The good things that make us proud

Chiefie can counsel us as we face new problems. That’s the best news in a long time.

There were several proud moments for the Tribe recently. We came together to unify and strengthen the community by selecting Earl Mills, Jr. as Chief. Known to us as “Chiefie” he is steeped in Wampanoag traditions under the tutelage of his father Chief Earl Mills Sr, a preeminent scholar of our ways. It’s a comfort to know that treasured knowledge will be passed on. But he also brings much needed balance to many of the protocols that were abandoned by the Cromwell regime.  Tribal members have commented on the calming affect he has had on Council meetings, giving the membership a reprieve from the petty nit picking and personal attacks by certain Council members.  Moreover, some of the ridiculous excuses and solutions to obvious negligence is quickly slapped down. The Chief has the ability to apply the “old ways” and decency in a way that helps solve our problems. That’s a good thing.

Sherry Pocknett, another Mashpee triumphant in realizing her dreams.

Chef Sherry Pocknett won the prestigious James Beard Award as the Best Chef Northeast.

The well deserved James Beard Award

She received the metal as the first Indigenous woman to do so at the Chicago ceremony June 5. The award acknowledges talent and achievement in the culinary arts, hospitality and food media. Sherry’s lifelong cooking experience resulted in her fulfilling a dream to own her own restaurant featuring game and fish fare. “We lived by the seasons. I grew up in the ’60s and my dad was a hunter and a fisherman so we always had stuff from the wild in the refrigerator.”

In 2021 she opened Sly Fox Den Too In Charlestown, Rhode Island. The menu offers everything from venison to eel.  It’s well worth the visit. An inspiration to all Tribal members who have dreams to fulfill.

More Mashpee Wampanoag children graduated from Mashpee High School ….another victory for us.  Many of them starting their journey in life and the next level of higher education. Congratulations to your families!

 

                       Tribal grads 2023

 

 

From the heart

Pocknett has fought non-stop for aboriginal rights. It has been a 20 year struggle that brought  progress but not enough.

The historic visit to the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribal lands by US Interior Secretary Deb Haaland was highlighted by a moving experience at Punkhorn. Buddy Pocknett, chair of the Game and Fish Committee told the story of our struggle to exercise aboriginal rights. Our right to harvest and sustain the fishing methods that keep us alive for thousands of years has been denied. Buddy has been the center of the struggle with state officials over the law. It has literally been a 20 year battle.  A battle for Pocknett that included numerous fines, arrests and beatings by commercial fisherman.

But the positive part of the story was the jump start of the shellfish farm that was funded by the Biden administration.  The program collapsed under the Cromwell administration and remained dormant until Pocknett, his committee and Vice Chairman Carlton Hendricks, Jr had it up and running.

It was proof that we can take care of ourselves when given the resources. Haaland was reportedly very touched by our story. Thank you, Buddy, for telling our story from the heart.

 

High Court Upholds Indian Child Welfare Act ..Haaland stops at the Old Indian Town on Cape Cod

Peters long challenged America to protect Native American children. And he won.

 

Tribal nations received a major victory today when the US Supreme Court rejected

Slow Turtle’s vision for the future served Indian Country well.

all of the challenges to the Indian Child Welfare Act, “some on the merits and others for lack of standing,” Justice Amy Coney Barrett wrote in her majority opinion. The surprising but welcomed decision ensures that neglected or orphaned native children are placed in tribal homes.

 

Once again, a Mashpee Wampanoag is responsible for change that benefited Indian Country.  Supreme Medicine Man John Peters, “Slow Turtle”  spearheaded the federal law that passed in 1978. He also successfully advocated for the legal use of peyote and other indigenous herbs as traditional medicines for rituals. Repatriation of Native remains was another successful effort lead by Peters.

Indian Country beathed a sigh of relief on this decision.

As luck would have it, Interior Secretary Deb Haaland visited the Tribe today.  Her name is on the Supreme Court ICWA filling because as Interior Secretary she represents the US government on behalf of Native Americans, It is pretty remarkable that she’s visiting the Tribe whose Medicine Man is responsible for one of the most significant laws impacting Indian America.

The New York Tines did an excellent job of chronicling Peters’ life and work.

