Berkshire Museum to Erect Wigwam
Rethink! American Indian Exhibition Opens July 7
By: Berkshire Museum - May 22, 2012
The front lawn of Berkshire Museum will soon be home to an authentic wigwam. As part of the mission to bring people together for experiences that spark creativity and innovative thinking, the Museum staff is working with two Wampanoag Indians to build an authentic wigwam, which will be used to enhance programming in conjunction with the Museum’s upcoming exhibition, Rethink! American Indian Art at Berkshire Museum, opening July 7, 2012. Construction will begin on May 26 and should take 3 days.
Wigwams (or wetus) are Native American houses used by Algonquian Indians in the woodland regions. Wigwam is the word for "house" in the Abenaki tribe, and wetu is the word for "house" in the Wampanoag tribe.
Visitors will be immersed in the construction of an authentic Native American home in the style traditional to the indigenous peoples from the Northeast. The circular structure will be approximately 12’x12’x 10’, and will be made with cedar poles and bark, naturally harvested. The acquisition of the poles and bark, and the construction and support of the dome will be managed by David Weeden and Daryl Wixon, owner operators of Wetu Makers and Wampanoag tribesmen. Everyone is invited to come by and see the structure come to life. Weeden and Wixon will be on hand to answer questions visitors may have, while the two construct the wigwam on site at the Museum.
“We have invited David Weeden and Daryl Wixon to the Museum to construct this dwelling as a way to engage the community in this project in advance of our summer exhibition, Rethink!” says co-curator of the exhibition, Maria Mingalone. Rethink! American Indian Art at Berkshire Museum features contemporary works of art exhibited with historic Native American art objects from Berkshire Museum’s permanent collections. The wigwam will play a key role in the Museum’s Native American summer programming and camps. It will then be moved inside the Museum to supplement the Rethink! exhibition, as well as educator-led programs that explore American Indian culture.
Rethink! features contemporary works of art by accomplished artists Marcus Amerman, Jeremy Frey, Teri Greeves, Diego Romero, Preston Singletary, and Bently Spang. The exhibition is co-curated by art historian Margaret Archuleta and Berkshire Museum director of interpretation Maria Mingalone and collections manager/registrar Leanne Hayden. The opening reception will be held on Thursday, July 12, from 5 to 7 p.m.; a family day full of programs and activities will be held on Saturday, July 14, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
About Wetu Builders
Daryl Wixon, the son of the late Wampanoag Nation Chief Red Blanket, acquired his traditional knowledge and skills through the family and community line. David Weeden, son of Patricia and Tall Oak Weeden, was raised in a very traditional family that was very active in all aspects of furthering Native American issues, both politically and spiritually. It is in this permanent coming together within the Wampanoag communities that David Weeden and Darrel Wixon have come to collaborate in various traditional aspects of Wampanoag culture and wetu building. They have joined forces to pass on their knowledge and skills to the younger generations within the local indigenous communities. Together they formed Wetu Builders