Native American tribes in Massachusetts

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Historic tribal territories of Southern England, ca. 16th century

Native American tribes in Massachusetts are the Native American tribes and their reservations that existed historically and those that still exist today in what is now the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. A Narragansett term for this region is Ninnimissinuok.[1]

Federally recognized tribes[]

Historic Wampanoag territory, ca. 1620

Massachusetts has two federally recognized tribes. They have met the seven criteria of an American Indian tribe: being an American Indian entity since at least 1900, a predominant part of the group forms a distinct community and has done so throughout history into the present; holding political influence over its members, having governing documents including membership criteria, members having ancestral descent from historic American Indian tribes, not being members of other existing federally recognized tribes, and not being previously terminated by the U.S. Congress.[2]

State-recognized tribes[]

State-recognized tribes do not have the government-to-government relationship with the United States federal government that federally recognized tribes do. The state has developed a formal process for state recognition, and Massachusetts has one state-recognized tribe.

American Indian reservations[]

These are four Indian Reservations in Massachusetts.

Historical tribes of Massachusetts[]

These are some of the tribes that have existed in what is now Massachusetts. Most no longer exist as functioning American Indian tribes within the state; however, some are tribes in other states or in Canada.

  • Mahican tribe, from New York but some migrated to Massachusetts in the late 17th century[5]
  • Nauset tribe, also known as Cape Indians, Cape Cod[5]
  • Pennacook tribe, northeastern Massachusetts and southern New Hampshire,[5] descendants may be part of the Odanak First Nation in Quebec, Canada. Other descendants moved to the praying towns of Wamesit and Natick.
  • Pocomtuc tribe, also Deerfield Indians, western Massachusetts
  • Wampanoag tribe, Rhode Island to south edge of Massachusetts Bay[5]

More than 20 organizations claim to represent historic tribes within Massachusetts; however, these groups are unrecognized, meaning they do not meet the minimum criteria of a federally recognized tribe[3] or a state-recognized tribe.[6]

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ Weinstein, L. (1997). "Book Reviews" (PDF). Western Connecticut State University. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
  2. ^ Newland, Bryan (12 July 2012). "Federal Tribal Recognition". Office of Congressional and Legislative Affairs. US Department of the Interior. Retrieved 23 November 2021.
  3. ^ a b c d Bureau of Indian Affairs, Interior (29 January 2021). "Indian Entities Recognized by and Eligible To Receive Services From the United States Bureau of Indian Affairs". Federal Register. 86 FR 7554: 7554–58.
  4. ^ "State-Recognized Tribes". National Conference of State Legislatures. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r Brooks, Rebecca Beatrice. "Native American Tribes in Massachusetts". History of Massachusetts. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
  6. ^ "State Recognized Tribes". National Conference of State Legislatures. Retrieved 6 November 2021.
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