If you’re traveling along the Maine coast, you might want to detour inland a bit to catch this new festival: Tribes of the Dawn Land Cultural and Heritage Days: The first annual Wabanaki cultural arts and heritage days celebration.
Well, that’s a mouthful, but here’s the gist of why you might want to mosey inland from Calais to Princeton, Maine, this weekend, Aug. 14-15: It’s an opportunity to watch basketmakers, wood carvers, jewelry makers, canoe makers, and others demonstrate their crafts, as well as to enjoy drumming and dancing and storytelling. Native guides will be on hand, too. Not only will you be able to watch these skilled artisans craft fine works, but also purchase ash and sweetgrass baskets, birchbark works, walking and talking sticks, and bead-and quill jewelry direct from the makers. The event takes place on Passamaquoddy Tribal Lands, on Route 1 in Indian Township (north of Princeton).
