Waterville Creates invites the community to come together Sunday, October 12, for a full day celebrating the art, craftsmanship, and history of the Wabanaki Nations. Wabanaki artists, musicians, and educators will be at the Paul J. Schupf Art Center in downtown Waterville for clay crafting, storytelling, an artisan market, and film screening. 

“Holding this event at this time affirms the strength of Wabanaki culture and creates space for deeper connection between artisans and the wider community,” said Passamaquoddy artist Cassandra Rose, who is leading a clay carving workshop during the event. “It’s not only about honoring the past, but about celebrating who we are and where we are going.” 

The Wabanaki Artisan Celebration begins at 11 a.m. as Rose leads a hands-on workshop exploring centuries-old clay carving and sgraffito techniques in Waterville Creates’ Art of Clay Studio. Participants will learn traditional methods and produce their own finished pieces under Rose’s guidance. Registration is required for this program. Visit watervillecreates.org/clay-carvings to sign up. 

All other programs of the Wabanaki Artisan Celebration are free to attend. From noon to 4 p.m., Waterville’s Castonguay Square—adjacent to Schupf Arts—will host a Wabanaki Artisan Market, featuring work for sale from seven Wabanaki artists. From 12 - 1 p.m., visitors can enjoy a performance by Mi’kmaq storyteller and flute maker/player David Lone Bear Sanipass, followed by drumming from 2 - 4 p.m., by the Huntley Brook Singers. 

Finally, from 5 - 6:30 p.m., the Maine Film Center—a division of Waterville Creates—will host a free screening of the film The Doctrine of Discovery: Unmasking the Domination Code. The documentary illuminates 15th century Vatican documents that resulted in a tragic global campaign of domination and dehumanization, leading to the creation of legal systems in the United States and Canada and elsewhere in the world that are still weaponized against Original Nations and Peoples to this day. After the film, special guest Dwayne Tomah, Passamaquoddy language teacher and cultural preservationist, will host a question-and-answer session with the audience.

Sunday, October 12—Wabanaki Artisan Celebration, Paul J. Schupf Art Center, 93 Main Street, Waterville

11am–12pm Clay Carving Workshop with Passamaquoddy artist Cassandra Rose

12–1pm Storytelling with Mi’kmaq storyteller and flute maker/player David Lone Bear Sanipass

12–4pm Wabanaki Artisan Market

2–4pm Drumming by the Huntley Brook Singers

5–6:30pm Film Screening & Q+A: The Doctrine of Discovery with special guest Dwayne Tomah 

Learn more at watervillecreates.org/wabanaki-artisan-celebration.

“It has been deeply rewarding to see this day-long cultural celebration grow from a simple idea into a joyful recognition of Wabanaki art and artisans,” said Waterville Creates’ Education Manager Lisa Wheeler. “We are especially grateful for guidance of Cassandra, a Passamaquoddy artist and valued member of our Art of Clay Studio, and we look forward to sharing vibrant Indigenous culture with the central Maine community.”

Sunday is also the final day of Ticonic Gallery’s Dark the Night, Bright the Stars exhibition, curated by Lights Out, a nonprofit arts hub based in Norway, Maine. The exhibition showcases visual art, textiles, sculpture, and traditional crafts to focus on themes of ancestry, with each artist conveying ancestral messages. Sanipass, whose flute and storytelling performance is part of the Wabanaki Artisan Celebration, has work on display in the exhibition. Other featured artists include Gabriel Frey, Raphael Gribetz, Sarah Haskell, Daniel Minter, Avis Turner, and Maria Wolff, each bringing unique perspectives influenced by Passamaquoddy, Mi’kmaq, Jewish, Afro-Atlantic, Scandinavian, and Celtic ancestral roots. 

In September, the Waterville Opera House—also a division of Waterville Creates—presented two performances of Portland Ovations’ production of Wabanaki Stories, a vibrant stage experience spotlighting Maliseet, Mi’kmaq, Passamaquoddy, and Penobscot artists and musicians, including Tomah. 

About Waterville Creates

The mission of Waterville Creates is arts experiences for all. Offering diverse programming for all ages, Waterville Creates is building a thriving, connected, and equitable community through shared experiences in the arts. For more information about Waterville Creates, visit watervillecreates.org.