GOOSE CREEK, S.C. – At the Goose Creek Recreation Center, the sounds of laughter, educational activities, and shared stories have become increasingly familiar for the last several years. Now, the Wassamasaw Tribe of Varnertown Indians is preparing to build on that momentum, announcing an expanded 2026 calendar of free culture classes, community gatherings, and heritage tourism initiatives designed to bring Indigenous traditions into public view — and public participation.
The yearlong program will offer monthly, hands-on culture classes open to residents and visitors alike, focusing on Indigenous arts, foodways, music, dance, and environmental knowledge rooted in the Lowcountry. Tribal leaders say the initiative is about more than preserving tradition — it’s about strengthening community ties across generations and cultures.
“These classes are about more than learning a skill,” said Joshua Shumak, Vice Chief of the Wassamasaw Tribe of Varnertown Indians. “They are about building bridges—between generations, between cultures, and between communities. By sharing folk life and folk art traditions in open, welcoming spaces, we strengthen cultural understanding, support heritage tourism, and ensure these traditions continue for future generations.”
A growing demand for connection
What began three years ago as a small series of workshops has evolved into a robust cultural calendar, reflecting growing interest from both tribal members and the broader community. In partnership with the Goose Creek Recreation Center, the Tribe has steadily expanded access to Indigenous cultural education, responding to increased participation and intergenerational engagement.
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Monthly culture classes will be held on the second Saturday of each month from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., free of charge. The 2026 lineup includes Dream Catcher making in January, Basketry in February, Drum Painting in March, and Pottery in April — each class combining practical instruction with historical and cultural context.
In May, the program will pause for a special Community Picnic, Dance, and Drum Showcase at the Wassamasaw Community Farm. The gathering will feature performances by participants from the Tribe’s drum and dance classes and highlight the Youth Garden Project, emphasizing food sovereignty, youth engagement, and community wellness.
Summer and fall sessions will continue with Frybread in June, Bone Bead Bracelet making in July, Loom Beading in August, and Gourd Art in September.
A signature cultural event
The year’s programming will culminate in one of the region’s most significant Indigenous cultural events: the Wassamasaw Powwow, scheduled for October 10, 2026, at Old Santee Canal Park in nearby Moncks Corner. The powwow replaces the regular October class and brings together dancers, drummers, artists, and community members for a day of cultural celebration, education, and exchange.
The final months of the year will include Soap Making in November and Plant Identification and Uses in December, with the possibility of outdoor, hands-on learning at the Community Farm.
In addition to the monthly classes, the Tribe will continue its ongoing cultural practice programs, including Men’s Drum Classes led by Kaya Littleturtle of the Warpaint Singers and Women’s Dance Classes taught by Sierra Russell, featuring Traditional, Fancy, and Jingle Dance styles.
Preserving living tradition
The Wassamasaw Tribe of Varnertown Indians traces its roots back centuries to the lands and waterways of present-day Berkeley and Charleston counties. Despite generations of displacement and cultural erasure, the Tribe has remained a living community, preserving kinship networks, cultural knowledge, and a deep relationship to place.
Today, that legacy continues through education, land stewardship, and community-based programming — efforts that tribal leaders say are essential to keeping culture alive, not just remembered.
Local partnerships have played a key role. In 2025, the Tribe honored the Michael J. Heitzler Recreation Complex with its Bridge Builder Award, recognizing the facility’s support in expanding Indigenous programming and strengthening relationships within Goose Creek.
As interest in cultural tourism grows across the Lowcountry, the Wassamasaw Tribe sees its 2026 programming as an invitation — to learn, to participate, and to celebrate Indigenous culture as a living, evolving presence.
