Category: Munsee

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Author of the article:

M. Eleanor McGrath  •  Standard-Freeholder community editorial board

Published Apr 07, 2023  •  6 minute read

Stockbridge-Munsee Tribe’s tribal historic preservation manager Bonnie Hartley reads text that was provided with a traditional Mohican basket returned to the community in April 2023, in Stockbridge-Munsee Band Mohican Nation. M. Eleanor McGrath/Special to the Cornwall Standard-Freeholder/Postmedia Network Photo by M. Eleanor McGrath /M. Eleanor McGrath/Special to the Standard-Freeholder

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A significant retraction and repatriation happened in the Vatican this 2023 Easter season.

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Starting with the historical agreement by the Vatican to return, to its rightful owners Greece, three 2,500-year-old Parthenon marble sculpture fragments. And then, what might be interpreted as Pope Francis’ acknowledgement and extension of his first visit to Canada and specific intention to offer an apology to First Nations, Inuit and Metis in 2022, was the Vatican’s formal repudiation of the Doctrine of Discovery on March 30.

The statement released on March 30th by the Vatican states in point No. 5, “It is in the context of listening to indigenous peoples that the Church has heard the importance of addressing the concept referred to as the ‘doctrine of discovery.’”

Further on, in point No. 6: “The ‘doctrine of discovery’ is not part of the teaching of the Catholic church. Furthermore, Pope Francis has urged, ‘Never again can…

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A “fragile chain” of barrier islands that shadows the mainland coast of North Carolina for 200 miles, the Outer Banks are well-known in the US for their “sandy, windswept beauty” and rich folklore. And yet they still feel “quiet” and “remote”, says Jacqui Agate in The Daily Telegraph – and make for a wonderful escape from the pressures of modern life. Algonquian-speaking tribes had lived here for 1,000 years when, in 1587, the English established a colony on Roanoke Island – their first in the New World – that later mysteriously vanished. The islands became a playground of the pirate Edward Teach – better known as Blackbeard – and in 1903, the Wright brothers achieved the first controlled, powered flight here.

In the south, the Cape Hatteras National Seashore stretches for 70 miles, its national park status prohibiting development. There are no “tacky souvenir shops” – just miles of woodland, golden beaches and “grass-flecked” dunes. At the park’s southern tip lies Ocracoke, where Blackbeard was slain by Lieutenant Robert Maynard and his crew in 1718, his severed head “hung on Maynard’s bowsprit as a grotesque trophy”. In Ocracoke Village, tree-lined Howard Street is named for the Howard family, descendants of the pirate’s quartermaster. Today, they run Village Craftsmen, “a charming shop filled with curios” made by local artisans. Heading north, you might stop at the Wright Brothers National Memorial, where there’s an interesting museum. Drawn here from Ohio partly by the islands’ steady wind, the brothers then fell in love with the area.

The land where the Lost Colony of 1587 stood is now the Fort Raleigh National Historic Site, and another small museum. Still further north, development has “boomed”, but even here there are “postcard sights”, not least the wild horses of Currituck County, most likely the descendants of working horses that escaped from…

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April 5, 2023

New minor in Native American and Indigenous Studies finds strength in partnerships with New Jersey tribal communities

Posted in: Homepage News, Humanities and Social Sciences

Farrah Fornarotto, a junior majoring in Anthropology, with minors in Archaeology and Native American and Indigenous Studies, paints a garden sign with the Munsee language word for carrot.

A month ago, with fields on the Munsee Three Sisters Medicinal Farm empty and snow-covered, a group of Montclair State University students and their professors began the work of getting the farm ready for spring. Hand painting garden signs, they joined efforts to advance Indigenous food sovereignty, and – in writing on those signs “pehpeechkweekush” for “carrot” and other crops in the Munsee language – they were also planting seeds to help revive a Native American language.

“It’s definitely a great place to start, but hopefully it’s not where we stop,” says Farrah Fornarotto, a junior majoring in Anthropology, with minors in Archaeology and the new Native American and Indigenous Studies. “There’s a lot to tackle.”

