The Mashpee Historical Commission held its annual Historical Commission Preservation award ceremony last month. Tribal Elder Ramona Peters, Chairwoman of the Native Land Conservancy, received the 2019 Mashpee Historical Preservation Award.

Asa Peters marched into a thicket of Japanese knotweed in the woods of coastal Massachusetts this month and began steadily hacking the towering, dense vegetation down to size.

The 24-year-old member of the Mashpee Wampanoag tribe was among a cadre of volunteers rooting out invasive species and tending to recently planted native vegetation on a wide swath of forest acquired on behalf of his federally recognized tribe and other Wampanoag communities.

A long, winding, dirt path through Plimoth Patuxet Museums leads visitors to the Historic Patuxet Homesite, where they can find a traditional, indigenous hickory bark-covered wetu, a cooking arbor and replicas of customary mishoon canoes.

Plimoth Patuxet, a living history museum, invites guests in a video to interact and learn from Wampanoag and other Native American tribal members throughout the homesite, as they cook traditional food over a fire; tend to deer hides and furs that line the inside of the wetu; or scrape and maintain the inside of a mishoon with a quahog shell.

Tribal council appointed Rory Dilweg as Chairman of the Tribal Gaming Commission. Dilweg is a partner in Ocotillo Law and Policy Partners, and has served as the Interim Tribal Gaming Commissioner since 2017.

On August 8th, a group of both tribal and community members attended the Mashpee Board of Selectmen meeting, voicing their concerns regarding a board reorganization that took place on July 25th. During the July meeting, John Cotton made a motion to reorganize the board, which ultimately gained a unanimous vote to reorganize as follows: John Cotton as chair, David Weeden as Vice Chair, and Thomas O'Hara as Clerk. The reorganization came about in the wake of an unexpected resignation by former chair Andrew Gottlieb.

Many who spoke during public comment felt that the reorganization gave the optics of collusion between select board members Cotton, Sherman, and O'Hara and subsequently aimed to strip the Vice Chair at the time, tribal member David Weeden, of his rightful opportunity to become chairman.

The Education Department is hosting a series of beading workshops that will kick off on Monday, September 26. The 10-class series has limited space for ten students ages 11 and over in each class—signup for a class today on the Tribe’s website under the Education Department tab.

The Education Department has limited funds for Mashpee Wampanoag FY’22 high school graduates. The funds are first come, first serve. Those interested in applying can find more details on the tribe’s website under the Education Department. Any further questions can be directed to Cameron Greendeer at Cameron.greendeer@mwtribe-nsn.gov or by phone at 508-477-0208 Ext. 178.

The Tribe’s Education Department has organized a Speakers Bureau comprised of tribal culture-keepers, native historians, and subject matter experts. The collective group of speakers are knowledgeable in various topics ranging from tribal historical perspectives, colonization, sovereignty, government relations, tribal constitution, and courts to instructional strategies beneficial to the engagement of tribal students. Speakers can be booked for engagements through the tribe’s website under the Education Department.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has released its firstever National Tribal Strategy 2022-2026. MWT Emergency Management Director Nelson Andrews Jr. has worked to assist FEMA HQ over the past few years with the National Tribal Strategy and the new Emergency Management Institute Tribal Training course material.

Through this new strategy, FEMA will develop a comprehensive FEMA Guide of programs and resources, regularly convene an annual meeting of national and regional tribal liaisons, expand training opportunities for tribal nations, and other related objectives.

Savannah Maher, a citizen of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe and reporter for Marketplace on NPR, won five National Native Media Awards. Aquinnah Wampanoag Joseph Lee also received a first-place award in the print/online category. The Native American Journalist Association (NAJA) presented the awards in person during its annual convention in August.

For the last three years, Mashpee Wampanoag Tribal Member John (Chef John) Marcellino has operated The Station Grill restaurant inside the building. He leases the space from the Falmouth Economic & Industrial Corporation, better known as the EDIC.

The relationship between tenant and landlord has deteriorated over time, and now Chef John says he believes the EDIC is trying to drive him out by sharply increasing the rent and maintenance payments, failing to make timely repairs, and generally treating him unfairly.

A talking circle for Wampanoag parents and guardians who are raising students with disabilities will take place on Saturday, September 24th, from 1-4 PM at the Government Center. All who attend will be provided catered lunch and a stipend of $50 for their participation in the circle. To register for the event, contact Rania Kelly atrania@massfamilies.org or by phone at (617) 538-4056.

The Save Mashpee-Wakeby Pond Alliance is holding its 2nd annual "Make a Splash" event on Sunday, September 11th. All are invited to attend and build awareness on Mashpee-Wakeby Pond's issues. Swimmers will swim across the pond; their route will begin at Attaquin Beach (Mashpee Pond) and end at Ryder Beach.

The Mashpee Wampanoag ICWA Department will once again host a series of Sacred Parenting workshops. Workshops will start on Monday, September 12 at 6 PM and continue through November 14. Receive $40 for each session you attend and a sacred parenting box with crafting supplies.

The Pier Recovery Center is hosting “Celebrating Recovery Through Community Outreach”, an event with recovery programs and community outreach programs from all over Cape Cod. The event will take place on September 10th from 12–1 PM at 367 Main St. Hyannis, MA. All are welcome to attend with their children/families.

The CDC is happy to announce the Three Sisters Market will be returning every Saturday from September 10th - October 1st at a new time of 11 AM - 5 PM. The market is open to all tribal and non-tribal artists, crafters, and fruit and vegetable vendors. Fish and shellfish vendors must be tribal members. The CDC continues to add new vendors each week and encourages all who may be interested to apply. The event is free and open to the public.

The ICWA Department at the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe is looking for individuals who would like to train to become Qualified Expert Witnesses, (QEW’s).

A QEW is a person who by the ICWA law will attend State Court Hearings in cases where a tribal child is removed from their parents or guardians by the Department of Children and Families because of an allegation of physical abuse or neglect.