John Peters, Indian Advocate In Massachusetts, Dies at 67 – The New York Times (nytimes.com)T

The Haaland visit

But since we are talking about the Haaland visit, we have to say the purpose was a little foggy. But we have a pretty good idea, so do you. Allegedly, it was arranged by the Weedens and their new best friend, the cheeky TA David Greendeer and pal Alex….ahem, there were originally all kinds of silly restrictions for those attending.

Interior Secretary Deb Haaland

We’ll get back to that weirdness. But it was so strange that the Elders did not have a place of prominence in this event.  Bad optics for sure. The other foolishness was that they were not going to let anyone take pictures but “PR.” So were they taking everyone’s phones? As it turned out after the dinner with the Council, Haaland made remarks, graciously took selfies, group pictures and enjoyed herself. Tribal members enjoyed the social also. And you know Photo Op Wamps media mogul Paula Peters was the first one to take a picture with the Secretary. What an amateur. Another highlight was that Sherry prepared the meal for Haaland, Another star making us proud.

Thank God we had a bunch of REAL Wamps up in there.

 

 

The Invisible Man in full view

Much was expected of David Greendeer. It turned out to be misplaced confidence.

David Greendeer has been the Tribal Administrator since January 1, 2022.  And, his 16-month tenure has failed to produce the best management practices promised. As a matter of fact, it has been a relentless “shock and awe campaign.”

When he did offer a staff moral booster, it was so ridiculous, it had to be retracted. He rarely meets with staff directors unless he’s pressured or called in.  He has tried to involve shady consultants in sensitive Tribal business and he is constantly inserting himself in Tribal politics while changing sides. His involvement in a legal matter is another outrage. His behavior with women has not improved and has worsened according to sources.

We also learned the “Invisible Man” moniker is solid. Why? The David Greendeer rarely comes to work. He shows up about 3 (maybe 4) days a week, for 5 hours a day at most. All staff but one other top administrator work 8-10 hours or more a day. So to say that the staff is on autopilot is an understatement.

Now this would not be so bad if he actually did his job.  As a salaried administrator, you are expected to produce impactful policies, methods and management strategies that benefit the Tribe. It is not based on an hourly rate. But the guy has not done a thing to move us forward.

The most envious of all people on earth are those who are extremely ambitious but too lazy to take action.” 

 

 

Ear plugs in short supply…….try Amazon

Da Magpie yip yaps incessantly at town and environmental meetings too causing a run-on earplugs Cape wide.

The Tribal Council meeting was pretty standard until he started…Da Magpie.  Once again David Weeden, heretofore referred to Da Magpie began battering the efforts to get Tribal homelessness under control. We have 60 Tribal members who need emergency housing.  Del Sol will be full capacity in a matter of weeks and the incremental rooms and apartments openings very soon. Meanwhile Robin Sweeting had drafted various application forms to jump start the eligibility process. The staff needs to start moving people into the system so they can get housing. Da Magpie went on picking apart the application forms as the Council members and Robin responded with obvious answers to foolish, unnecessary questions. This continued for a half an hour. Once again Da Magpie’s need for attention was more important than getting at our homeless problem. One Council member said, ” He was all over the place.  I was confused and never figured out where he was going.”

This is a pattern with Magpie.  He’s determined to upend important projects that happen to be initiatives of Vice Chairman Carlton Hendricks, Jr. You may recall a few months ago he demanded that Hendricks hire an architect to assess a dilapidated building (at the farm) to determine it’s historic relevance to the Tribe. Prior to his going off about “protocol” and checking in with him as the Historic Preservation officer.  Ahem. Well, the VC said his research did not find the building on the state or federal historic registers. So, because Magpie couldn’t prove otherwise, he insisted on the architect. That will cost us $4k that we don’t have and delay the fish market another two months. The man’s ego is enormous.

He has no shame. Instead of re-upping his Historic Preservation grant to properly pay his $70k salary, (takes it from ARPA federal funds) he props himself on to the board of the $9.1 million broadband grant. Yes indeed.

Jordan’s a credentialed IT guy well qualified to serve. It’s a lonely job but somebody’s got to do it.

He will join Barbara Jonas, Ellen Sharp, Bobby Foster, and his partner’s son Jordan Kelliinui. It’s a regular Frybal Council. Easily the most qualified, Keliinui has a Masters in Cyber Security. This huge grant will serve 130 tribal households, businesses and a number of other cyber deserts.  The thing to keep an eye on is the Indirect Costs. Yesssss.

