Thawn Sherenté Harris has some big plans for this coming Patriots’ Day and some big shoes to fill while he is at it.
Harris is training to run the Boston Marathon to honor one of his relatives, who not only ran it twice but won it both times.
Harris, 47, is the great-nephew of the legendary Narragansett athlete Ellison Myers Brown, widely known as Tarzan Brown. Tarzan won the Boston Marathon in 1936 and 1939. And now Thawn is hoping to honor Tarzan Brown by following in his footsteps
“I have never run the Boston Marathon, although it has always been a goal,” he says. The memory of Tarzan Brown in his family remains strong and is an inspiration to the Narragansetts. This fits with Harris’ function as cultural ambassador, storyteller, drummer, and dancer.
Although Harris has run shorter events, the Boston Marathon was a dream for him. “I heard all the Tarzan stories,” he laughs. “We all did. I thought about running so many times, but I just could not bring myself to do it. However, this past fall, my cousin tagged me in a Facebook post which included an application. There were certain spots for indigenous runners. Something just possessed me. I just had to do it. And a month later, I was in.”
This year’s 130th Boston Marathon lands on April 30, which is Patriots’ Day. There were specific opportunities for Native Americans to participate and Thawn seized the day.
But wanting to run and being able to run were two different things. Thawn started getting into shape early this year despite a recent Achilles injury, which at first he believed was the end of his athletic life. “I remember telling my friends, ‘I think I’m done, I hit a wall and can’t run anymore.’ But once I saw that application it hit me – I’m not ready to quit just yet.”
The first few practice runs were painful. “That first time I had to run 3.6 miles, and it was freezing cold, and at the end I was limping and my whole body hurt. But I went home to my family, and they were very supportive, so I kept at it.” Thawn learned he needed to run for several reasons, some personal and others ceremonial.
The Marathon became not just a healing exercise, but also much more than just Thawn running. “Once I started getting into shape, I realized that it was a ceremony for our people.” Part of his training includes family; wife Eleanor is his coach and at least three of his seven children have taken practice runs with their father. “Every time I hit the road running, I think of people who are sick, people who are in pain, and I want to inspire them. Certain ceremonies we do culturally are about sacrifice. I run for those who cannot.”
There were also the people who cannot run but have been supportive of Harris’ efforts. “Our people are very community-oriented and want to preserve our heritage and customs for the next seven generations. The memories and traditions we have are important to maintain. We take care of the land, keep our cultures alive, and cherish the memories of Tarzan Brown and others like him.”
Harris is quite clear about why he is running the Marathon. “My goal is to finish, that’s all. My uncle was an elite runner. He didn’t want a Tarzan Brown Day after he won his Marathons. Instead, they named a day in honor of all the Narragansetts.”
That said, Harris has it in his blood to participate in such events thanks in part to his ancestry and his own desires for his people.
“Right now, my main concern is extending my mileage. However, I do not expect to win! I am looking to finish. And I hope to inspire someone else down the road to follow in our footsteps.”
Bella Noka, Tribal Elder of the Narragansetts and a great niece of Tarzan Brown, sums it up neatly; “As a result of Thawn running, we are all winners.” Thawn Sherenté Harris is a storyteller, dancer and cultural educator along with his wife Eleanor Dove Harris (married 28 years) and their seven children. He was named Eastern War Dance Champion in 2007 and received the Princess Redwing Arts and Cultural Award from the Tomaquag Museum in 2025. Further, he was named Favorite Cultural Storyteller of the Year by Motif Magazine in 2023. A graduate of URI, Thawn is a Physical Education Advisor at the Metropolitan Regional Career Center in Rhode Island.