After assuming a leadership of the tribe, Chairman Cedric Cromwell appeared before the Middleboro Selectmen and assured them that he was committed to honoring the Inter-Governmental Agreement the tribe had signed with the community five years ago. 14. We have a responsibility to side with the Mashpee, to side with love in solidarity to protect the Mashpee and their land.”. Privacy Policy. Sign this petition calling on Congress to Pass the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe Reservation Reaffirmation Act. 7. In a video appeal posted on Facebook Baird states, “We have been here 12,000 years. Governor Patrick’s letter of support sent to the Secretary of the Interior with the compact, notes that compact negotiations were conducted before the tribe had governmental control of the land; governmental control of land is a requirement of IGRA. Many took to the comments section to express their thoughts. Governor Patrick noted each objection by asking the tribe to address jurisdictional issues. The compact claims geographic exclusivity for the tribe in Southeastern MA (Region C) except that the law allows for a slot barn in that region, which negates the exclusivity for anyone gaming in Region C. 4. Learn more about the history and contemporary life of the Mashpee Wampanoag on the Tribe’s official website. Cromwell expressed concern that the Trump Administration notified the tribe of this news in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic. “A little history on the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe: We’re the first tribe that met the settlers many, many moons ago which created this ‘history of Thanksgiving’ … The Indians that first sat down with those settlers was us, the Wampanoag Nation.”. ↑ 10.0 10.1 Taunton Daily Gazette, "Recall effort against Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe treasurer to advance," June 18, 2019 ↑ Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe, "Tribal Council," accessed May 2, 2019 ↑ The Mashpee Enterprise, "Council Recall Petition Runs Into Delay," May 3, 2019 “Whatever we have to do. She says, “Our people fed them, protected them, shared resources. In addition to advocacy for this legislation, the UUA urges Unitarian Universalists to take the following actions in solidarity with the Mashpee Wampanoag: Sign this petition calling on Congress to Pass the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe Reservation Reaffirmation Act, Call Senator John Hoeven of North Dakota, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs: (202) 224-2551. 16. They maintain offices in Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts . Learn more about the history of the Doctrine of Discovery—and Unitarian Universalist efforts to make amends and repudiate the Doctrine in contemporary times—by clicking here. Follow her on Twitter: @aliyahjchavez or email her at achavez@indiancountrytoday.com. The Unitarian Universalist Association unequivocally affirms our support for the Mashpee Wampanoag People’s sovereignty and right to their ancestral territory, and condemns the government’s blatantly illegal and morally reprehensible attempt to strip the Tribe of their rights and their homelands. The tribe’s Final Determination has already identified Mashpee, Massachusetts as the tribe’s historical land. For more information contact socialjustice@uua.org. This tribe’s proposed casino location is located in a garden style industrial park with deed restrictions. Petition of Moses Job, Philip Webquish, and other Mashpee Indians to the Massachusetts General Court. He said LaCounte was instructed to do so by the highest ranking official in the Department of Interior, Secretary David Barnhardt. "I stand with the Mashpee Wampanoag tribe in their fight to restore lands that belong to them and oppose the disgraceful decision by the Trump Administration to disestablish their lands held in trust by the Department of Interior,” Sanders said in a press release. The Mashpee Wampanoag Tribal Chairman spoke out for the first time since he learned that his nation’s reservation will be disestablished and their land will be taken out of trust. 2. This has not been the case under any administration since IGRA was passed in 1988. Wards in Taunton were also allowed to vote on this measure, and those wards voted in favor. Trust land cannot be created in any of the 13 original colonies, which includes Massachusetts, because there is no federal surplus land to place in trust. The UUA urges Unitarian Universalists to support the forward movement of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe Reservation Reaffirmation Act (Senate Bill 2628, introduced by Sen. Markey, the passage of which would override the Trump Administration’s order). Back to petition To: The United States House of Representatives and The United States Senate Land is Sacred: Stand With the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe. Click here. Updated: The campaign’s plan for tribal nations, released Thursday, outlines goals to uphold federal trust responsibilities #NativeVote20, Some Indian Child Welfare Act supporters are raising questions about President Trump's high court pick, On the second Monday of October each year, Native Americans cringe at the thought of honoring a man who committed atrocities against Indigenous People, President Trump signed Savanna's Act and Not Invisible Act over the weekend, Jonathan Nez says a recent spike in coronavirus cases 'could very well lead to widespread infections as we saw back in April and May', Statehood will not fix the problems facing the Navajo Nation but it would do two things: Add a voice in Congress and get more money from Washington, Happy Indigenous Peoples’ Day! Now during a pandemic, we get a call from the Trump administration that they are going to wipe my people out.”