Pocasset Wampanoag Tribe of the Pokanoket Nation Reclaims 40 Acres of Native Land in Tiverton, Rhode Island

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Rematriation of historic land proves critical for the livelihoods and sustainability of the tribe; to be open to indigenous communities for traditional practices

Cranston, RI., Dec. 16, 2024 – The Pocasset Wampanoag Tribe of the Pokanoket Nation today announced the reclaiming of nearly 40 acres of historic land in Tiverton, Rhode Island, bringing the total amount of recovered tribal land to over 50 acres. The rematriation of the land––the site of The Battle in Tiverton during King Philip’s War––was made possible through an Open Space Grant provided by the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) awarded to the Pocasset Pokanoket Land Trust (PPLT) in collaboration with Bally’s Tiverton Hotel and Casino. PPLT intends to open the land to other historic indigenous clans of all Pocasset villages as a site of traditional native rituals, including hunting, fishing, foraging, harvesting, and ceremonial practices.

According to Britannica, more than 56 million acres of land exist as Native American reservations today, only accounting for about two percent of the ancestral indigenous land that the United States occupies.

“As the site of King Philip’s War––one of the most devastating conflicts to native people in American history––this land represents a significant ancestral heartbeat to the Pocasset Pokanoket people,” said Chief George Spring Buffalo, Chairman of the Pocasset Tribe of the Pokanoket Nation. “This land is more than soil and trees—it is the spirit of our ancestors and the promise of our future. To have it returned to us is to reclaim a piece of our identity, a place where our stories, ceremonies, and way of life can thrive again. We honor this gift with gratitude and a commitment to steward it as our forebears did, with respect for all living things.”

This particular parcel contains a portion of a large Atlantic White Cedar swamp, a globally imperiled forest type with an extensive history of commercial harvesting. The DEM Open Space Grant Program provides funding assistance for meaningful land conservation projects at the local level, prioritizing land with high natural resource value and placing an emphasis on preserving the natural heritage of Rhode Island. As a result of the remediation of this property, the swamp and surrounding land will be held in conservation in perpetuity.

“We are excited to be working in partnership with the Pocasset Pokanoket Land Trust and the Pocasset Wampanoag Tribe of the Pokanoket Nation and believe firmly in this project and the benefit of protecting the Pocasset Cedar Swamp,” added DEM Director Terry Gray. “Rhode Islanders are proud to be a diverse people and celebrate our tribal communities. We are thrilled to play a small role in the return of this land as well as the renewal of hope for the Pocasset Pokanoket people.”

In addition to opening the land up to ancestral rituals and ceremonies, hunting & fishing indigenous means of conservation––including soil remediation, forest thinning, wildlife rehabilitation, traditional burns, and water quality testing, guided historical tours––will take place on the land in order to improve and conserve the damaged ecosystem.

About The Pocasset Pokanoket Land Trust

The Pocasset Pokanoket Land Trust (PPLT) is a tribally-led non-profit dedicated to reconnecting communities of American Indian tribes, clans, Urban Indians, and indigenous people across the Northeast. We embody an American Indian cosmology that holds Mother Earth and all living beings with deep reverence. As mindful caretakers of the land for all future generations, we teach our descendants to honor the connection to Earth, Sky, Water and to the Creator.

Read DEM Press Release

 

Pocasset Pokanoket Land Trust to Partner with USDA and Rhode Island DEM to Support Private Forestland Management and Conservation

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The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced awards of nearly $335 million to strengthen financial incentives for private forest landowners to manage their forests sustainably and to permanently conserve private forests in partnership with states. The funding was made possible thanks to investments from the Biden-Harris Administration’s Inflation Reduction Act.

“Forests provide innumerable benefits to people and communities, and private forestlands make up more than half of all forests in the U.S.,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “Thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act, we are helping to provide the resources private forest landowners need to keep working forests working so that future generations of Americans will be able to enjoy all the benefits they provide.”

