Happy 2022 Indigenous Peoples' Day! - Raymond "Two Hawks" Watson
Raymond "Two Hawks" Watson, MINDSETTER™
Happy 2022 Indigenous Peoples' Day! - Raymond "Two Hawks" Watson
Given that the City of Providence Finance Committee is currently considering passage of the $10 million reparations budget, I think it is good to remind Rhode Islanders exactly what American Indians have endured and overcome dealing with the Ocean State.
In this regard, I am resharing a series of posts I made in 2020 related to the subject matter. There were a total of 6 posts that I made. I will post the first 3 this week and close out with the last three next week.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTHappy 2022 Indigenous Peoples' Day!
Post 1
Let’s start today’s discussion off with the State of Rhode Island’s Indian Day Act, passed by the General Assembly in 1936. The Act was passed because “No mention of [Rhode Island’s] early history is complete without a rehearsal of the significant place occupied by the Indian Tribes of Rhode Island, including the Narragansetts, Wampanoags, Nipmucs, Aquednecks and Niantics.” As you can see, the State has already acknowledged the fact that there has always been more than one tribe in the State. So why are we pushing a different narrative today?
It’s appropriate to note that what they are referring to as “Tribes” were actually highly complex Chiefdoms organized by clans and Tribes throughout the current boundaries of the State. Each Chiefdom had several villages of varying sizes and several Chiefs, men and women, that collectively governed the Chiefdom in a hierarchical fashion. It would also be appropriate to note that the proper term is Pokanoket, not Wampanoag.
As you celebrate Indigenous People’s Day today in Rhode Island, make sure that you are celebrating all of the indigenous diversity that has continually called these lands home. People don’t stop being American Indian because the federal government hasn’t recognized them. And you shouldn’t be looking to the federal government for approval for you to be who you are or for others to be who they are by blood.
Post 2
Sidney S. Rider was a notable Rhode Island historian who was inducted into the Rhode Island Hall of Fame in 2007. Rider created [a] map designating the traditional boundaries of the various Chiefdoms that traditionally called Rhode Island home. The map was entered by Act of Congress into the Library of Congress in 1903. Th[e] map is particularly significant because it details the political divisions among the “Nahiganset” (Narragansett) Chiefdom, which stretched from the Greenwich’s to Providence. The contemporary Narragansett Indian Tribe reservation is in Niantic territory.
Beginning in 1643 Pomham, the Sachem of Shawomet, and Socononoco the Sachem of Pawtuxet, formed a treaty with Mass Bay colony against Canonicus and Miantinomi due to ongoing disputes over the latter’s approval of European settlers use of lands in the northern territories (Shawomet and north). As a part of the treaty Mass Bay built a fort for Pomham in the Warwick Neck area, the remains of which can be still found today.
Pomham remained an autonomous Sachem of the Nahiganset Chiefdom, was paid deference to by Aguontis, the Sachem of Chaubatick, and other northern territory Sachemoag, and was also recognized by the colonies as a Principal Chief of the Nahiganset Chiefdom as late as the forced Treaty of neutrality in 1675–although Pomham refused to sign the treaty himself because he had no regard for the colonies. It was also said that outside of PoMetacom (King Philip) Pomham was the only other Sachem who had the respect to rally all of the nations against the European onslaught that took place during the King Philips War. Pomham was killed fighting valiantly for his lands and his Chiefdom on July 25, 1676 in Dedham Woods.
The main point is that since 1643 there has been separate political division between the northern Nahiganset Territories and the southern Nahiganset territories. Same blood, all related, but different leadership and deference paid by under Sachem to different Principal Sachem—a political division that continues to this day.
Post 3
Traditionally, in addition to smaller villages and camps throughout the lands, there were 9 principle villages of the Nanhigganeuck (Nahaganset/Nahiganset/Narragansett) Chiefdom. They consisted of Aquidneck, Chaubatick, Mittaubscut, Nahaganset, Pawchauquet, Pawtuxet, Ponaganset, Shawomet, and Mashapaug. Each of these Principle villages was governed by a particular Sachem and the Sachemoag as a whole paid deference to the Grand Sachem(s) of the Chiefdom. The Capitol of the Chiefdom was considered wherever the Grand Sachem of the time called home.
This is particularly significant to the settlement of Providence as the original boundaries given to Roger Williams by Minatinomi came about due to ongoing complaints and threats of attack by the Sachemoag of Neutoconkanut, Pawtuxet, and Mashapaug in response to the continued encroachment of European settlers into their village territories. In response to the Sachemoag’s concerns, Canonicus instructed Minatinomi to give Williams boundaries for usage. Legend holds that Minatinomi took Williams to the peak of Neutoconkanut Hill and directed Williams to settle himself on the eastern side of the Mosshassuck River. At the time these lands were under Pokanoket jurisdiction, the boundary being the Moshassuck River. In essence, Minatinomi solved the problem with the Nahaganset Sachem by instructing Williams and his followers to settle in Pokanoket territory.
The boundaries that Minatinomi gave are expressed in the “Original Deed” to Providence. However, it is important to note that any notion that Miantinomi “sold” anything to Williams is a patently false claim. The relationship is more properly and legally construed as a conveyance for usage, in the same manner that a Church may convey lands for use to their members. The specific boundaries were detailed from the Rivers and fields of Pawtuckquitt, to the great hill of Neutoconkanut, to the “Towne of Mashapauge.” What is clear is that Mashapaug had a significant population at the time, being acknowledged as both a boundary and as an Indian Town by European settlers.