Support for legislation to have the federal government take land in trust for the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe has grown in recent months as the tribe and others wait to see if Congress will schedule committee hearings to take up two identical bills, which aim to end an ongoing legal challenge to the tribe’s reservation.

The Mashpee Wampanoag Housing Commissioners are leaving the big decision in the hands of the tribal members to name the new housing development. The Housing Commissioners have narrowed it down to the following three contenders:

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.

The July monthly General Membership Meeting has been pushed back to the 3rd Sunday of the month (Sunday, July 15) to not interfere with powwow events and ceremonies. Please mark your calendar for the General Membership meeting on Sunday, July 15 from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe Community and Government Center.

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.

The Chief’s Circle would like to offer tribal members guidance about the Prayer Fires used in dedication to our departed family members.  These fires are considered sacred spaces where the tribal community can make tobacco offerings that carry their prayers to the departed spirit.  The place chosen on your property for the Prayer Fire is regarded as sacred ceremonial ground forever.  It becomes a place for your family to return when spiritual guidance from within is needed.

To obtain a sticker you must be a Tribal member, present a valid driver’s license and vehicle registration.

• The fee is $10 cash only and will be placed on the vehicle by Enrollment.

• No new sticker will be issued without the remittance of the old sticker.

• Stickers are available on Wednesdays and Thursdays and please make an appointment.

• This sticker is for the purpose of vehicle owner identification only; you must carry your tribal ID as well.

• Spouse and Non-Tribal member stickers are no longer valid stickers.

For questions call the Natural Resource Commission’s Chair Vernon Pocknett (508) 292-6713.

Save the date for a week-long field trip camp. From August 20 to 24 the Indian Education Department will sponsor a series of field trips. Registration opens August 6 and space is limited. There’s only space for 20 campers.

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.

Finding My Medicine will start on July 19 and continue on Mondays and Thursdays from 9-4 through August 30 at 55 Acres (ceremonial grounds).

This project will offer cultural teachings and traditional practices to help our youth ages 14-19 to find and build upon their personal medicine.  They will experience a series of cultural activities that are designed to bring about self-awareness, discovering their inner talents and strengths.  Some of these activities include; receive their Indian name (if they don’t have one), develop their tribal sound, create personal symbol, and learn how to connect with their personal animal totems.  They will also learn traditional Wampanoag ceremonial practices that they can use throughout their lives.

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.

The following articles will relate to Peacemaking and the Justice system.  I have edited some of the material to make it cohesive and easy to read.  Various tribes have included Peacemaking in their justice systems and provide a wealth of knowledge about the Peacemaking process.  We will examine the various tribes that incorporate the Peacemaking process into their tribal justice systems.  Peacemaking is a traditional method of Indigenous justice.  Our next articles are about Judge Flies-Away who is an enrolled member of the Hualapai Nation, located on the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, in Arizona. In this particular segment, Judge Flies-Away shares his view on Healing to Wellness Courts.

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.

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.