In a statement sent out Friday, July 31, Chairman of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe Cedric Cromwell addressed the Secretary of the Interior's decision to appeal a ruling by the District Court of D.C… a decision that was in favor of the Tribe.

We all have a responsibility to ensure that we are doing our part to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus within our tribal community, so that we are ultimately able to protect our elders and most vulnerable members. That is why it is so critically important to wear masks, to not gather in large group settings or congregate in gathering areas, practice social distancing, practice good hand hygiene and to quarantine or isolate when it is required.

This is all in an effort to help ensure that we remain healthy and do not have a surge of COVID-19 cases within our tribal community. This virus does not discriminate on race, gender or age, it can impact both children and adults.

As the Coronavirus pandemic was approaching the three-month mark at the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe Emergency Operations Center, MWT Emergency Management Director, Nelson Andrews Jr submitted a technical assistance request to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) headquarters in Atlanta, GA. Following the request two CDC officials were deployed to assist in the tribes Emergency Operations Center (EOC).

Before European colonization, the area we know as Eastham and the surrounding villages, including Chatham and Truro, were called Nauset, one of 69 villages of the historic Wampanoag Nation. Then in 1620, Pilgrims arrived to Nauset and pilfered the graves and food stores of the Wampanoag community that lived there. What ensued was a conflict between the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag which caused the Pilgrims to leave the area and head up to what is now known as Plymouth. This event has come to be known as 'The First Encounter.' Today, 400 years later, tribal youth Alyssa Harris and Nathan Mills discuss what life was like before Pilgrims arrived to these shores in a series of YouTube videos.

For over 150 years the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe were not able to speak their language. It had been lost in the mid-19th-century through religious conversion, laws against the use of the language, and mainstream education. It was not until 1993 when the Wôpanâak Language Reclamation Project began that the language returned to the community.

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Last month access to town beaches in Mashpee were restricted to Mashpee residents, members of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe, and those with vehicle disability plates or placards and/or current town beach permits. The order was approved by the Town of Mashpee Board of Selectman on Monday, July 27.

The restrictions to the town beaches are deemed necessary due to recently observed overcrowding and congestion at John's Pond and other Town beaches in order to regulate, on a temporary basis, the size of gatherings for the purposes of preserving and maintaining the public health, safety and welfare and effectively regulating vehicular parking on roads in and around said Town Beaches during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Tribal drumming and dancing in Mashpee Commons on Friday, July 10, marked the opening of the Wampanoag Trading Post, an art gallery selling works by members of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe and other native artisans.

Wedged between Unique Boutique and Sea Bags on North Street, the gallery curated and operated by two women of the Mashpee tribe, Danielle Hill and Paula Peters, brings Mashpee’s cultural roots to a storefront in the town’s commercial plaza.

If you suspect that a child is the victim of abuse or neglect, report your suspicions to your local child protective services agency. These professionals work to ensure that children are safe and, whenever possible, try to keep families together. If you think the child may be in immediate danger, call your local emergency number (usually 911) or your local law enforcement agency. Even though you may be reluctant to get involved, you may be the only person in a position to help a child who is being abused.

In a normal summer, hundreds of tourists and guests would have streamed through the small Mashpee Wampanoag Indian Museum off Route 130. This is not a normal summer. The Museum had planned to open its doors at the end of July. However, a recent outbreak of Covid-19 in the community prompted the Tribe to delay opening the Museum a few weeks. Additional details and an opening date will be announced soon.

David W. Weeden, the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe’s historic preservation officer, said that before the pandemic, six tour buses had approached the museum to schedule group tours.

Mashpee Wampanoag Museum staff have the opportunity to receive training on the new exhibit “400 Years Ago.” Exhibit developer Linda Coombs and Tribal Historic Preservation Officer David Weeden has prepared a training manual and walk through for staff interested in exploring the exhibit in depth. Museum staff will receive a stipend for completing the training. The exhibit development and training are funded by the National Museums and Library Services (NMLS).

Despite a Cape-wide cancellation of fireworks, community members were still able to celebrate Independence Day by attending Power to the Polls, a voter registration event held on July 4 in Hyannis.

The event was held in connection with a student-lead Black Lives Matter Hyannis rally and protest. Participants marched from Sturgis East to the Hyannis Village Green.

While the focus of the event is to raise awareness about the importance of voting in local elections, as well as for the upcoming November presidential election, Power to the Polls co-founder Danielle Tobey said the event is also a “call to action.”

The Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe Housing Department currently seeking bids from qualified contractors to provide a complete and operating individual onsite wastewater system for Hyannis, MA. To obtain a bid package, please email Brenda.fernandez@mwtribe-nsn.gov. Due to COVID-19, applicants are required to respond via email. The due date for this project is August 8, 2020 by 4PM.

Tribal ID’s are available on Fridays through appointment, call the Enrollment Dept. before Friday x 173.

ID’s will not be done if we don’t have a picture in our database, some may not have a signature and may not be accepted as official. You will not be allowed to come into the building to create the signature.

Come to the Community and Government Center on Friday any time after 12 noon and call Security x 192.

As a Native American your response is more important than ever. The tribe began calling its membership in mid-May. If you have questions or need help, we are here for you. Your response effects the services we provide to you. Make sure to include everyone that lives with you. Make sure to state your race as Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe!

While in the midst of the pandemic and while managing the ongoing pandemic efforts for the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe, Emergency Management Director, Nelson Andrews Jr has also had to find time for some critical grant writing. One of the many grants that have been written this year through the EM Dept. was the FY 20 Tribal Homeland Security Grant Program (THGSP).

There are several open positions at the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe. As of the date of publication the following positions are open. Please visit the Human Resource section of the Tribe’s website for complete position descriptions and details for applicants.