Learn more about the Pequot raid of Wethersfield

Here we Stand: from Pyquag to Wethersfield and Beyond

Wethersfield Historical Society presents, in commemoration of the 380th anniversary of the Pequot raid on Wethersfield, a four-part lecture series featuring the expertise of Dr. Kevin McBride, Director of Research at the Pequot Museum, native performer, and lecturer Annawon Weeden, as well as native chef Sherry Pocknett. Here We Stand spans over five hundred years of contact and focuses on traditional issues as well as those faced today by indigenous groups living with the legacy of colonialism. Times and locations vary. This program series is funded by a generous grant from CT Humanities.

May 9   Dr. Kevin McBride – “The Significance of the Wethersfield Raid in the Pequot War.” After more than 370 years the Pequot War (1636-1637) remains one of the most controversial and significant events in the Colonial and Native history of North America. The most significant event in the war was the surprise attack on the Pequot fortified village at Mystic on the morning of May 26, 1637. By the end of the one-hour battle, over 400 Pequot men, women, and children were dead, half of them burned to death. The attack on the Mistick Fort was in retaliation for the Pequot raid on Wethersfield On April 23 in which nine settlers were killed including women and children. The lecture will explore Pequot motivations for the raid within the broader context of the Pequot War.

7 PM • Keeney Memorial Cultural Center • 200 Main Street, Wethersfield  Admission: $5 non-members, free to members. Buy tickets here.

May 17            Annawon Weeden – “Seven Generations Presentation.” Join us as Annawon carries you by hand through a complete sequence of events of local colonization, from pre-Columbus to present day, filling gaps normally overlooked in conventional history. Find out whether you are friend or foe, what languages you will speak, how may Squanto help you & try not to shed a tear as Metacom makes his final stand. Perhaps you’ve heard the hijacked version of Moby Dick, however never through the oral history of the Wampanoag whalers who originated such legendary tales along America’s journey of such discovery. Please join us for one of the most riveting accounts of the foundation of our country and play a principle role only you can fill by participating in this live performance; discussion to follow.

7 PM • Keeney Memorial Cultural Center • 200 Main Street, Wethersfield.  Admission: $20 non-members, $15 members Buy tickets here.

May 21            Sherry Pocknett – Foraging Walking Tour. Explore Wethersfield’s Great Meadows with native chef and foodways expert Sherry Pocknett as she provides background on native foodways, seasonality, and the cultural importance of various flora and fauna. See the Great Meadows as you have never seen it before.

2 PM • Wethersfield Great Meadows, meeting place TBD • Admission: $20 non-members, $15 members. Advance Tickets recommended; buy them here.

May 23            Sherry Pocknett – Strawberry Moon Thanksgiving Celebration. Join us in celebrating the Strawberry Moon and giving thanks for a bountiful harvest of strawberries. Native chef and foodways expert Sherry Pocknett will deliver a native foodways lecture and cooking demonstration while discussing seasonality, the significance of the Strawberry Moon, how her family kept native traditions and culture alive while growing up in the 1960s during the Red Power Movement, as well as modern issues faced by native peoples today.

7 PM • Keeney Memorial Cultural Center • 200 Main Street, Wethersfield  Admission: $25 non-members, $20 members. Advance Tickets recommended, buy them here.