Youth Cultural Enrichment Program
For over three decades, the Youth Cultural Enrichment Program has offered transformative cultural experiences for children and youth across the Commonwealth. Named in honor of the late Slow Turtle, Supreme Medicine Man of the Wampanoag Nation, the program welcomes Native and non-Native participants alike, fostering connection, learning, and empowerment.
Held year-round—often alongside our pow-wows—these gatherings feature traditional activities such as:
Indigenous storytelling
Regalia making
Hand drum construction
Traditional beading and hand weaving
Each activity is rooted in tribal history and accurate cultural knowledge, helping youth validate their Indigenous identity or build an identity as an Indigenous ally. Through authentic, truthful engagement, participants gain a sense of empowerment and affirm their self-worth in a dominant culture that too often overlooks Native contributions and origins.
Our program sites—whether indoors, beside a pond, or in open fields—are transformed into vibrant spaces of Native American learning and engagement. These spaces symbolically connect us to the earth, the water, and our shared history.
