Reel Wamps

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

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.

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”

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.

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.