The Pine Hill Community Center was filled with movement, music and color on Saturday, celebrating unity and Native American and African heritage as the cultural center behind the event prepares to dissolve after more than two decades with the retirement of its founder.
Organized by the Big Indian Native American Cultural Center and sponsored by the Shandaken Historical Museum, the event featured an African drumming from the Sankofa Drum and Dance Company, a flute performance by Laurie Asperas Valayer, and drumming and dance by the Spirit of the Mountain Drum Group, a group of Indigenous drummers and singers from the Ramapough Nation.
“It was a great ride,” said Marylou Stapleton, 75, who helped found the nonprofit in 2000 after running the Big Indian Trading Post with her husband, Frank Stapleton. “I was very very emotional because we’ve given so much of our years to the Native American community.”
The store, which sold Native American souvenirs and handmade arts and crafts, sparked Stapleton’s interest in the area’s earliest residents.
“Everybody who came in taught us something,” said Stapleton. “There was always teaching going on in the store.”
As she heads into retirement, Stapleton plans to stay busy, aiming to to organize occasional drumming events at the Shandaken museum. She remains hopeful that her legacy will remain.
“You got to keep sharing the culture and the heritage,” said Stapleton. “It won’t be passed along if you don’t talk about it and share it.”
Saturday’s gathering was a mix of cultures. Spirit of the Mountain performed some traditional Native American music on a drum, for which five men circled it with drumsticks beating on the light brown cover of the instrument. Sankofa performed interactive African drum and dance routines.
“It was like a family get-together,” said Paul Tobin Coyote Song, a longtime Native American activist and organizer. “Coming together in ceremony is kind of the glue that holds us together.”
Louis Ramos, who comes from Taino heritage, taught traditional drumming techniques and Wakan music, while performing an interactive drum set. The Taino are the indigenous people of the West Indies and Caribbean region. He also led a snake dance, lining people up and weaving them around the center.
As the event came to an end, more than 30 people from Native American backgrounds surrounded Stapleton, each holding a fist in the air as they performed an honor dance.
The Spirit of the Mountain Drummers performed a traditional honor beat to end the ceremony.
“It’s really sad,” Stapleton said. “But a lot of people learned a lot, and that was good.”
Kyle Bredberg is an intern and contributing reporter. You can reach him at kyle@theoverlooknews.com.
