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.

Since WLRP’s founding, over 700 students have participated in WLRP language classes. One of those students, Alyssa Harris class of 2020 graduate at Mashpee High School, recently made history becoming the first student qualified to earn the State Seal in Biliteracy in the Wampanoag language.

Qualifying to take the test was a major accomplishment. “It was a verbal test and a written test that I took. In order to pass the seal of biliteracy I needed to get an intermediate high or advanced low score.”

Although Alyssa was not successful in getting the state seal, Alyssa says the experience being the first student to qualify in the Wampanoag language was enriching.

Alyssa is the daughter of Gordon Harris and Judi Urquhart.