The IDC are things like salaries and other administrative expenses not connected to the actual installation, product and so on. IDC gets pretty funky. It can reach $4.368m. One person on this board who will remain nameless almost sent the Tribe into a tailspin last year because they weren’t properly drawing down grant money causing huge problems with revenue streams and bill pay. That was one of those things we didn’t tell you about because you would have lost your mind.

So Councilman Weeden went from Broadband  Liaison to Board member. What’s your bet he ends up drawing a big ole salary for running the broadband project?  Just like he did Historic Preservation, which is nothing but a shell of it’s former self.

One more thing, you probably already know that the Da Magpie is running against Hendricks for Vice Chairman….So stock up on earplugs.

Our advice to him comes from Mark Twain “It’s better to keep your mouth shut and appear stupid than open it and remove all doubt”

 

 

 

 

A Council Meeting to watch

You have to laugh when people get out “over their skis.”

Tonight’s Council meeting will be full of action. Some playing out for the Tribal public and some in Executive Session. You need to pay attention. Last month a lot of moves were being made that raised eyebrows. Personnel problems that have been ongoing and of course the budget, that is also getting squared away.

The issue of the Clan Mothers vs Elders in the Raising of the Chief seemed to be resolved at the Sunday meeting with the Constitution (and the Recognition documents) providing the guidance through a resolution finalizing the process.

Preserving all aspects of our Tribal history is important.

Keep an eye on those resolutions…

Good news.  The Parsonage funding of $1.6 million came through which means historic renovation and jobs. Again, thanks Vice Chairman Hendricks and Secretary Jackson for their hard work. This building is on the state historic register.

Protect the Tribal Constitution

For the third time this year, the Constitution came up. Revising the Constitution. That means changing it. Substantially.  Of course, David Weeden is leading the charge.  He is actually supported by someone who helped construct the Constitution in the early 2000’s, and chronically complains about it.  It’s a small core of people but they’re devoted.

Here’s the thing.  A Constitution is the foundation and framework for Tribal governance. It sets the boundaries, in stone.  Well, you know what happens when the foundation or the framework is disturbed in any way.  The house eventually falls apart. Chaos for sure.

So David Weeden said he’s putting together a committee set up to start diddling with the Constitution. You can bet the goal is to shift power around.  There’s a bunch of other ulterior motive stuff going on. It’s tough to alter the Constitution and it’s set up that way for just this kind of situation. But let’s back up for a minute.

Revising the Constitution is a move that automatically sets off alarms. And rightfully so.

When Da Magpie bought it up a few months ago. The legal counsel including a Tribal member who is an attorney, advised that they needed to correct all the ordinances that conflict with the Constitution.  There are hundreds to comb through.  One of them was defeated a month ago where the chairman would assume the vice chairman’s administrative responsibilities.  This you will recall was based on one of those bogus actions (executive order) by Cedric Cromwell. Let’s be clear, Victoria and Rebecca are going through all those conflicting ordinances that were passed while Cedric was Chairman. David and the crew went right along. The horror of that administration lives in those illegal ordinances that Da Magpie approved.

So putting the cart before the horse to make the Constitution conform to ordinances is not in our best interest.

More stuff ….copyright and the Red Box

So the Council meeting was a full agenda.  A major move forward is the plan to

It’s bad enough that New Seabury was built on what we considered our land, but to name it after  one of our heroes is beyond ironic.

establish a living tribal village designed to present a true picture of how we lived 400 years ago. The grant for $175K will launch the project that could be located near the farm. Talia Landry and Councilman Nelson Andrews are spearheading the effort. The idea of presenting our traditions and heritage to the world as we see it has been discussed for over a decade. Now it’s coming to fruition.

The copyright of our mystical hero Maushop tells you the value and limits of ownership of branding (Maushop Village) and intellectual property.

There’s one potential problem. Naming it Maushop Village might not work because New Seabury probably has the development copyright named after our mythical hero.  Which brings us to the language copyright controversy. There was a joint meeting between the town and Tribal Elders over a project honoring Tribal veterans. The group wanted to use the Wampanoag language to inscribe a message on a plaque. The town representative said they had to check with Jessie Baird to get permission. Right. To avoid copyright infringement is what it’s called. So Jessie owns the copyright to our language that is thousands of years old? What do you think? So did Jessie write our language and copyright it?

