Wainer Woods
A historic farm in Westport, once the homestead of Michael Wainer and a community hub for generations. His descendants are bringing it back as a place to gather, farm, and learn Native American Indian and African American history.
Wainer Woods
A historic farm in Westport, once the homestead of Michael Wainer and a community hub for generations. His descendants are bringing it back as a place to gather, farm, and learn Native American Indian and African American history.
Reviving a historic property
The historic Wainer Woods Farm in Westport, MA was once the homestead of Michael Wainer (Micah Quaben, his Native American Name) and served as a community hub for generations. Today the descendants of Michael Wainer and team of scientists, artists, and activists, led by Pocasset Wampanoag of Pokanoket Nation Chief Nij-Pajikwat-Mo’z (Chief Two Running Elk / Chief Robert Cox), are developing plans to revitalize this historic property and share it with those interested in learning more about Native American Indian and African American history in Westport.
A host space for the community
Wainer Woods will be a host space for gatherings, workshops, and classes, such as Farming, Forestry, and the Use of Native American Plants. We partner with local sustainability, agriculture, art, and cultural organizations.
- Gatherings
- Forestry
- Workshops
- Use of Native American Plants
- Farming
Our Focus
Six lines of work guide the plan, and they run from the ground up. The first is listening to what is already here: the foundations, the boundary stones, and the histories of Paul Cuffe and Michael Wainer held in the landscape. From there the work turns outward, to farming and to programming on Native and African-American life. The last two carry it forward, with Augmented Reality narratives and artworks visitors can explore while standing on the land itself.
Ancestral stories in the landscape
Unearthing the ancestral stories held in this landscape, particularly the histories of Paul Cuffe and Michael Wainer, whose families farmed, fished and gathered here.
Wainer Woods Farming
Farming the land again, using the knowledge and growing practices of the past to create a better future. The fields that fed this community for generations return to production, worked in ways the Wainer family would recognize.
Native American and African-American life
Exploring both historical and contemporary Native and African-American life, culture and daily practices, and the long connection between the two communities here.
Protect onsite features
Protecting onsite features and natural resources that tell the property’s history: old structure foundations, walls and boundary stones, and farm equipment left in the fields. Each one is a record of how this land was worked and lived on.
Guided narratives in Augmented Reality
Creating guided narratives enhanced by Augmented Reality that let visitors digitally investigate Native culture, arts and farming as they walk the site.
Commissioned AR artworks
Commissioning Augmented Reality artworks that make the property’s history accessible and entertaining by phone or tablet, with a focus on engaging youth through an immersive Wainer Woods Art Experience.