In June, the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe Housing Department took another step forward with the new housing development on Meeting House Road when it began accepting bids from qualified General Contractors the construction of the development.

On June 9 and 10 several members of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe, including Chief of the Mashpee Wampanoag Vernon “Silent Drum” Lopez, attended the semi-annual Powwow in Bermuda.

View photos of tribal citizens, family and friends that gathered at the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe Community and Government Center to celebrate the Chief’s 96th Birthday on June 16.

Native youth in 6-8th grade are invited to attend the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe Natural Resources and Education Departments Summer Youth Environmental Science Camp being held July 16 to August 2. The Native Youth in Science Preserving Our Homeland camp will be held Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Tribal youth were able to participate in two education-based trips over the past few weeks thanks to the continued support the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe Education Department receives through the NYCP Building Pathways grant. Grant trips over the past few weeks included a trip to Aquinnah on Martha’s Vineyard May 30 in conjunction with the Indian Education program at Mashpee High School and on June 16 to Monomoy National Wildlife Refuge off the coast of Chatham.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) released its 2018-2022 Strategic Plan on March 15, 2018, and as part of the implementation of this Plan, FEMA was seeking the input and diverse perspectives of state, local, tribal, and territorial government, and non-governmental organization partners.  FEMA sent a formal invitational letter to Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe Emergency Management Director Nelson Andrews Jr to participate in the Partner Strategy Sessions in order to gather additional input toward the strategic plan, to help FEMA shape how to implement the new ambitious goals and objectives together.   

With another hot summer ahead for our community we wanted to share some important heat preparedness information.  Extreme Heat often results in the highest number of annual deaths among all weather-related hazards. In most of the United States, extreme heat is defined as a long period (2 to 3 days) of high heat and humidity with temperatures above 90 degrees. In extreme heat, evaporation is slowed and the body must work extra hard to maintain a normal temperature. This can lead to death by overworking the human body.

In the continuing effort to provide service and support to the members of the tribal community that are suffering from the disease of opioid addiction, the members of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribal Council and operational staff participated in several Narcan training session in June.  These council members and staff are now first responders and are ready to save lives.

During the month of July the "Our"Story: 400 Years of Wampanoag History exhibit will be on display in Mashpee Commons. The Commons has provided storefront to host the exhibit and there is also an opportunity for Wampanoag artisans to demonstrate and sell traditional and or contemporary authentic crafts. Space is limited and times will be arranged to make the space available to as many crafters who want to participate.

Mukayuhsak Weekuw (The Children's House), closed out the academic year with a beautiful last day of school celebration with the students, teachers, family and friends. The teachers and staff of the Mukayuhsak Weekuw were so proud of the growth each student made throughout the year thanks to the leadership, love and nurturing care these precious little ones receive each day from their teachers.

This spring the MWT Language and Education department directors Jennifer Weston and Nitana Greendeer collaborated to deliver a ten-part professional learning series for educators in all three Mashpee public schools. More than two dozen teachers and administrators from Coombs, Quahsnet, and Mashpee Middle and High School participated throughout the professional development program held each Thursday afternoon 4-5 p.m. from April 5 through June 14. 

Members of the Mashpee School Committee and the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribal Council discussed the potential formal recognition by the school committee of the tribe’s early childhood Montessori language immersion classroom.

At the June 9th MWT General Body Meeting the Mashpee Wampanoag Community Development Corporation (CDC) presented a comprehensive presentation that highlighted plans to initiate a Tribal Utility Project. Megan Amsler, of the Cape Cod and Islands Self Reliance Corporation, presented a site assessment of solar and wind power energy opportunities. The CDC is also working with Baker Tilly Consultants who are experts in corporate structure management. The CDC has recently been awarded our third grant, in the sum of  $94,000 from the Federal Bureau of Indian Affairs, Division of Energy and Mineral Management that will fund the initial infrastructure of this project.

The Mashpee Wampanoag Community Development Corporation (MWCDC) received a second grant from the Division of Energy and Mineral Development (DEMD) through its Energy and Mineral Development Program. The MWCDC received notice this week that it had been selected to receive $94,000 to further develop the Tribal Utility Corporation and a first of its kind micro-grid eco-village.

This past May, the Mashpee Wampanoag Community Development Corporations President Mark Harding was invited to attend the Leading People and Investing to Build Sustainable Communities Program: A Harvard Business School Executive Education program developed for NAFOA, AFOA, and NCAI. This is a program for leaders, executive officers, senior administrators, and senior financial managers of tribal nations and Native organizations serving the needs of tribal communities and Native people.

Please join Tribal Historic Preservation in welcoming new intern Chyla Hendricks to the Mashpee Wampanoag Indian Museum.

Chyla will gain valuable work experience with museum attendants Anita (Mother Bear) Peters and Courtney Powell as they share Wampanoag cultural history with the public.

When Saige Austin is not posing for the camera at one of the many photo shoots she’s done for a Levi’s advertisement, she’s kicking up some serious dirt at a USA Track & Field sanctioned competitions. Saige competes in the 7-8 year old category in a variety of track and relay events. She is the daughter of Tammy Pocknett Austin, the granddaughter of the late Ronnie Pocknett and great granddaughter of the late Freddie Pocknett. Keep an eye out for Saige at the Junior Olympics.

Congratulations to Bianca Soliz and Ray Haynes who joined hands in Marriage on, May 27th 2018. Bianca and Ray met in the fall of 2009 during their first semester at Trinity College in Hartford, CT. The two are going on their 7th year together and currently reside in Brooklyn, NY. Bianca is the Daughter of Fenton and Nancy Soliz, and the Granddaughter of the late Chester and Barbara Soliz. Best Wishes as the new Mr. and Mrs. Ray Haynes.