Okay, to be clear, copyright means you own the intellectual property that you created.

Jessie has used the Tribe to get millions of dollars in language grants while her cousin Cedric was Chairman. We may never know what went on. Are the Weedens far behind?

People, corporations, governments copyright music, books, logos, brands, but languages…no. Jessie is scamming again circulating misinformation because people really don’t know how that works. She has never told us where she got her undergraduate degree, so she could not acquire a masters, and she lied about having a doctorate.

Jessie is still working to get back into the tribal structure anyway she can.  She had the nerve to try to get on the enrollment committee.  Ahem.  That didn’t work.  She made it on to the pow wow committee.  All in all she earned a new name of “Little Red Box.” Her legacy of adding hundreds of people to the roll from the Red Box. Ask her about the Red Box.

More on what constitution revision really means.  You will be shocked. It’s coming your way.

 

Clan Mothers….Elders? Let the Tribe decide

The Chief was our Traditional leader before and after recognition.. Hopefully the process of finding his successor will be a smooth one.

The passing of Tribal Chief Vernon ” Bunny” Lopez brought hundreds of Tribal members to the Old Indian Meeting House to tribute the Centurian. Lopes was the last chief chosen to be the traditional leader prior to recognition and remained it the chair for another 16 years.  At the Council meeting the primary discussion concerned ” Raising the Chief” to replace Lopez. The question of who would lead the selection process bubbled up again several months ago when Paula Peters announced that the Clan Mothers would hold a gathering on May 6 for Tribal members to talk with those interested in assuming the role.

Councilman Domingo Texiera questioned how the Tribe should proceed in the Chief selection.

Roxanne asked what everyone wants to know…Since when are the Clan Mothers in charge?

Councilman David Weeden defended the Clan Mothers leading the process saying they were “welcoming” to the Elders and others who wanted to participate. But Councilwoman Roxane Mills Brown addressed the real issue saying, ” No one gave the Clan Mothers the authority to call the meeting. Also, there are questions about the role of the Clan Mothers in the Tribe. Clan mothers are not in the Constitution.”

Former Councilman Aaron Tobey who is chairman of the Elders said, ” The Elders should be able to provide information on the process.” He added that the Tribal Constitution does say that the Chief shall be selected by the general body according to Tribal custom and tradition.  According to Tobey the Constitution also says that everything in that process is confirmed by a resolution by the Council.

Of course, Da Magpie said, “The process should not be political.”  Well, let’s just violate the Constitution then.  Brilliant.

So, the Council decided to let Tribal members hash it out at the General Body Meeting this Sunday.

More on the rest of the meeting tomorrow.

The Good, The Bad, The Ugly…

A record number of Mashpee were on the Tribal Council zoom meeting last night. So were some of Reel Wamps’ contributors.

Herrin’ and Roe say Da Magpie needs to stop talking and recapture the grants needed to run his program and pay his $70,000 salary.

Herrin’ ” That was quite meeting last night. What they call a “mixed bag” of activity.

Roe ” I should say so. It went on forever. Da Magpie, probably hurt his nephew, the chairman more than helped on that Executive Order business.

Herrin’ “ Da Magpie?”

Roe ” Ya David Weeden is a Magpie… a talkin’ ass bird that never stops.  It mimics sounds, even barking dogs.  Da Magpie is notorious for talking nonsense all the time, in circles, running out the clock. You can see Council members nodding off on the zoom. Nap time.”

Herrin’ ” Wow, so he’s an expert on Executive Orders? Reads ’em all the time he says.  Reads the ones by President Biden and such.  Oh Yeah. And he says that his nephew has the same authority as President Biden, Damn right!”

Da Magpie’s politics on the Board of Selectmen and the Tribal Council are not benefiting the town or the Tribe. His quest for relevancy is not in our best interest.

Roe ” You know the whole Tribe was up in arms at the thought of taking voting power from

Ramona Peters’ grew the Tribe’s historic preservation program in to a success story with a
$500k annual budget. When Magpie took over a few years ago, everything went south.

the Council and handing it over to his nephew through some Executive Order.   But no, Da Magpie kept on and on about how the White people do it and other governments do it. That our Constitution is ” awful.” Like our laws aren’t real. Indian law. Too hell with the Constitution then?”