Of the total funding, nearly $210 million was awarded as competitive grants to state agencies, for-profit entities and a broad array of non-profit organizations. These investments support activities like connecting underserved and small acreage landowners with emerging climate markets, state-endorsed cost share payment programs for forest management on private land, and state and non-profit programs that issue payments to landowners for practices that increase carbon sequestration and storage.

Read Full Story

 

USDA Funding Supports Northeast Native Americans

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The Pocasset Pokanoket Land Trust (PPLT) is a Tribally led nonprofit organization committed to reconnecting and empowering various Indigenous peoples throughout the Northeast. The Land Trust acts as a catalyst for change, addressing critical issues related to land reclamation and food insecurity for the Pocasset Wampanoag tribe and other marginalized communities. Through its targeted initiatives, PPLT empowers communities across New England to reclaim agricultural practices and enhance local food sovereignty. These efforts not only improve access to fresh, healthy food but also foster a sense of community and cultural pride among Indigenous peoples in the Northeast.

A key element of PPLT’s efforts is funding from the 2501 Program, a U.S Department of Agriculture (USDA) program designed to support outreach and assistance for underserved farmers and ranchers. This funding has been crucial in helping the land trust cultivate valuable partnerships. Collaborations with organizations such as Global Village and the Northeast Organic Farming Association have expanded PPLT’s reach, enabling the implementation of mentorship programs and the creation of meaningful community connections. Additionally, PPLT has engaged in extensive grant partnerships with the USDA, including multiple grants from the National Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) and the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program (BFRDP) through the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA).

“Leveraging the 2501 Program funding, BFRDP, and NRCS grants has created a functional series of programs that we would never have had otherwise,” said Nathan Erwin, Director of Agriculture and Land Stewardship at PPLT. His work focuses on harnessing relational power to facilitate access to land, promote farm equity, and expand agroecological knowledge.

The organization is focused on improving Indigenous food sovereignty through several initiatives, including community gardens, mentorship programs for local farmers and marketing strategies for Indigenous produce.

“It is essential to have grants, partnerships, and networks because we can’t do this alone,” said Erwin. “Nonprofits need to collaborate to strengthen and build a more robust and sustainable food system for the future.”

Ocean Hour Farm Awards Grant to PPLT for Indigenous Food Sovereignty Program

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Ocean Hour Farm in Newport, RI has chosen Indigenous Roots Forever Food Sovereignty Program as an awardee in support of its traditional gardening practices and transition mentoring goals in Rhode Island and Connecticut. The grant will ensure regenerative farming skill development among tribal participants by training them to grow their own produce for five months of the year and build more economic self-sufficiency among families.

Ocean Hour Farm is a center for education, scientific research and regenerative farming practices, with emphasis on the connection between land and ocean; the grant program funds efforts to fill knowledge and infrastructure gaps to accelerate and support an inclusive transition to regenerative and traditional land management in our local food-and-fiber shed.

Narragansett Clan Chief Musquant Nompashim Netas (Rocky Johnson) will continue to provide leadership on the project, mentoring his son and tribal member, Bow Johnson. Bow will now be able to assist and carry on the legacy of their tribal roots, with a spirit of cooperation and community.

PPLT to partner with the Institute for Local Self-Reliance on Composting Program

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The Pocasset Pokanoket Land Trust (PPLT) received a grant from the Institute of Self-Reliance (ILSR) to increase community composting efforts within PPLT’s Indigenous Food Sovereignty Program. PPLT was one of 10 awardees selected from a competitive pool of applicants across New England.

The Institute for Local Self-Reliance, founded in 1974, is a national research, advocacy, and technical assistance organization that empowers communities to take charge of their local resources, economies, and environmental future. Through its Composting for Community Initiative, ILSR promotes distributed and diverse local composting across the country, aiming to cut food loss, enhance soils and watersheds, support local food production, and protect the climate while addressing community prosperity and equity.

