Category: Munsee

The Tribal Council of the Stockbridge-Munsee Band of Mohican Indians is sounding an alarm about unaffiliated groups — including one based in the Berkshires — that may be seeking to exploit the Wisconsin-based tribe for financial gain.

The Stockbridge-Munsee Community has strong ties to this area, as it is part of our ancestral homelands. Reconnecting with our homelands is a means of recovery from forced relocation and assimilation, and we are happy with the local interest in our history, culture and traditions.

The Stockbridge-Munsee Community is a federally-recognized Indian tribe made up of both Munsee and Mohican Indians with an ancestral territory that includes portions of what is now New York State, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Vermont and New Jersey. We are a sovereign nation geographically situated on a reservation in Shawano County, Wis. Our tribe is governed by a duly elected Tribal Council, pursuant to our constitution. As a sovereign tribal nation, we enjoy a unique trust relationship with the federal government and engage in government-to-government relations at the federal, state and local levels.

Our tribe was one of the first tribes to meet the European explorers when Henry Hudson sailed up the Mahicannituck (later called the Hudson River) into the lands of the Mohicans in September 1609. A more detailed summary of our history can be found on our website at https://mohican.com/brief-history. Because of that early encounter and pressure to assimilate, our language, culture and tradition were significantly eroded. As a tribe, we are committed to recovering both language and culture and protecting what our ancestors left us. That commitment includes remaining true to the traditions we have and exposing misuse, misrepresentation or monetization of our culture and traditions.

Toward that end, we…

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Corry’s coaches react to Cooper Hodak getting a two-point takedown. Standing is Brad Allen. From left are Mark Munsee, Austin Gillihan, Travis Proper and Lucas Munsee.

SHARON — In high school wrestling, you can’t take anything for granted.

Corry had high expectations at Saturday’s District 10 Class 2A Team Duals on Feb. 3. But after disposing of Grove City 45-21 in the quarterfinals, the Beavers fell to Fort LeBoeuf 33-24 in the semifinals.

Ironically, LeBoeuf’s head coach is former Corry state finalist Shane McChesney, and one of his assistants is Corry state champion (1984) Ed Burkhart.

In the semis, Corry built an 18-12 lead through seven matches. However, the Bison then won five straight, including two crucial swing matches to virtually wrap up the match with a forfeit in the next-to-last bout.

To kick things off, FL’s heavyweight John Duran pinned Owen Nickerson before Wyatt Swan was a 9-4 winner at 107 pounds.

Logan Hodak turns his Grove City foe before a first-period fall.

Beaver freshman Carson Braswell pulled off a stunner, decking Brady Bowers 33 seconds into overtime after going 4-4 in regulation.

Logan Hodak (121) then won 3-1, giving Corry a 12-6 lead. Bison Jake Bennett then pitched a 4-0 shutout over Steven Willis, getting three third-period points via a nearfall. Isaiah Bayle then lost 10-6 to Brody Myers, and the contest was tied at 12.

At 139 pounds, Will Allen was up 6-1 when the LeBoeuf wrestler suffered a shoulder injury and defaulted, giving Corry six points and an 18-12 lead.

Jackson Bowers then used a late takedown to subdue Beaver Cody Proper 4-3. At 152, Bison ace Joe Przybycien’s first-period pin gave LeBeouf a 21-18 lead.

At the pivotal 160 bout, FL’s Aidan…

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STOCKBRIDGE — The Tribal Council of the Stockbridge-Munsee Band of Mohican Indians is sounding an alarm about unaffiliated groups — including one based in the Berkshires — that may be seeking to exploit the Wisconsin-based tribe for financial gain.

Sherry White, liaison to the Tribal Council, cited two groups — the Alliance for a Viable Future, sponsor of annual Indigenous Peoples Day Weekend events in Great Barrington, and another that has organized an upcoming powwow in Ohio.