Herrin’ ” Well, the Council members pushed back with the answer. Executive Orders don’t exist in the Tribal Constitution.

They voted to revoke the Executive Order by a 6-1 vote. That was a relief.”

Quahog Pie: ” Uncle Herrin’ isn’t Councilman Da Magpie in charge of historic preservation? Is that why he kept talking? To keep us from tearing down that old torn up building?

Quahog Pie knows the  answers to all his  questions. Ridiculous spectacles are his specialty…

To stop the construction of the fish market? Cause he couldn’t prove that the old building was a historic building like he was supposed to? And then turned around an told the Vice Chairman that he had to prove it was not a historic building even though the Vice Chairman already did? Is that why he talked for 15 minutes about getting an inspector to go in and do all that research which will cost thousands of dollars and delay the project another 3 months, when he already knows it has no historic relevancy to the Tribe?

Herrin’ ” That’s it.”

Quahog Pie ” So does Councilman Da Magpie get paid to stop projects?”

Roe: ‘ Boy, we don’t know what he gets paid to do or why. What we do know is his $70,000 salary comes out of the federal money from the American Rescue Plan meant for Tribal members.  He spent down hundreds of thousands of dollars in the historic preservation grant and never restored it to run the program or pay his salary.”

Weetamoo: ” Well then, he’s about self-preservation, right?

The world has changed since Weetamoo’s time, But Winnie’s lack of decency is a abnormal to her and even modern day Wamps.

Herrin’: ” Probably. Da Magpie’s spotty career path was started by his pal Cedric Cromwell. But a few years before that he was running up

Winnie & Da Magpie, fierce Cromwell loyalists failed to denounce the corrupt regime. Winnie refused to face the reality of loosing badly to Hendricks for VC and the recent Council re-elect. campaign. She needs to get help.

and down a hotel hallway trying to put all the White people out screaming, ” Get out Get out. This is our land.”  That was during the King Phillips Ball. Magpie’s mouth got us in so much trouble. Because of him, the Tribal events at  Cape hotels  have been banned. That shut us down for years.”

Roe: “He’s such an Indian. Using it when it’s convenient. You would never know it judging by how he praises the town and punks us. And now he’s Chairman of the Mashpee Board of Selectman after raising hell and playing the race card. He likes to play Indian, but he don’t wanna be Indian.”

Weetamoo: ” I want to know about the Winnie person who was attacking the Vice Chairman at the meeting. Is there something wrong with her? She was screaming and yelling, cursing, and lying about all kinds of things. I hear it’s a regular occurrence.  Is that how Mashpee Wampanoag women act these days?

Herrin’ “ No it is not.  But people are tired of Winnie’s madness.  Every time she sees the Vice Chairman she looses it. If there’s a microphone around she really goes berserk. She’s banned from the Elders, the farm and she’s headed for serious trouble with the Council.  She would not shut up. Took foreva to mute her. The chairman threatened to shut down the meeting, she still didn’t stop attacking.  She was kinda hard to understand at one point. Just spitting and babbling.”

Roe: ” Consider it a blessing.”

 

 

The complaints about Greendeer and his potential legal problems have not stopped him from obsessing on all the wrong things. He has produced nothing but scandal.

Minnie Ah Ha “ I need to know about what I saw earlier this week. I

Minnie is stunned by Green deer’s audacity. But so is everyone else.

walked into the government center and in the rotundaall the department directors were standing in a circle around the TA. What’s his name Cujo?

Herrin’ ” Not really it’s David Greendeer. The guy is a mess.

Minnie Ah Ha ” I should say so.  He had them standing in this meeting for nearly an hour. Elders, a pregnant woman standing as he prayed for 15 minutes. He talked a lot of nonsense for most the time before he asked what was on their calendars for next week.

Roe “Puttin’ on quite a show for all to see. He was trying to chat Natalie up the other day.  That had ta be comical. But his actions speak louder than silly words.. Maybe if he showed up a did some work instead of chasing all the women in the Tribe he wouldn’t be in so much trouble.”

Minnie Ah Ha “Oh my. How do you know this?”

Herrin’ ” The man’s prolific, brazen. Women complain about him openly and loud…in the building, out of the building. The dude knows no boundaries.”

Minnie Ah Ha ” But he has legal issues pending right? I just don’t understand.”

Roe ” Don’t worry.  He’ll understand soon enough.