Contact Phone Number: 508-996-5813
E-mail Address: annawonw@gmail.com
Web Site: http://www.myspace.com/annawon
Tribe: Mashpee Wampanoag
Topics/Subjects:
Traditional/Contemporary life, seasonal activities, celebrations, games, music & dance, stereotypes, contemporary issues, hands-on activities, world views, Native American Slavery, 7th Century specialist, etc.
Will speak at:
Elementary-High Schools, colleges, cub scout/girl scout groups, rallies, seminars. Will participate in documentaries and photo shoots and will do radio & television interview
Annawon Weedon:
A member of his mother's Mashpee Wampanoag community, located on Cape Cod, Annawon was born & raised on the Narragansett tribal lands in Charlestown R.I. the community of his fathers people. Growing up in two separate, yet similar, native communities gave Annawon many opportunities to learn the cultural ways of his people firsthand.
Starting young, Annawon has traveled throughout New England conducting educational programs with his family. Many of the songs and dances Annawon has continued to perform on his own. Eastern social dance songs, from the New England area, allow the audience to join in the celebration of Eastern Woodland culture.
As an educator, currently Native Programs Specialist at the Boston Children's Museum, Annawon not only performs the dances he always has, he is now able to also inform the audience, as his father had done in the past. Educational performances are a family tradition that has survived throughout many generations. From school presentations, lectures, museum exhibits, and dance performances, Annawon is capable of sharing many different aspects of Native life, long ago and today.
As a performer, Annawon is a member of other groups that perform music and dance from the Wampanoag culture, as well as other tribes. The Wampanoag Singers & Dancers conduct audience participation performances, focusing on the Eastern Woodland style of social song & dance. The group has performed at various institutions such as the Museum of Fine Arts (Boston), Natural History Museum (New York), The Mashantucket Pequot Museum & Research Center (Connecticut), and the Museum of Science (Boston). The group performs the traditional dances in traditional clothing of the area. (New England)
In addition, Annawon is also a member of the Eastern Sons drum group. Performing Powwow style music for many events, a group of singers (no less than 3), sing on the large Plains style drum providing songs for honorings, celebrations, ceremonies as well as education. A typical performance includes high-energy singing of traditional songs with opportunities for the audience to join in dances that coincide with the appropriate songs. During many performances, Eastern Sons will not only provide the music of the Plains, but also exhibit various styles of dance and attire that would be seen at an inter-tribal event such as a Powwow. Explanations of the clothing, music, and dance steps, accompany these educational performances.
As a consultant, developer and contributor for many teaching materials used to teach about Wampanoag culture, Annawon is capable of providing activities, professional development for educators as well as the ability to answer many questions pertaining to the various topics of Wampanoag life, both historic and contemporary.
Fee:
Wampanoag Singers & Dancers (no less than 4 performers)- $800/hr
Eastern Sons Drum Group (No less than 3 singers): $350/hr. $500-$750/day
With additional dancers- $100-$150/dancer
Annawon (alone): Song & Dance performances start @ $250/hr.
Educational programs start @ $180 (1st hr.)- $120 each additional hour plus mileage @ $.35/mile