Ingredients 3 or 4 large butternut squash peeled and washed ½ cup of dried cranberries 1 cup and 3 tablespoons of butter (plant butter may be substituted) ½ cup of diced shallots A few sprigs of thyme (to preference) Salt and pepper (to taste) 4 quarts chicken or vegetable stock 2 cups of reserved water […]
Roger Williams is often celebrated in Rhode Island as a forward-thinking pioneer who founded Providence, advocating for religious freedom and the separation of church and state. His legacy is deeply embedded in the state’s identity, with his name adorning schools, parks, and institutions. However, this portrayal obscures the significant role played by the Narragansett Indigenous […]
Silvermoon LaRose’s knowledge of Indigenous foods and foraging could fill volumes – and her ancestral knowledge is interwoven in the foraging methods she has learned from generations before her. LaRose, a citizen of the Narragansett Tribal Nation and assistant director of the Tomaquag Museum, is a storyteller, writer, and a knowledgeable teacher who offers classes […]
“People act shocked when I say I’m Native American,” says Indigenous artist Quai Perry. “When you say ‘Native American,’ most people think about the Western Tribes. They think we – the Eastern Tribes – aren’t here anymore.” Perry elaborates that the story, according to the history books, is that the Europeans came, conquered, and exterminated […]
I won my only fight with “Tarzan” Brown. Or so my mother told me. I was only about three at the time, so I don’t really remember it. He was walking down Canal Street in Westerly when my parents spotted him and pulled the car over to say “Hi.” I was in my car seat […]
Our state is home to a unique and inspiring institution, the Tomaquag Indigenous Museum in Exeter. The museum is led by executive director Lorén M. Spears, an artist and author with a background in education. Spears is an enrolled Narragansett Tribal Nation citizen. Tomaquag is the only museum in Rhode Island entirely dedicated to telling […]
During Indigenous Peoples Month, Motif Magazine wishes to acknowledge its operations based on the sacred and ancestral lands of the Nahaganseck People (Narragansett Indian Tribe), the Indigenous People of Rhode Island. The Narragansett have long been the traditional custodians of this land, upholding their commitment to traditional practices in land stewardship. We express our honor, […]
It’s a well-known fact that Rhode Island is the smallest state in the country – an hour and you’ll find that you’ve driven across the whole state (okay, let’s be honest, an hour and a half with the potholes and traffic). You might think you know everybody here – somebody’s cousin is somebody’s grandpa’s neighbor, […]
Back in July, through a weird chain of events, I ended up at the Natural History Museum of Utah in Salt Lake City. There were exhibits with glittering crystals, massive dinosaur skeletons, and the conservation of native species, including tanks with neon frogs and a sleeping ferret. The one that captivated my attention the most […]
The Tomaquag Museum in Exeter, Rhode Island is an organization that seeks to educate everyone of the Indigenous cultures of the Dawnland (southern New England). They seek to help people understand the impact of colonization, to reconcile the past, and to empower future generations by sharing their values and emphasizing traditional ethics, morals, and philosophy. […]