“We are grateful for this new partnership with the Institute for Local Self-Resiliency as composting is very important to our program,” says Musquant Nompashim Netas, Chief of the Ninigret Nehantick Nahaganset Clan and Leader of the Indigenous Food Sovereignty Program. “Composting is recycling. When we feed the Earth, the Earth will feed us.”

Learn More About the Awards

 

Sharing the Story of the Pocasset Pokanoket Land Trust

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Chief George Spring Buffalo (Sequan Pijaki), Founder and Executive Director of the Pocasset Pokanoket Land Trust and Daryl Black Eagle Jamieson (Suki Wompsikuk), Board Member of the Pocasset Pokanoket Land Trust discuss how the RI Foundation’s first grant was directed to hiring Chris Richards, a grant writer, who brought in $1.5M in funding. Also cited is Rocky Johnson, (Musquant Nompashim Netas), Chief of the Ninigret Nehantick Nahaganset Clan. Rocky leads the PPLT’s Indigenous Food Sovereignty program, serving marginalized communities in Rhode Island and Connecticut.

Boston Foundation to Partner with Pocasset Pokanoket Land Trust on Direct Services Program

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The Pocasset Pokanoket Land Trust has received a $50,000 grant from the Boston Foundation to provide direct assistance to families in Eastern Massachusetts.

“This grant will help our Tribal and BIPOC communities struggling to keep up with the historic rise in food, electricity and housing costs,” said Chief Sequan Pijaki, aka Chief George Spring Buffalo. “We are grateful for this partnership with the Boston Foundation.”

Established in 1915, the Boston Foundation is one of the largest community foundations in the nation—with net assets of $1.8 billion. Funds for this grant come from the Boston Foundation’s Fund for Boston’s Future, an endowed pool of funds built over more than a century by generous contributors who want to help the Greater Boston community thrive. The Food, Fuel, and Shelter Fund is designed to support social service organizations that respond to essential needs for marginalized communities and vulnerable residents in Greater Boston.

“The Pocasset Pokanoket Land trust plays a unique and vital role caring for the rights and wellbeing of indigenous communities on the ancestral lands upon which Greater Boston stands today,” said Orlando Watkins, Vice President and Chief Program Officer of the Boston Foundation. “Experience has shown the powerful role direct cash assistance can have in support of families, and we are proud to be able to support their effort to provide such assistance to indigenous people across Massachusetts.”

Rhode Island Foundation to Partner with PPLT on Indigenous Food Sovereignty Program

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The Rhode Island Foundation has awarded the Pocasset Pokanoket Land Trust a one-year Responsive Grant to support the Indigenous Food Sovereignty work in Southern Rhode Island. Program activities include building backyard gardens for Indigenous families and training the families in caring for the gardens using traditional practices. The initiative is headed by Musquant Nompashim Netas, leader of the Ninigret Nehantic Nahaganset Clan and Chief Sequan Pijaki, Chairman of the Pocasset Wampanoag Tribe.

The Rhode Island Foundation is the state’s largest funder of RI nonprofit organizations. It was organized at the Rhode Island Hospital Trust Co. in June 1916 by a small group of prominent Rhode Islanders and was modeled after the first community foundation established in Cleveland. The Foundation’s Responsive Grant program supports initiatives that address urgent community needs. The grants are awarded to organizations across the nonprofit sector – regardless of the subject-matter or area of need that they focus on.

“Once again, we are grateful for our partnership with the Rhode Island Foundation,” said Chief Sequan Pijaki. “Their consistent support has really helped us grow our land, farm, and food programs throughout the state.”

 

Historic Westport Farm Comes Back to Life

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Photo by Merri Cyr; Article Ted Hayed in East Bay RI Newsletter

Wainer Farm was once owned by Paul Cuffe

A lot of people don’t know about Native American culture; they may be interested, but they don’t know where to learn. And so we wanted to tie it all in together. – Robert Cox

Over the last five decades, vines and thickets real and metaphorical have all but claimed the old Wainer Farm on Drift Road, closing off and choking out an irreplaceable piece of Westport’s history.

