Harvesting: Food, Family & Community in Indigenous Connecticut

19th Nov 2026

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Harvesting Food, Family, & Community

Nowashe Village Presents:

Harvesting: Food, Family & Community in Indigenous Connecticut

Come with curiosity, leave with a deeper understanding.

Ages 8+ | Northwest Park Libby Taylor Education Hall
Nov 19 | 11:00am-12:00pm | Thurs |
R: $8, NR: $10, FoNWP Members: FREE
Sponsored by the Friends of Northwest Park

Join us for a powerful and illuminating journey into the heart of Native foodways with educators from Nowashe Village, a dedicated collective committed to sharing the living traditions of Connecticut’s Indigenous peoples. This one-hour program offers more than a lesson, it’s an invitation to understand the deep, enduring relationship between people, land, and sustenance that has shaped Native life for thousands of years.

Naturalists will begin by honoring the diverse tribal nations of the region—ancestral stewards of this land—whose presence and wisdom continue to thrive today. From there, you’ll explore how seasonal rhythms guided every aspect of life: the careful timing of planting and harvesting, the skilled practices of hunting and fishing, and the ingenious methods used to gather wild foods and cultivate the “Three Sisters” (corn, beans, and squash) in harmony with the earth.

You’ll discover how traditional technologies, like fish weirs, shell tools, and bark containers, were not just practical innovations, but expressions of deep ecological knowledge. And as autumn’s abundance is gathered, you’ll learn the vital techniques of food preservation, (drying, smoking, and storing), that ensured communities could thrive through the winter months.

But this story isn’t just about survival. It’s about connection! The way food brought people together, strengthened kinship, and reinforced values of reciprocity, gratitude, and respect for the natural world. Through storytelling, cultural insight, and thoughtful discussion, the Nowashe educators will help you see food not just as nourishment, but as a living thread of identity, resilience, and community. This is more than history. It’s a celebration of continuity of traditions that endure, adapt, and inspire.

Whether you’re a lifelong resident of Connecticut or new to the region, this program offers a meaningful opportunity to learn, reflect, and honor the original caretakers of this land.

Registration opens on October 29, 2026 – stay tuned!