PITTSFIELD — A pair of moccasins and a wampum pouch that have been in the Berkshire Museum’s collection for nearly 65 years are on their way home to the Stockbridge-Munsee Community Band of Mohican Indians in Wisconsin.
Upon being presented with the moccasins and wampum pouch during an official “transfer of custody” at the museum on Thursday, Bonnie Hartley, historic preservation officer for the Stockbridge-Munsees, carefully tucked cedar and tobacco leaves amongst the items.
“It’s actually kind of similar traditionally to what Sachem Konkapot would have in his wampum bag. He would have had wampum in there or medicine. I just used my own medicine bag to place tobacco and cedar. Cedar is for protection, tobacco is our way of offering prayers. When I take them back to our office, I’ll light sage and smudge them,” Hartley said, referring to the Stockbridge-Munsee office on the Williams College campus.
Taking a blend of tobacco and cedar out of her own medicine bag and tucking it into the items, Tribal Historic Preservation Manager for the Stockbridge Munsee Community Bonney Hartley, begins the process of cleansing, protecting, and welcoming back home a set of moccasins and a wampum pouch from her ancestors.
STEPHANIE ZOLLSHAN — THE BERKSHIRE EAGLE
The moccasins and wampum pouch are attributed to Pophnehonnuhwoh, a Muh-he-con-ne-ok sachem (chief), later known as Chief John Konkapot (a name taken after his Christian baptism in 1735). At some point, Konkapot gifted the items to Israel Dickinson, whose great-great-grandson, Allen Peck, of Pittsfield, donated them to the Berkshire Museum in 1958, said Jason Vivori, collections experience manager at the Berkshire Museum. The items are headed to the tribe’s own museum and library in Bowler, Wis., where their cultural items are preserved.
The 17th century moccasins and wampum bag. 
