A rain-streaked morning gave way to perfect fall weather Tuesday as members of the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah) headed down to the bogs to celebrate Cranberry Day, a longstanding harvest tradition for the Vineyard’s Native American tribe.

Day ended with a community potluck at tribal headquarters. — Mark Lovewell

About 60 people gathered later in the tribal headquarters building off Blackbrook Road for a potluck dinner. It was the final tribal gathering of the year. Chief Ryan Malonson offered a short blessing before covers came off the dishes and the room filled with laughter and conversation.

Children nearly outnumbered the adults, making for a loud and joyous occasion.

Beverly Wright recalled celebrating Cranberry Day as a young girl and riding in the back of an oxcart down to the bogs with her friends before dawn. On Tuesday, she brought her grandmother’s wooden cranberry scoop to help with the harvest.

Cranberry Day was once a three-day event, but now falls on the second Tuesday of October. This year it comes one day after Columbus Day, which nine U.S. cities, along with the state of Alaska, abolished this year in favor of Indigenous Peoples Day.

Children outnumbered adults, making for a noisy, joyous occasion. — Mark Lovewell

“What’s taken so long?” said Leigh Vanderhoop, one of several tribal members on Tuesday who said they would support such a change in Massachusetts. The tribe also joins others in the state in observing Indian Day on August 12, to commemorate the Wampanoag chief Metacomet, also known as King Philip, who led efforts to push European colonists out of the region in the 1600s.

Tribal historian Bettina Washington, who helped organize the potluck, said she looked forward to an upcoming meeting of the United South and Eastern Tribes, which she hoped would address the Columbus Day controversy.

“It will be interesting to see what comes up,” she said.

Conversation continued into the evening, as kids played outside under the trees, enjoying another harvest season.