Melvin Coombs (January 30, 1948 – March 18, 1997) was a Wampanoag dancer, cultural educator, and cultural interpreter.
Melvin Coombs | |
|---|---|
| Born | January 30, 1948 |
| Died | March 18, 1997 (aged 49) |
| Other names | Kennupmussitaccq ("Quick Foot")[citation needed] |
| Occupation(s) | Dancer, cultural educator, and cultural interpreter |
Early life and career
editBorn and raised in Mashpee, Massachusetts, Coombs' native name was Kennupmussitaccq, meaning "Quick Foot".[citation needed] He graduated from high school in Falmouth. After attending Cape Cod Community College in Barnstable, he began dancing competitively at local pow-wows.[citation needed]
Coombs later started speaking in schools and community gatherings to dispel myths and stereotypes about Indigenous peoples of the Americas. In the 1990s, he served as a cultural interpreter at the Plimoth Plantation while working for the Wampanoag Indigenous Program.[citation needed] Along with his fiance, Dawn Dove, he managed the Dovecrest Cultural Center in Exeter, which includes the Tomaquag Indian Memorial Museum, the Dove Trading Post, and a cultural education program.[1][2]
Death
editOn March 18, 1997, Coombs died from severe injuries in Richmond, Rhode Island.[citation needed] He and Lloyd Lance Comer, an acquaintance, had been seen drinking together all the day and night. Comer was initially charged with manslaughter, as Coombs' body was found on his property, but he was later acquitted.[3]
Personal life
editAt the time of his death, Coombs was engaged to Dawn Dove, a Narragansett. They lived in Exeter, Rhode Island.[3]
References
edit- ^ JULIA ST. GEORGE, "Melvin Coombs is not forgotten", Cape Cod Times, 9 September 1997 Archived 28 September 2013 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ JOANN W. GODDARD, "A Living History Lesson: Festival An Outdoor Classroom", Hartford Courant, 18 August 1996
- ^ a b ELIZABETH ABBOTT, "Comer cleared of manslaughter in Coombs slaying", Providence Journal, 5 May 1999 Archived 18 January 2013 at archive.today