Foraging & Foodways: Native American Food Culture and History

Wethersfield Historical Society has been awarded a $1900 grant by Connecticut Humanities to bring Greater Hartford Native American foodways to life this fall. On Saturday October 13th, Wethersfield Historical Society proudly presents Foraging and Foodways: Native American Food Culture and History as a continuation of the 2017 program Here We Stand: Native History and Culture from Pyquag to Wethersfield. This program continues the Society’s effort to showcase the importance Native American culture holds in not only the history of Wethersfield but the nation at large.

This two part session will be presented by Chef Sherry Pocknett, a member of the Mashpee Wampanoag Nation and prominent Native American food historian alongside Gary Carter Jr., a member of the Mashantucket Pequot Nation who is an expert in traditional foraging techniques. From 2-3:30 pm, in the first session of this program, Mr. Carter will take patrons through a foraging walk through Wethersfield’s Great Meadows in order to explore the connection between native food practices and the local environment. Wethersfield’s Great Meadows Conservation Trust has an ongoing partnership with Wethersfield Historical Society. The second session will be conducted by Chef Pocknett at the Keeney Memorial Cultural Center at 200 Main Street from 4-5:30pm. Pocknett will conduct a cooking demonstration and discuss native foodways, seasonality, and the cultural importance of various flora and fauna. Pocknett’s family and other Native Americans across the nation have kept such tradition alive during the 1960s Red Power Movement and into the present day.

Tickets are on sale through Wethersfield Historical Society’s website at wethersfieldhistory.org or can be purchased in person at the Old Academy at 150 Main Street Tuesday-Friday 10 am- 4pm. For the first session foraging walk, tickets are $5 or $2 for members of Wethersfield Historical Society or the Great Meadows Conservation Trust. For the second session foodways program tickets are $10 and $8 for the member rate. Tickets will be available at the door but advance tickets are recommended as space is limited. For more information, contact Wethersfield Historical Society at 860.529.7656 or e-mail society@wethersfieldhistory.org. Wethersfield Historical Society (WHS) is a 501(c)3 non-profit, membership-supported organization. Founded in 1932, the Society has strived to “preserve and promote Wethersfield’s history and culture to inspire people today and tomorrow” ever since.

Connecticut Humanities, a nonprofit affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities, supports cultural and historic organizations that tell the state’s stories, build community and enrich lives. Learn more by visiting cthumanities.org.