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Plimoth Plantation honoring Native Americans with name change

By John Monahan, Boston 25 News
By John Monahan, Boston 25 News

PLYMOUTH, Mass. — For thousands of years before the Pilgrims arrived, Plymouth was the home of the Wampanoag Indians who called it Patuxet.

Plimoth Plantation – a living museum which recreates that history - is now honoring the native Americans with a name change.

“We are simply elevating the voices of the indigenous people on this land which was Patuxet,” said Kate Sheehan, the Associate Director of Marketing at Plimoth Plantation.

The sign over the entrance to Plimoth Plantaion now reads Plimoth Patuxet Plantation and now reflects that shared heritage. The final version, which has not yet been announced, has already started to cause issues for some.

“Some people have had some strong reactions against it and don’t quite understand it yet,” said Sheehan.

In time, Sheehan says the hope is they will be adding, “In no way are we taking away the stories of the resilience and persistence of the pilgrims.”

Visitors from different parts of the country say they’re open to the idea.

“I think it’s great that they want to honor the Indians because they were here first,” said Hanna Herzing, a visitor from Kentucky.

For nearly 75 years Plimoth Planation has shown how the Pilgrims and Indians lived and shared this land. 2020 is the 400th anniversary of that first encounter.

“One of those fundamental questions we’ve been exploring is out the name fully reflective of the totality of the experience we present here,” said Sheehan.

For tourist like Herzing, the move to change the name is needed especially now.

“Absolutely, I think it’s wonderful that they can commemorate this and right now,” said Herzing. “I feel like country needs help and friendship and hopefully this is a great symbol of that.”

The final name change will be announced in the next couple of months.

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Plimoth Plantation strives to create meaningful encounters with history built on thorough research about the Indigenous and European people who met along these shores of change. Our intention – whether on our open-air sites, in our galleries and exhibits, or through virtual programming – is to stimulate thought-stirring conversations, expand cultural understanding and empathy, and inspire people to think, to act, to do.⠀ ⠀ Although our educational mission is inclusive of Indigenous history as well as European colonial history, the name of the Museum underscores only half of the story. The history we explore is one we, as Americans, are all still living. ⠀ ⠀ We've been in conversation about this topic for over a year as we considered a new, more balanced name demonstrating that the history and culture of the Indigenous people of this region are as integral to the Museum's educational mission as the history and culture of the English colonists. We invite you to learn more about where we are in this process as well as what's to come at the link in our bio or at http://plimoth.org/PlimothPatuxet400Years.⠀ ⠀ In short: Our plan, for some time, has been to announce a new name for the Museum later this year as we commemorate the 400th anniversary (1620-2020) of the Pilgrims' arrival on the shores of the historic Wampanoag homeland of Patuxet. In the meantime, we are using the special mark pictured here as part of this year's commemoration.⠀ ⠀ Regardless of its name, this Museum will continue to hold a space for humanity: the community table. An open invitation to come together and talk. We create space for conversations and experiences interwoven with elements that are immersive and participatory, inclusive and social, personal and relevant. We will continue to strive for inclusion and we hope you'll join the conversation. ⠀ ⠀ 🍃 ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ #PlimothPlantation #Plimoth #Patuxet #Indigenous #Wampanoag #Plymouth #museums #history #Pilgrims #inspiringjourneysbeginhere

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