By Jenica Schoolcraft for Native Digest
Stephanie Duckworth-Elliot is a member of a federally acknowledged Native American Tribe; Aquinnah, a member of the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah) located on Martha’s Vineyard.
She grew up on Chappaquiddick with her grandfather, after her parents divorced and left the Vineyard until she was 13 then moved to Sandwich on Cape Cod during the winter to go to high school after her elementary guidance counselor told her that she was not college material due to the fact that she was Wampanoag and that “Wampanoags” don’t go to college.
At 17 Stephanie declared herself an “emancipated” minor and graduated high school with honors. She bought a map and old 1980 Chevy Impala and made her way down to New Jersey where she attended Douglass College-Rutgers University as an undergraduate. Duckworth-Elliott then took a journey that changed her life, all while maintaining two jobs and paying for her education on her own.
She went on to graduate from Rutgers University as a scholar, graduated with her first graduate degree from the New School for Social Research-Graduate Faculty and a second graduate degree from Rutgers University-Newark. During her education Stephanie has always maintained roots back to her Tribal community, during the summers she was the Youth Director and eventually after college became the Assistant Education Director.
Still to this day she has performed hundreds of lectures on Native American education and Native American issues. Her professional career involves institutions such as: Princeton University, Rutgers University, The College of New Jersey, Colorado Technical University and more. She is an inspiration to us all.
Most recently, Stephanie is now an established author who recently created her own publishing company, Wampum Books-the first Native Woman owned publishing company in the USA. Her first published book is titled Poneasequa Goddess of the Waters; a narrative about the life of girl named McKenzie Jones, based on Stephanie’s own personal journey through her life experiences. Stephanie has been kind and allowed Native Digest an hour of her time in which she elaborated on her life story, her opinions of sacredness and her book.
McKenzie Jones is always looking for a place that she can call her own and just be accepted the way she is. To escape the daily rigors of chores and school especially with all of its homework and stress of fitting in to a place where she was the only one that looked like she did; “Tall, red-brown skin, with dark brown hair and brown eyes.” McKenzie often went to a place in her head called the “Place of Peace.” Her “Place of Peace” was a place where she could be herself and feel that people would accept her. Little did she know that this place maybe a reality not just a fantasy that she has created.
McKenzie embarks upon a journey of self-discovery after being asked by her teacher to do a presentation in front of the class on what it is like to be a Wampanoag (Native American). To her dismay, McKenzie does not really know too much about the culture of her ancestors or about how that relates to what she goes through in 2009. In the end McKenzie learns her final lesson as she has become a young woman, learned the truth of her history, received her name, and learned the wisdom of sacrifice and sharing, her final lesson is to live in peace and abundance where ever she may be.
JS: Thank you Stephanie for providing some of your time to talk to Native Digest about your new book. We’re very interested in learning more about your inspiration behind the book as well as learning more about you personally. Can you tell us about your heritage?
SD: I am a member of the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah), a federally acknowledged tribe. However, my family is also Herring Pond Wampanoag as well. Let me explain, my grandfather who was Herring Pond from Bourndale on Cape Cod-his father was Chief Joseph a direct descendent of the famous Chief Massasoit who interacted with the Pilgrims. Went over to the Vineyard in 1920 and met my grandmother who was Aquinnah Wampanoag and married. Because of our Native ways being a matrilineal society my mother followed the path of the Aquinnah Wampanoag which also determines my status as well.
JS: Are all the Wampanoag Tribes federally recognized tribes?
SD: There’s only two that are federally recognized in the Wampanoag nation: Aquinnah located on Martha’s Vineyard and the Mashpee- located in Mashpee on Cape Cod.
JS: And, what’s it like to live on the tribal land?
SD: I did not live on the tribal lands designated by the federal government; I lived 25 miles away from the “REZ” on Chappaquiddick. My family, my grandfather ran a farm and actually, my family is the only family of color on Chappaquiddick. Chappaquiddick is a peninsula off of Edgartown, one of Martha’s Vineyard’s six towns. Chappy has no stores or businesses—well it use to have a restaurant back in the early 1900’s owned and operated by my cousin, but other than that there are only houses on Chappy.