The challenges date back decades. Munsee Three Sisters Farm provides traditional food for the Turtle Clan of the Ramapough Lunaape (Lenape) Nation, a tribe that can no longer safely farm its own land in Upper Ringwood, New Jersey. Environmental and health issues caused by industrial dumping have led to a generational decline in the Turtle Clan members’ ability to practice their culture, including the Munsee language, which is at risk of becoming as dormant as the winter fields.

An intensive, field-based partnership with the Turtle Clan Ramapough includes work at the Munsee Three Sisters Farm, where Montclair students and professors are helping the tribe’s Indigenous food sovereignty and language revitalization efforts….

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Ephraim Williams’ house in Stockbridge, built 1750-1760. Photo courtesy of Carole Owens.

Dateline Stockbridge: I came to the village 50 years ago. In a half-century I learned its old ways and watched them change. Norman Rockwell images made Stockbridge America’s hometown. The intervening 50 years made Stockbridge a microcosm of America—an echo of old America coping with change.

Sheffield was founded in 1733. Shortly thereafter, the notion of a mission in the westernmost part of Hampshire County was discussed. (Before 1761, Berkshire County was part of Hampshire County).

From 1734, there were negotiations with the Stockbridge-Munsee band of the Mohican Nation about land ownership and embracing Christianity. In March 1736, the General Court in Boston delineated six square miles (23,040 acres) and identified it as “Indian Town.” The land was north of Sheffield along the Housatonic River. A charter was drawn up in 1737. Finally, in 1739, the village was incorporated and named Stockbridge.

That year, John Stoddard surveyed the township. The population was six “English” families and fewer than 50 members of the Stockbridge-Munsee band. Stoddard laid out 32 meadow lots along the river for the Stockbridge-Munsee band. The lots were between two and ten acres each.

The six white families, called “the English,” were John Sergeant, Timothy Woodbridge, his brother Joseph, Ephraim Williams, Ephraim Brown, and Josiah Jones. Each was granted 400 acres totaling 2,400 acres, or 10 percent of the 23,040 acres. The Stocbridge-Munsee retained 90 percent.

Stockbridge was divided between The Hill and The Plain. (Today they are called Prospect Hill Road and Main Street). Generally, the English lived on The Hill; they believed the air was better the higher one lived and good air was the secret to good health.

Generally, the Stockbridge-Munsee band lived on the…

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The parts of an ongoing effort to renovate Corry Area Middle-High School are well-oiled and moving swiftly.

Mike Munsee, director of buildings and grounds, took some school board members and staff on a tour of the renovation areas on Monday.

Redoing a couple of the bathrooms at Corry Area Middle-High School is part of a larger renovation plan. Above is a boy’s bathroom has gotten new tiling and lights.

Chloe Forbes/The Corry Journal

The over $20 million renovation is scheduled to be completed in June of 2024. Munsee explained that the renovation has been broken up into phases as part of a strategy to minimize disruption to the school’s traffic flow and everyday operations.

Phase three is about 80% complete, according to Munsee, who estimates the crew will move into the next phase at the beginning of April.

Up to this point, a section of the school has had HVAC duct work and hot water piping installed, along with new ceiling grid and tiles, LED lighting and ceilings lowered to fit the new overhead created by the systems.

Two of the bathrooms are also being renovated as part of this phase.

The same scope of work is completed in each phase, just in different sectioned-off areas of the school. 

Munsee said this upcoming phase may prove to be the most challenging as it will cut off traffic flow through the library.

Board members Jason Halfast, left, Justin Amy and Jon Maker look up at the duct work being completed during the renovation at the middle-high school.

Chloe Forbes/The Corry Journal

Board member Bill Nichols asked why this work couldn’t be completed in the summer when it would be less disruptive to the flow of traffic. Munsee said…

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The Wendigo is a horrifying creature of Algonquian Native American legends said to devour human flesh to survive a harsh winter. But are they only part of Native American mythology or are there really cannibalistic humanoids waiting in forests for their next victim?

The Algonquians are some of the most extensive and numerous of the Native American groups in North America , and they once lived all along the Atlantic Coast and the Great Lakes Region. However, Wendigo-like creatures are also found in the legends of other Native American tribes, including the neighbors of the Algonquians, the Iroquois. Amongst these peoples, a creature known as the Stonecoat bears some similarities to the Wendigo. But, what is a Wendigo?

