From the Pilgrim Monument and Museum in Provincetown to the National Museum of the American Indian to the De Lakenhal Museum in the Netherlands, Cape Cod production company Smoke Signals creates art, exhibits, curriculum, and art that tell the true stories and messages of Native Americans. I'm making a video. It reaches audiences all over the world.
SmokeSygnals, which was named Small Business of the Year by Cape & Islands SCORE, will be honored at a ceremony on May 8th. But they have already received rave reviews and calls for more efforts from museums near and far.
Co-owner Stephen Peters, a member of the Mashpee Wampanoag tribe, said the company has found a niche in museums that tell stories from an Indigenous perspective. Mr. Smoke Signals takes a long historical perspective and paints a true picture of the history of the Wampanoags and other Native American tribes without turning away from the truth.
“I strongly believe that the work we do and the way we do it is helping people break down the root causes of systemic racism,” Peters said in an April 11 interview. ” he said.
The company, which started as a traditional marketing company in 2001 by Paula Peters, changed its focus when it began working on historical exhibits in partnership with the nonprofit organization Plymouth 400. That effort led to projects at the Pilgrim Monument and Museum in Provincetown, the Cape Ann Museum in Gloucester, and the Heritage Museum and Gardens in Sandwich.
The company has partnered with the National Museum of the American Indian to implement a traveling exhibit called “Sites” and K360, a Native Knowledge curriculum provided free to all schools in the country.
SmokeSygnals' work is on display in the UK and Netherlands
SmokeSygnals is currently working on a traveling exhibition in the UK and the Netherlands.
“We're not just telling the story of the Wampanoag people,” Stephen Peters said. “We are helping the public understand who Indigenous communities are. It is important that we look at history accurately and understand what has happened over the last 12,000 years. Hopefully, people can understand how that has shaped Indigenous communities today, so we can move forward as a society in a more compassionate and understanding way.”
The company has six employees and works with Indigenous artists and freelancers to produce videos, design art installations and exhibitions, create content and signage, and provide photography.
The company has devised a toolkit to help members of the United Southern Tribes and Eastern Tribes better tell their stories, Peters said. This nonprofit intertribal organization serves 33 federally recognized tribal nations.
SmokeSygnals blends history and modernity to create a visceral experience for the viewer. The Heritage Garden and Museum has built a platform for the mishun, a boat carved from burned tree trunks. People can climb onto the platform and board the boats that the Wampanoag used for fishing and traveling.
At the Cape Ann Museum, Wetu invites people into traditional Wampanoag homes in the “Native Waters, Native Lands” outdoor exhibit. Last summer, his third-graders from across Cape Ann visited the exhibit on a field trip.
“This has allowed us to expand our reach and storytelling,” said Miranda Aisling, the museum's director of education and reach. She hopes to continue working with SmokeSygnals in the future.
Mr Peters said he combined traditional construction with modern art by placing the boat inside a circular staircase and using contemporary artists to create illustrations of Wetu. This approach allows the public to learn not only where the Wampanoag were 12,000 years ago, but also how the Wampanoag continue to evolve, he said.
“We are a for-profit company with a unique mission-driven approach to proactively approaching projects,” Peters said. “We don’t work on projects that don’t align with our goals.”
Peters is grateful to the Cape Cod community for being incredibly progressive and supportive.
“Those museums gave us a step up and gave us an opportunity,” he said.
Dennis Coffey writes about business, tourism and issues affecting Cape residents and visitors. To contact her,dcoffey@capecodonline.com .
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