Wunee keesuq Tribal family and friends,
On March 27 we were blindsided by the Department of Interior’s order to disestablish our tribal lands during a global health pandemic. That call left us with two options. We could lie down and take it or we could stand up and fight. This wasn’t a decision that I could make or that even our Council could make. It was a response that was going to be organically driven from within our tribal nation.
Since that call, I have seen our Mashpee Wampanoag Nation clearly say that we will not allow this injustice to go forward…that we are ready to fight back. Tribal members have stepped up in every way imaginable – from prayer fires, and petitions, to legislator calls and viral movements over social media – our people are speaking loud and clear. As Chairman, I hear you and will continue that fight to protect our ancestral homeland and our sovereign rights.
It’s exercising our sovereign right on our homeland that allows us to educate our next generation in a culturally relevant classroom in our language. Exercising our rights will provide affordable housing and food services on our tribal lands. And it’s our sovereign rights that provide Indian Health Services, which are critical to the health and safety of our people. That’s what we fight for each day and will not stop until our land is forever protected.
It’s also these rights that open the door to critical resources and funding to support our traditional way of living. These resources also include much needed CARES Act funding, which we were the first tribal nation to apply for. This funding has allowed us to respond appropriately to the needs of our community during this pandemic – ensuring any tribal member can be tested, that food is being secured for all that need it, housing for the homeless and emergency mortgage and rental assistance during these most challenging times.
We have a lot of moving parts right now. We are dealing with a crisis within a crisis and I’m so proud of the way we have responded as a unified tribal nation.
As we move forward, I will continue to monitor the essential services and supplies that we require. I will also continue to gain data on the needs of the community and manage our budget and CARES Act funding appropriately to meet our most pressing needs. These are very challenging times, but together Mashpee Will Shine.
Kutâputunumuw;
Chairman Cedric Cromwell
Qaqeemasq (Running Bear)