Have you ever asked yourself “what is a Wendigo,” this is a depiction of one. ( creepypasta.wikia.com)

A Wendigo’s Insatiable Hunger

Roughly translated, the word Wendigo (also spelt Windigo and Windego) means “the evil spirit that devours mankind.” Another translation, said to be made by a German explorer around 1860, equates the word Wendigo with “ cannibal.” Wendigoag are said to have an insatiable hunger for human flesh – no matter how much flesh they eat, they remain hungry.

This hunger is reflected in their appearance, and accordingly the Wendigo are described as being extremely thin. Despite their gaunt physiques, Wendigo are described by some as giants, measuring at about 4.5 m (14.8 ft) in height.

Whilst there are slight variations as to the physical description of this creature amongst the different Algonquian peoples, it is generally agreed that Wendigo have glowing eyes, long yellowed fangs and long tongues. Most Wendigo are also said to have sallow and yellowish skin, though others…

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Other News

Sep 26, 2022 – 3:08pm

Austin Hornbostel

ahornbostel@ljworld.com

photo by: University of Kansas

Andi Weber

The Haskell Foundation, a nonprofit with the mission of supporting Haskell Indian Nations University, has hired Haskell alum Andi Weber as its new executive director.

Weber, a member of the Stockbridge-Munsee Band of Mohican Indians of Wisconsin and a descendant of the Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin, joins the foundation from the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes in Fort Hall, Idaho, where she managed more than 20 community and economic development projects as a senior planner. She’ll replace outgoing executive director Aaron Hove, who has guided the foundation since September of 2018.

“For the past almost four years, it has been a privilege to work with the foundation’s Board of Trustees in fulfilling the foundation’s mission of supporting Haskell and its students,” Hove said in a news release from the foundation. “I am very pleased that Andi will be taking the reins for the foundation. With her experience, commitment and energy, I am confident that the foundation will move forward in a very positive and meaningful direction.”

Weber will oversee a $20 million National Science Foundation grant to fund an Indigenous science hub project at Haskell, the largest National Science Foundation award ever granted to a tribal college or university. She’ll also guide the Haskell Foundation’s strategic plans, which include fundraising, alumni relations and capital campaigns.

Money raised by the Haskell Foundation goes toward assisting with the university’s unmet needs beyond the funding appropriated by the Bureau of Indian Education.

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President Shannon Holsey delivers the State of the Tribes Address, February 22, 2022.

Shannon Holsey, president of the Stockbridge-Munsee Band of Mohican Indians, will deliver the opening address at the Wisconsin Leadership Summit presented by UW Credit Union, which falls on October 10, Indigenous Peoples Day.

“Opening our family reunion Summit on Indigenous Peoples Day and on Indigenous land, it’s important that an Indigenous voice welcome our guests and set the tone. I can’t think of a more important  voice than President Holsey’s,” said Henry Sanders, CEO of 365 Media Foundation, which hosts the Wisconsin Leadership Summit. “It’s going to be two incredible days of sharing wisdom and building community and I’m grateful to President Holsey for helping us kick it off.”

Shannon Holsey. Photo supplied.

The Wisconsin Leadership Summit returns in-person October 10-11 at the Wisconsin Concourse Hotel and Governor’s Club for the first time since 2019. The event will feature more than 20 panel discussions on topics ranging from education to executive leadership to health care, along with the Wisconsin Leadership Community Choice Awards, a youth summit, entertainment by Kinfolk and more.

Holsey delivered the State of the Tribes Address to the Wisconsin Legislature in 2017 and 2022.

Holsey was elected as president in October 2015, following eight years as a member of the Tribal Council. She is the youngest to ever lead the Stockbridge-Munsee, which has about 1,470 enrolled members and is the largest employer in Shawano County. She grew up on the Stockbridge-Munsee reservation in Bowler, Wisconsin. Holsey also serves as vice president of the Great Lakes Inter-Tribal Council (GLITC), which represents 11 member tribes with a land base of about one million acres spanning 45 counties. She is appointed as the Wisconsin…

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