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Sowams Heritage Area

Empowering Communities Through Living History

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Situated on the northeastern watershed of Narragansett Bay, along the border of Massachusetts and Rhode Island, Sowams is the ancestral homeland of the Massasoit Ousamequin, who welcomed the Pilgrims in 1621. For more than 12,000 years many communities have called this land home. Their legacies are woven into every corner of this living landscape.

This is where Indigenous tribes built their lives, established alliances, and safeguarded the environment. It’s where the critical relationship between the Pokanoket People and the Mayflower settlers fostered 50 years of peace, only to unravel during King Philip’s War—a conflict that left scars across the nation.
 
Sowams Heritage Area brings these stories to life, honoring the interconnected narratives of land, water, people, and history that continue to shape our political, cultural, and social identities today.

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OUR MISSION

We are dedicated to instilling a sense of stewardship and deep appreciation for the historical, cultural, and natural significance of the Sowams region. By preserving our heritage, fostering regional collaboration, community development and experiential learning, we create spaces for communities to engage with the past and tell their own stories about the living landscape that shaped this nation.

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OUR VISION

We envision a vibrant network of diverse communities, united by a shared respect for the living history of Sowams. We aim to create a space where everyone feels a deep connection to this landscape—where the legacies of those who came before us are honored, and the land and water are cherished for future generations.

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OUR CORE VALUES

Over the past 12,000 years, many different communities and cultures have lived in Sowams. As we strive to illuminate the pivotal events that occured on this landscape, building partnerships and collaborating make it possible to achieve something bigger than what we can do alone. Our work together is guided by four principles.

RESPECTING THE LAND

Honor the land, the water, all living creatures, and their histories.

INCLUSIVE
STORYTELLING

Sowams is a place where every voice can be heard and every story can be told.

GROWTH THROUGH LEARNING

Unfamiliar, complex. or difficult experiences are opportunities for growth and understanding.

HEALING VIA
RECONCILIATION

We acknowledge the trauma, pain, and despair felt in our collective history, but we also celebrate hope, achievement, and joy.

MEET OUR TEAM
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