“Those have nothing to do with the Mohican tribe, and the tribe has not authorized this,” White said in a phone interview Monday from her home in Keshena, Wis. “Groups are using the Mohican name, probably either to help raise money or to draw attention to their events. The Tribal Council is getting very concerned that people think they’re donating to the tribe or working with it, and they’re not.”

The local group has agreed to clarify that its events, attended by tribal members on their own, do not represent the tribal government.

The federally recognized tribe of about 1,500 Munsee and Mohican Indians, based on a reservation in Shawano County, Wis., includes descendants of the original settlers of Stockbridge and other ancestral homelands in Berkshire County and adjacent New York state, Vermont, Connecticut, Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

The Stockbridge-Munsee Band of Mohicans is reclaiming 351 acres of sacred homeland in Stockbridge

In a letter to The Eagle, White pointed to a three-day event in September in Loudonville, Ohio, dubbed the 38th annual “Great Mohican Pow-Wow” on a “Mohican Reservation.” The website, mohicanpowwow.com, charged admission for individuals and groups and also listed sponsors and offers applications for vendors. It includes a disclaimer that it…

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Then it all came to be. On DePerry’s visit she asked Karius about making time for a workout. She didn’t want to skip a day.

“She was a bundle of energy on that visit,” Karius said. “I’ve never had an official visit with a kid where they asked to make time for a workout. She loves the weight room. I coached for three years at a Power 5 school and no player has ever said, ‘Hey Coach, I know we have an itinerary but would it be OK if I have an hour-and-a-half where I can go lift? I don’t want to fall behind in my workouts.’”

Since then, Karius has seen the toughness, energy, and willingness to work hard. The coach has also seen DePerry’s unmistakable enthusiasm for representing her culture to young people attending games.

“She’s really passionate about the young kids because she was one of them,” Karius said. “She gives them a role model to look up to and to show them that it’s possible that you can do that. You can get a college degree and play Division I basketball.”

During DePerry’s decision-making process she discovered that USD didn’t have anyone in the transfer portal going into 2023-24. For some that might have been a deterrent because it meant a lot of the roster was going to stay the same, but DePerry didn’t see it that way.

Instead, she called it “a green flag.”

“During my three-day visit I got to spend a lot of time with the girls and I felt very comfortable,” DePerry said. “When I saw that no one was transferring out I thought it showed the culture of the team. Everyone wanted to stay together the next year.”

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Following a charity night put on by the Corry boys basketball program on Jan. 4, a Trooper Jacques “Jay” Rougeau Memorial Scholarship Fund has reached a total of roughly $33,000, says Corry Community Foundation Administrative Assistant Shelby Scouten. The current total includes a $10,000 dollar-for-dollar match by CCF. 

The basketball charity night itself raised about $3,150. 

Nicole Munsee-Lambert of the boys basketball booster said that included a 50/50 raffle, a lottery basket, half of the evening’s concession sales and donations collected — some in person during the event and others online. 

“We are very happy with that,” Munsee-Lambert said. “The Corry community’s support for their own is amazing.”

She continued, expressing a thankfulness for the presence of Angela, Rougeau’s mother, and Chloe, his wife. 

“We realize they are grieving and empathize with how difficult it must be for them,” Munsee-Lambert noted. 

Before the night’s basketball game, Angela and Chloe were presented with one each of Rougeau’s former jerseys (home and away), as he played on the Corry basketball team during high school.

Tyler Bailey, head basketball coach, also felt the event was a success.  

“Charity night went very well,” he said. “It was nice to see the community come together to support such a great cause. Jay’s positive impact on the community and the school will always be cherished and remembered.” 

The scholarship fund was started by the Corry Area High School Class of 2012 (Rougeau’s classmates) and has since seen support not only from the basketball program but also Corry’s volleyball team during its charity night on Sept. 27, 2023, and Corry Area Intermediate School with a Christmastime coin drive. 

The minimum amount to start a scholarship is $25,000, so that initial goal has been surpassed. 

To learn more about the scholarship fund or to donate, visit corrycommunityfoundation.org.

