
On 16 September 1620 the Mayflower, with 102 passengers and 30 crew on board, set sail from Plymouth UK, crossed the Atlantic Ocean and landed on the shores of Massachusetts.
Four hundred years on, members of the local Mashpee community share their history and culture and describe the impact the arrival of the colonists has had on their way of life.
On the night of 29 July 1976, a group of nine young Wampanoag men were confronted, brutally beaten and arrested by 30 police officers dressed in riot gear.
These men were not out to cause trouble; they were not seeking to offend anyone. They were simply celebrating their cultural heritage and history in a way that newcomers to the town of Mashpee did not understand.
This is their story.
Fifty years ago, a proud Native American man called Frank James took a stand. He took a stand against centuries of history that told a story that simply was not true. A legacy that gave his people no voice.
This is the story of Frank James and HIS lasting legacy.
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