On Saturday, September 13, 2008, Kent Lebsock and Harlan Pruden traveled to the Plimoth Plantation (that’s right:the site of the “Rock”) to make a presentation at the first annual “Out at Plimoth Plantation.”This all-day event was billed as a gathering specifically for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender individuals, families and friends to enjoy the two living history museums.Contrary to the mission of the original Plantation founded by the Pilgrims, the idea was to create an atmosphere of acceptance and tolerance, celebrating diversity.
The event was planned and conceived by Paula Peters, a person of the Wampanoag nation who also does double duty as the marketing director for the Plantation.Additionally, Kent and Harlan were warmly welcomed by Linda Coombs (pictured above with Kent and Harlan), who is the director of the Wampanoag Indigenous Program, and John McDonagh, the Plantation’s executive director and the entire village of Wampanoag people working in the village, his team ensure that the entire site is historically accurate. The Plantation is not a state park and is privately owned and operated.It includes many different interactive media tools in a sincere effort to abolish the myth and get at the truth about the English and Wampanoag and other Indigenous nations’ experiences subsequent to 1620.The Wampanoag village consists of people of that nation interacting with visitors to explain their history and way-of-life in a setting including traditional engineering, construction, gardening and social interaction.It is truly inspiring as a method of reminding us who we are as well as where we might be going.
“I am entirely moved by visiting with our Eastern relatives here at Wampanoag.Talk about an example of surviving in the face of unbelievable obstacles, starvation, disease, and warfare, the Wampanoag community here is a real inspiration and evidence of the Spirit of Indigenous peoples worldwide,” said Kent after the emotional visit to the village.
“Everybody has a history…Plimoth Plantation’s mission is to provide powerful, personal experiences with that history as we know it, “ said, John McDonagh, Executive Director of the Plantation.“We are successful when we are able to bring the past alive for our guests by presenting relevant, historical accounts.”….
The official event consisted of a presentation by Richard Pickering, an American historian, who talked about documentary evidence of homosexual activity in 16th and 17th century England and colonial America.He told colorful stories mostly consisting of the punishment inflicted upon suspected “sodomites” in the Puritan and English colonial setting.The second presentation by Harlan Prudent and Kent Lebsock on behalf of NE2SS, described the historical and contemporary context of the two-spirit tradition and the need for diversity in society and nature.While Harlan concentrated on explaining this often unknown aspect of many Native traditions and its relevance to activism today, Kent focused on the wasted opportunities by the colonists who, instead of learning from America’s Native peoples, chose instead to let greed motivate our interaction, ultimately ending in genocide and slavery.
The experience was very enlightening for the NE2SS members who participated and we look forward to increasing our connection with our brothers and sisters of the Wampanoag nation.
After the two presentation, there was a Traditional Thanksgiving Dinner Buffet and Social Mixer. A turkey dinner with all the fixin’s, including wood-pressed cider, garden salad, rolls, roast native turkey with cornbread stuffing, giblet gravy, mashed potatoes, butternut squash, creamed onions, assorted pies – YUM!