Growing up on Chappaquiddick was an isolating experience, one that mirrored my cousins who lived in Gay Head (Aquinnah), the only difference is that at least I could ride my bike to town-it was only 4 miles away so I could work at the age of 14 in the summers scooping ice cream and then later on being a chambermaid in some of the fancy hotels in town. This at least gave me an opportunity to make money and support my dreams of going to college and “making it”. Many children growing up in Gay Head (Aquinnah) never get the chance to be productive do to the isolating location and the stigma of being “Wampanoag”. Sex, Drugs and Alcohol all play a very destructive role in keeping our children down. I am one of the lucky ones who have made something of themselves. But I also had the love and support of my grandfather until I was 19-the Power of One can make all the difference.
JS: So I noticed in your summary of your book, I noticed that the character McKenzie goes to her place of peace. To be accepted. And since the book was based off of your life, and if you don’t mind my asking, what is your place of peace and how did it inspire you to move forward?
SD: In my own life, obviously my life didn’t just get bad when I was the age of ten because of my family’s situation, my mother was very abusive verbally, because she was unhappy, and how society was treating her. I didn’t know at the time that my father wasn’t my biological father. So I think that all of my struggles and then my brother being 15 years older than me so by the time that I came along he was not around , he was for a few years and then he left and went to Europe, played Professional basketball. He’s 6’9, almost 7 feet tall; he’s in his 50’s now. He was off doing his own thing. By the time that I could walk everybody was older. My mother had me when she was in her 40’s. So everybody was older. I spent a lot of time on my own by myself I was the only one for so many things because everybody was grown. I think that developing this place of peace was sort of my coping mechanism of daydreaming and was always fantasizing what it would be like to have this and what I would like to do. I was so goal oriented, even back when I was 5, 7 or 8 years old I would envision what it would be like to live a different life, because the life that I was living was just so hard for me. When I did experience my parents leaving I did not see my mother for…I don’t know…12 or 13 years. So that was difficult for me.
JS: How come you didn’t see her?
SD: They left, they both left, her and my dad and I lived with my grandfather for three years. She went off and married somebody else and then divorced. I didn’t really see her until my grandfather died. As a mature woman I can understand some things now that I never have before. I can understand being tied down in a situation that may not be what you want to be in or having freedom to pick up and travel to do certain things or experience something new or not be in the best kind of personal relationship. She just wasn’t a strong willed person. You have to be very disciplined and very strong willed to be committed to a marriage, a family your responsibilities and not everybody has that capacity. I think that I understand that now, so much more than I ever have before in my whole life as I mature woman and a mother.
JS: Do you think that “This” understanding motivates you to keep going and achieving?
SD: Absolutely, because I also know the alternative…
JS: Is there anything else that you would like to tell the readers about your book?
SD: Poneasequa is not just a story of self-discovery but it’s also a teacher’s tool. I am a former educator and taught sixth and second grade and put myself through graduate school. This is a very important tool. People can be rest assured to use this in their classroom, it’s authentic. They don’t have to worry about saying oh, am I misquoting something or am I misrepresenting a culture in a certain way; this is something that is needed and also universal. I mean we don’t have to be just talking about native culture for kids to resonate to this whole idea of not fitting in and trying to find out who they are. It’s okay to be different, to love who you are and where you come from; these are issues that every single child needs to embrace because of what is going on in our communities.
I encourage people to visit www.wampumbooks.com and find out about Stephanie and other upcoming authors. They can also purchase Poneasequa there as well. In addition, I encourage teachers or others if they would like to buy in bulk-10 or more to contact Stephanie at: publisher@wampumbooks.com to discuss discount. People can also purchase the book by going to Barnes and Noble or they can go to Amazon.com
I certainly appreciate the privilege and honor of speaking to Stephanie. She is a remarkable and gifted writer. Her book is inspiring as well as an excellent educational resource. Thank you again Stephanie for demonstrating remarkable kindness and attention to this interview. I wish you much success with this book and those to follow.