We proudly hold our festival each year on Governors Island, located off the southern end of Manhattan. The borough of Manhattan was an area once cared for by the Lenape people who also made use of the natural resources on Governors Island. They referred to it as Paggank, meaning “Nut Island” because of its diverse array of hickory, oak, and chestnut trees. Governors Island made a perfect fishing camp for indigenous communities who used the Island on a seasonal basis. We acknowledge that we are performing and taking up space on colonized land and are actively working to embrace marginalized voices within our organization. We condemn the violent history which claimed this stolen land from its original caretakers. It is an honor to use this land for spreading our message of community and poetic expression and take pride in the vast indigenous histories of this land. 

Written by Lola Anaya, 2023

 

Resources for Learning & Connecting:

  • American Indian Community House

    • “Found­ed in 1969, AICH is a com­mu­ni­ty-based orga­ni­za­tion with a mis­sion to improve and pro­mote the well-being of the Amer­i­can Indi­an Com­mu­ni­ty and to increase the vis­i­bil­i­ty of Amer­i­can Indi­an cul­tures in an urban set­ting. Their space on Gov­er­nors Island has been used to present exhi­bi­tions, per­for­mances, and oth­er cul­tur­al and edu­ca­tion­al pro­grams, as well as to host artists in residence.”