The St. David’s Islanders & Native Community’s biannual powwow will take place Saturday and Sunday, June 10th & 11th, 2023 at the St. David’s County Cricket Field, Lords, starting at 2 PM and 3 PM respectively. This will be their first gathering in five years, and this year’s powwow will honor loved ones and ancestors.

The Mashpee Wampanoag Rod and Gun Club is hosting a Game Dinner to honor the memory of Winona Hendricks and her contributions to the club. The dinner will be held on Saturday, March 11th, from 1-5 PM. Plates are $25. All are welcome to attend.

The ICWA Department at the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe is looking for individuals who would like to train to become Qualified Expert Witnesses (QEW’s).

A QEW is a person who, by the ICWA law, will attend State Court Hearings in cases where a tribal child is removed from their parents or guardians by the Department of Children and Families because of an allegation of physical abuse or neglect.

The Education Department completed its Ribbon Skirt class taught by Councilwoman Nitana Hicks Greendeer. Classes began in November and concluded last month. Tribal girls were given materials and tools to design and create their own skirts to keep.

Reimagining New England Histories: Historical Injustice, Sovereignty, and Freedom project is a public humanities project. The project is looking for contributors to create a collection based around Indigenous, African American, and Afro-Indigenous life and perspectives in New England.

It is currently scholarship season and many of these scholarships have deadlines quickly approaching for the 23-24 school year. Scholarship opportunities are posted on the Education Department’s website page as well as on their Facebook.

The Education Department is taking tribal students on tours of various Tribal colleges in the Southwest. The trip will take place from April 17th – April 22nd. This opportunity is open to all Native American High School Junior and Senior students.

One of TERO’s new certified business this year is our own Mashpee Wampanoag, Chef John Marcellino. Chef John operates the Station Grill in Falmouth and hopes to bring his Native American cuisine to many Tribal functions.

The Annual Election will be held on Saturday, May 6, 2023 at the Quashnet School.  Nomination Papers must be submitted to the Board of Registrars on or before 5:00 P.M. on March 17, 2023.  Any questions please call the Town Clerk’s Office at 508-539-1418.

Tribal members have been working alongside the Theatre Royale in Plymouth, England to create a play highlighting Wampanoag history from Wampanoag voices. The piece, entitled “We Are the Land” is a drama with singing, dancing, drumming, and testimony that covers history from pre-contact, through colonization and Christianization, into the Woodlot riots and the tribe’s fight for land rights.

Charles “Bobby” Foster was sworn in as the Tribal Treasurer on February 1st in an emergency Tribal Council meeting. Bobby has over 18 years of experience in tribal government and operations. He’s served three terms on Tribal Council, six years as the Tribes Asset Manager and now holds the position as Tribal Council and Gaming Authority Treasurer.

The TERO department is offering OSHA 10 Training. If you are a registered TERO client and do not have an OSHA 10 card, or need another OSHA 10, please contact the TERO office. Training is scheduled for the months of March and April, and space is limited. Those who are interested are asked to contact the office ASAP to get scheduled. 

The Education Department is looking for 2-4 tribal youth to become a Herring Ambassador. This program, offered through the Bioneers and facilitated through the Education Department, will give youth the knowledge, resources, and more to accomplish the task of solidifying Mashpee Wampanoag Tribal Right of Nature to protect the herring.

The Weetumuw School social has been rescheduled to March 24th from 5 PM to 9 PM at the Community and Government Center. The social will feature drumming and dancing as well as a potluck, raffle, and soup contest. The social is hosted by the Weetumuw Parent Committee and proceeds will support fundraising for school activities.

The Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe Public Health AmeriCorps Program proposes to have 6 AmeriCorps members who will focus on the CNCS focus area of Disaster Services in the Public Health arena within the 5-County Contract Health Service Delivery Area of Barnstable, Bristol, Norfolk, Plymouth and Suffolk Counties.

All meetings are held at the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe Community and Government Center. 483 Great Neck Road South. Mashpee, MA 02649

 On February 8th, 2023, Yvonne Avant served for the final time as Councilwoman for the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe. Councilwoman Avant has diligently served our tribal community for over 33 years since her election in 1989.

Deer Clan Mother Joan Avant was awarded the Education Specialist Degree offered by UMass Amherst’s College of Education. An Education Specialist (Ed.S.) degree, is an advanced terminal degree in the U.S. that is designed for individuals who wish to develop advanced knowledge and theory beyond the master's degree level, but may not wish to pursue a degree at the doctoral level.

On Saturday, May 6 there will be a ceremony to raise a new chief at the sacred circle at 55 acres. All tribal citizens are welcome as those who have agreed to be considered for the chief role will stand to be supported by those in attendance. There will be a sunrise ceremony followed by the chief raising ceremony from 10 am to noon followed by a community feast.

Our Mashpee Wampanoag Powwow Princess Amiyah Peters made history last month by becoming Mashpee High School’s all-time leading scorer. Amiyah broke the scoring mark of 1,440 points that was formerly set by Devaun Ford. Amiyah also won the Cape Cod Times Player of the Week two separate times this season.