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Book Cover

SHERIDAN, WYOMING, USA, December 28, 2023 /EINPresswire.com/ — A groundbreaking book titled “Papers on Historical Algonquian and Iroquois Topics: Second Edition” has been released, offering an unprecedented insight into the rich history and culture of several Algonquin tribal peoples and the Iroquois. Authored by esteemed scholars David A. Ezzo and Michael H. Moskowitz, this compilation of research results provides a detailed examination of the society, customs, and interactions of these Native American peoples, based on historical accounts and records dating back to the 16th century.

David A. Ezzo, an expert in Native American history and culture with over thirty-five years of experience, and Michael Moskowitz, a renowned researcher in history, politics, law, and genealogy, have come together to create this comprehensive guide. The book serves as an invaluable resource for anyone interested in America’s indigenous roots, offering an in-depth look at various aspects of these native societies.

“This publication is more than a collection of papers; it is a testament to the enduring legacy and complexity of Native American societies,” said David A. Ezzo. “Our work not only highlights historical perspectives but also offers a modern understanding of these rich cultures.”

Among the significant topics covered in the book are the societal roles and influence of Native American women, the participation of Native Americans in the Civil War, and the effects of territorial expansion in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. The book also addresses critical legal perspectives on land claims and the impact of Native American leaders such as the Shawnee Prophet and Handsome Lake.

“Papers on Historical Algonquian and Iroquois Topics: Second Edition” stands as a definitive resource, enriched with accurate details and imagery, and supported by a vast number of bibliographical references. It not only serves…

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By MICHAEL CASEY (Associated Press)

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (AP) — A few years back, Sage Brook Carbone was attending a powwow at the Mashantucket Western Pequot reservation in Connecticut when she noticed signs in the Pequot language.

Carbone, a citizen of the Northern Narragansett Indian Tribe of Rhode Island, thought back to Cambridge, Massachusetts, where she has lived for much of her life. She never saw any street signs honoring Native Americans, nor any featuring Indigenous languages.

She submitted to city officials the idea of adding Native American translations to city street signs. Residents approved her plan and will install about 70 signs featuring the language of the Massachusett Tribe, which English settlers encountered upon their arrival.

“What a great, universal way of teaching language,” she said of the project done in consultation with a a member of the Massachusett Tribe and other Native Americans.

“We see multiple languages written almost everywhere, but not on municipal signage,” she said. “Living on a numbered street, I thought this is a great opportunity to include Native language with these basic terms that we’re all familiar with around the city.”

Carbone has joined a growing push around the country to use Indigenous translations on signs to raise awareness about Native American communities. It also is way to revive some Native American languages, highlight a tribe’s sovereignty as well as open the door for wider debates on land rights, discrimination and Indigenous representation in the political process.

“We have a moment where there is a search for some reconciliation and justice around Indigenous issues,” said Darren Ranco, chair of Native American Programs at the University of Maine and a citizen of the Penobscot Nation. “The signs represent that, but by no means is that the end point around these issues. My concern is that people…

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Author of the article:

The Associated Press

Todd Richmond

Published Dec 18, 2023  •  Last updated 1 day ago  •  3 minute read

FILE – Shannon Holsey, president of the Stockbridge-Munsee tribe, speaks to reporters after giving the annual State of the Tribes address in the Wisconsin state Capitol Tuesday, April 4, 2017, in Madison, Wisc. Indigenous students from any of Wisconsin’s 11 tribes will be able to attend the University of Wisconsin-Madison for free beginning next fall, Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin announced Monday, Dec. 18, 2023. Holsey called the aid program “cycle-breaking” for Indigenous youth. Photo by Cara Lombardo /THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

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MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Indigenous students from any of Wisconsin’s 11 tribes will be able to attend the University of Wisconsin-Madison for free beginning next fall, Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin announced Monday.

The Wisconsin Tribal Education Promise program will use private donations and other internal funding to cover tuition, fees, housing, meals, books and other expenses for undergraduate students after they’ve applied any other scholarships and grants they’ve earned, Mnookin said at a news conference. Students must show they’re enrolled tribal members to qualify.

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