Lecture: The Fluid Border: Maintaining Indigenous Maritime and Sovereignty

Join Aquinnah Wampanoag master artist Jonathan James-Perry as he illustrates the cultural renaissance of Northeastern Indigenous maritime traditions and his participation in the movement. Jonathan has crafted over 50 traditional vessels, known as muhsh8nash, ranging from small river boats to the largest ocean-going vessel in recent history in the North Atlantic. He works to encourage and build capacity of the next generation of boatbuilders in this time-honored skill. Recognizing that the restorative effort is multigenerational and requires intertribal efforts that transcend territorial borders, Jonathan’s commitment to mentorship is imbued in each vessel he creates. Jonathan will immerse you in the complex trade networks, subsistence practices, and diplomatic assertion of sovereignty of Indigenous nations’ ocean territories.