. In keeping with the Unitarian Universalist General Assembly’s responsive resolution to repudiate the Doctrine of Discovery, we urge Unitarian Universalists to act in solidarity now with the Mashpee Wampanoag people to defend their sovereignty and push back against this latest aggression on behalf of the federal government. Click here to donate now. Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders (D-VA) shared his support of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe on Sunday morning. Join Michelle and 306 supporters today. Also, Governor Patrick cannot circumvent the Supreme Court decision which prevents land claims by Indian tribes in the United States. has the tribe set up a legal defense fund? Call Senator John Hoeven of North Dakota, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs: (202) 224-2551. There has been a repeated, ongoing lack of transparency by numerous local and state elected officials who have sworn to uphold the constitution and protect its citizen’s rights. Governor Patrick’s letter states that mitigation payments will be used for the Commonwealth, when IGRA requires mitigation payments are used to support local governmental operations. The Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe has submitted a grossly inadequate and incomplete application for Land Into Trust. Urge him to support the forward movement of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe Reservation Reaffirmation Act (Senate Bill 2628), Call and email the Secretary of the Interior, David Bernhardt, who issued the order to disestablish their reservation lands, Call the Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121, and ask to Speak to your Senators. By joining, or logging in via Facebook, you accept Change.org’s Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. Vice Chair Jessie Little Doe Baird says that the order will terminate the Tribe’s ability to self-govern, strip the Tribe of their reservation lands, and effectively terminate them as a recognized people. The Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe commissioned a study by Harvard University, which resulted in a report in 2011 which states that this tribe does not possess the ability to self-govern. Urge your Senators to support the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe Reservation Reaffirmation Act (Senate Bill 2628). Reason for signing I want the tribe to maintain their rights, land, and sovereignty forever. The Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe's reservation will be disestablished and their land taken out of trust, per an order from the secretary of the interior. (Find your senator here). Whereas the compact does not address that possibility, it should not be approved 15. The Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe has since walked away from this deal with little regard to the commitment made to that community, continues to owe that community large sums of money, and since has attempted to make casino deals in Bridgewater, New … Chairman Cedric Cromwell gave remarks on Sunday through a video posted on Facebook through the Social Distance Powwow group. This tribe is clearly reservation shopping. Cromwell told viewers that the Darryl LaCounte, Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians, the Director of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, called him on Friday at 4pm to tell him the news. Vice Chair Baird points out that when the Mayflower landed, people on the ship had been ravaged by illness and almost half of them died during their first winter in Plymouth. !”, Another: “I want to help – this is so terrible.”. Digital Heritage. “At any given point, this administration will call you up on a Friday evening, when you least expect it and say ‘we are taking your land out of trust. Make a donation to the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe through their official website. Approving a compact without regard to the prerequisites, gives the impression that if you can apply IGRA because a tribe wishes to conduct gaming, trust land will be granted after permission to game. (Previous story: Interior takes reservation away from Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe), “That means that we are now being terminated by this United States government,” Cromwell said. Stories we're following on Oct. 12, 2020: How and where to celebrate; Senate confirmation hearings for Judge Amy Coney Barrett; potential major changes for Indigenous TV network; Oglala primaries; and more, Monday is day one of the Senate confirmation hearings for Judge Amy Coney Barrett, Supreme Court nominee, More than 80 candidates are running for 20 council seats plus the offices of president and vice president, Interior takes reservation away from Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe, “Stand with the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe.”. The Doctrine of Discovery has been the religious and legal basis of land theft, extractive capitalism, Indigenous genocide, and violent colonization. Urge him to support the forward movement of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe Reservation Reaffirmation Act (Senate Bill 2628) In 2008, Governor Patrick wrote a letter of opposition during the public comment period for the Environmental Impact Study, where he raised many jurisdictional concerns. (617) 742-2100 | info@uua.org.