PART II - Happy 2022 Indigenous Peoples' Day! - Raymond "Two Hawks" Watson
Raymond "Two Hawks" Watson, MINDSETTER™
PART II - Happy 2022 Indigenous Peoples' Day! - Raymond "Two Hawks" Watson
As a quick refresher, I am resharing a series of posts I made in 2020 related to the Indigenous Peoples' Day in Rhode Island. Additionally, 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.
Happy 2022 Indigenous Peoples' Day!
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLAST
Post 4
The years after the King Philips War were hard for Rhode Island-based Indian Nations. Survivors that did not find shelter with the Niantic (who had remained neutral during the war) fled north or west, were sold into the “West Indies” as slaves, or were “indentured” by groups such as the Narragansett Planters, the wealthy and prominent plantation owners of the South County region then known as “Narragansett Country.” All of the survivors were forced to assimilate by taking on Christian names, many of which remain prominent among local Narragansett families today.
Disputes began to arise between the Narragansett families and Niantic royal lines over the sale of traditional lands and a number of petitions were sent to the State requesting that the sales be stopped. Seizing upon this internal discord, in 1881, in violation of the Non-intercourse Act, the State of Rhode Island illegally detribalized the Narragansett Indians under the auspices that they had too much negro blood to be considered real Indians anymore, and rolls were established to determine who would receive a portion of the proceeds for the sale of the remainder of the Narragansett lands. A reservation was established and families acknowledged on the 1881 rolls were given specific plots of land for their usage. It appeared that the State had successfully taken care of its Indian problem.
Post 5
Due to ongoing racism and lack of opportunities available for Indians in the south county region, after the Detribalization of 1881 many Narragansett and Pokanoket families migrated back to their traditional lands in the Providence area. Strong communities were reestablished in the West Elmwood and Lippit Hill neighborhoods of the City of Providence. In keeping with the traditional culture, in the early 20th century the Nahaganset Chiefdom was reestablished in the Providence area by the Micheal line, who were acknowledged as one of the last full blood Narragansett lines in the region.
During this time, Sachem Wayaàwi (Chief Sunset) came to prominence and was highly regarded among the local tribes as a traditional leader for the Nahaganset people. Wayaàwi, the son of Mary Champlin and Brister Michael, the last Council Chief of the Narragansett Indians forced to sign off on the 1881 detribalization, became the prominent Nahaganset Sachem of the area and was also a traditional Pauwau (medicine man).
In an article entitled “Tea at Sunset Cottage” which appears in the first volume of the “Narragansett Dawn,” the official publication of the Narragansett Indian Tribe, Chief Pinetree and Princess Minnetonka visit the Sachem at his home in Providence to request his blessing and support for their efforts to reestablish the Tribe in the south county region. True to his character and love for his people, Wayaàwi encouraged Pinetree and Minnetonka to unite, rather than form small factions, and emphatically stated “[A]s long as ... one drop of Narragansett blood exists ... may the Narragansett Tribe never die ....”
Post 6
Despite the many challenges that have faced the American Indian communities of Rhode Island, the true story is one of perseverance and determination. Nothing depicts these characteristics more than the Algonquin Indian Council, which was formed during the early 20th century.
The Algonquin Indian Council was established during the era of the national Pan-Indian movement and was focused on raising awareness about and support for all of the New England region Tribal Nations and communities. Leaders from the Pocasset, Nipmuc, Pokanoket, Narragansett, and other Tribal Nations joined together in an intertribal effort to create an Indian school, advocate for American Indian issues, support political candidates, and host cultural events and demonstrations to ensure that the State of Rhode Island and beyond was well aware that “Eniskeetompoag!” the aboriginal nations of the lands now called New England were still here.
As this [ ] Indigenous People’s Day comes to a close let us pledge to honor the spirit of these great American Indian leaders who, despite all of the odds against them, conducted themselves with dignity and respect, and remained a tangible example of what true leadership is when striving to keep one’s culture and traditions alive. Let this be the manner in which we all continue the fight for righteousness and to create a better future for the generations to come after us. Aho.