A Saturday talk on language reclamation
Cape Cod Museum of Natural History will host linguist jessie little doe baird on Saturday, November 7, 2026, from 1–2 p.m. Eastern time. The museum is at 869 Main Street, Route 6A, in Brewster.
The announced subject is the Wampanoag community’s work to reclaim Wôpanâak after a long period without living fluent speakers. Baird is a co-founder of the Wôpanâak Language Reclamation Project.
The project behind the program
In its own history, the project traces its founding to 1993 and identifies participating Wampanoag communities in Mashpee, Aquinnah, Assonet and Herring Pond. It describes work by baird and other tribal citizens to create teaching materials and return the language to everyday use.
The history also explains how surviving Wôpanâak documents—including deeds, wills and petitions—form part of the language’s written record. That background helps visitors prepare for a talk about the language’s present-day use and the communities doing the work. The project’s account is linked below for further reading.
Event pricing is separate from museum admission
The museum lists the program at $25 for members and people 65 or older, and $30 for other nonmembers. Tribal members may attend free. General museum admission costs extra, and the event listing states that payments are nonrefundable.
For booking or access questions, call 508-896-3867.
