March 21st 10AM-4PM
Gathering Space
In the tradition of our moon cycles, four times a year the Mashantucket Pequot Museum carries on the cultural honoring and celebration of each new season in a beautiful way by welcoming guests from across the globe to experience our culture, our songs, our food, and our way of life.
Join us at the Mashantucket Pequot Museum to experience our traditional new year celebration and thanksgiving with Pequot maple syrup treats and family-friendly programming and entertainment as we create a space to experience our story with native artisans and storytellers showcasing their gifts and talents.
The concept of the “Thirteen Moons” is a core element of the Pequot people’s cultural and spiritual traditions. It represents the cycle of the lunar year, with each moon symbolizing a different aspect of nature, life, or spiritual growth. This tradition is a way of aligning the rhythms of human life with those of the natural world, deeply connecting the Pequot people to their environment and the passage of time.
Come learn about the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation (MPTN) Agriculture Department’s rich history and how it continues to play a significant role in the production of maple syrup at the Mashantucket Sugar Shack.
The department takes great care in ensuring the health of the trees and maintaining the purity of the sap in addition to involving the youth in the process, teaching them about their culture and traditions while imparting useful life skills.
Join Mashantucket Pequot Tribal citizen Gary Carter, Jr. as he demonstrates the process of how to tap a sugar maple tree and learn how tribal citizens have harvested and processed maple sap since the 1970s.
Jonathan James-Perry is a talented Aquinnah Wampanoag artist known for his dedication to traditional craftsmanship. His exhibition will feature a live maple sugar making demonstration along with traditional materials and equipment for producing maple sugar such as: wooden bowls, spoons, clay pots, snowshoes, and birchbark trays, and more, all in celebration of Northeastern Indigenous culture and history.
Creators of all ages and skill-levels can enjoy fun, carefree paint experience led by talented Pequot artist Matthew Pina. Learn to create your own colorful masterpiece of the Maple Moon.
Join us for a demonstration of Eastern Woodland traditional song, dance and interpretative storytelling in celebration of Maple Thanksgiving.
Maple Leaf Art & Origami Crafts and more
Syrup Tasting: Sample cups of Pequot Maple Syrup
Beverage: Maple Tea
Mini Pancakes & Maple Bacon Station
Maple Ice Cream
