November Mittark
Tribal Women Complete Lactation Counselor Training
In September, a group of fourteen women representing the Wampanoag (Mashpee, Assonet, and Aquinnah), Mohegan, and Narragansett Tribes completed a Lactation Counselor Training program. Women spent the week learning about various topics revolving around breastfeeding, parenting, historical trauma, and food sovereignty.
The five-day-long training was led by instructors Camie Goldhammer, founding executive director of Hummingbird Indigenous Family Services, and Kimberly Moore-Salas, a lactation consultant at Maricopa Integrated Health System.
There were twelve total sessions that took place throughout the week. The sessions covered: Indigenous parenting and historical trauma, the physiological process of lactation, childbirth and how that experience influences breastfeeding, how to assist with a breastfeed, milk transfer and supply, counseling for parents, breastfeeding issues and solutions, medication, growth charts, and career paths in lactation.
This program was funded through a grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and individual community members also came together to donate funds that covered additional expenses.
“Being able to come together as a collective was important” said tribal member Alex Pocknett. Doing so helped participants realize that their dreams of having these traditional practices brought back to our community are actually achievable and that no one person has to do this work alone.
Although the training program is over, participants are still working together to share their knowledge and help other families. The group is working on establishing scheduled meetings where community members can stop by and ask questions or receive assistance. They also have ideas to create an Indigenous birth worker collective and are interested in possibly hosting a birth doula training next year.
Molly of Denali Features Wampanoag Character
Tribal members have collaborated with the producers of the children’s TV show Molly of Denali to create a new episode featuring a Wampanoag character. The episode entitled Truth, Trust, and Harvest comes out on November 4th, 2024.
Molly of Denali is an animated PBS KIDS series that follows the adventures of feisty and resourceful 10-year-old Molly Mabray, an Alaska Native girl who lives in the fictional village of Qyah, Alaska.
Tribal elder Gertrude “Kitty” Hendricks helped develop the character “Gertie,” a Wampanoag girl who helps the other characters plant a community garden. When creating Gerite’s appearance, the production team used images of tribal member Talia Landry as reference images. Make sure to tune in to PBS Kids to watch the episode!
Family members announce the Raising of Patricia “Trish” Keliinui as Turtle Clan Mother on Saturday ~ November 23, 2024 at 9:00 AM , on “55 Acres.” Tribal community members who would like to be present, are welcome to join at the Sacred Circle.
More than 2 years after the passing of the Peters family matriarch and Clan Mother, Amelia Grace (Peters) Bingham “Seaweed,” Trish was selected to serve as the next Turtle Clan Mother after months-long family meetings.
Patricia Stephanie Kuulei Keliinui, “Little Pine Needle”/K8âeemees, was born July 22, 1967 in Honolulu, to Clara Louise (Peters) “Dancing Pony” and Patrick Keliinui.
Upon their decision to move from Honolulu and settle in Mashpee in 1969, Trish grew up in Mashpee among her Mashpee Wampanoag family and community.
Explore Additional News in this month's Nashauonk Mittark
List of Committee and Board Seat Openings