But now, a descendent of the prominent Westport family that purchased the farm from Paul Cuffe 225 years ago this year is working to reclaim the land from time’s weeds.

Robert Cox, a Pocasset Pokanoket, has spent the past year working on a plan to resurrect the old farm, which today totals about 52 acres but was once three times that size, running west from the East Branch of the Westport River all the way to Main Road.

Though it has been fallow for years, the farm holds an important place in early Westport history.

Paul Cuffe, the noted African American businessman, sailor and Quaker who founded the nation’s first integrated school in Westport, purchased the property for his business partner and brother-in-law, Michael Wainer, and sister Mary Wainer, in 1799, and sold it to Michael in 1800. Once worked as an operating farm, the property has remained in the Wainer family ever since and today is owned by an LLC comprised of Wainer descendents George Wortham Jr., Jesse Williams III and Jessye Williams, Cox’s cousins.

After learning about his roots over the past several years, Cox has found himself as the lead person on the restoration effort, which will see the property take on a new role.

A fireman by trade, he has spent about a year working to clear the land, establish relationships with non-profits, the town, educators and others, like foresters and botanists, and hopes to turn the property into a historical and environmental education center, meeting place and a place of peaceful, quiet reflection.

“We want to share the history of the family, the history of the tribe, and just have a general gathering place where people can network and get in touch with the land,” he said.

“Since the 1700s there has always been community back up there — it’s always been a gathering spot. So I wanted to bring back that concept, to be able to teach and share somewhere where children and parents can come and learn. A lot of people don’t know about Native American culture; they may be interested, but they don’t know where to learn. And so we wanted to tie it all in together.”

How that mission is served remains to be seen, as it will take many more months for Cox’s vision to come into focus. But he hopes to develop relationships with area environmental organizations like the Buzzards Bay Coalition, and farmers and others, and set up a series of outdoor classrooms where people can learn about herbal medicine, foraging, botany and farming. Further, there are plans to make the land available to others who wish to use it and whose goal jibes with the owners’, valuing education, respect for history, and the environment.

“We plan on having a lot of events, not just for tribal members, but for everybody,” he said. “It’s going to take time, and it’s going to take money. But we want to be able to give people who come out of there something more than they came in with whether it’s understanding, the opening of eyes, or something as simple as a recipe, a medicinal plant they didn’t know about, or a relaxed mind.”

Betty Slade, a Westport historian who knew Cox’s father well, said his stewardship over the land has been inspiring, after having seen it sit unused for so long. She said it’s not surprising he’s been received with open arms by local environmental and historical organizations, and many of his neigbhbors, as he seeks to open up and preserve the land and establish programming and a public presence there.

“It’s remarkable what he’s done in such a short amount of time,” she said. “It’s been really great to see, and very exciting.”

If you’d like to read more about the land, Paul Cuffe, or Cox’s plans, see paulcuffe.org or pocassetpokanoket.com.

PPLT Receives Community Grant to Host Big Drum Powwow in Tiverton

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The Pocasset Pokanoket Land Trust (PPLT) received a Community Grant from the Rhode Island Foundation to host a Big Drum Powwow in Tiverton. The local community will be invited to the event in the hope of bringing Native and non-Native people closer together.

The Rhode Island Foundation is the state’s largest funder of RI nonprofit organizations. It was organized at the Rhode Island Hospital Trust Co. in June 1916 by a small group of prominent Rhode Islanders and was modeled after the first community foundation established in Cleveland two years earlier. The Foundation’s Community Grants program supports community-making efforts that make unique and important things happen at the intersection of people and places.

“We are grateful for the RI Foundation for supporting this endeavor and look forward to sharing our traditions,” says Chief Sequan Pijaki, Chairman of the Pocasset Wampanoag Tribe of the Pokanoket Nation and founder of PPLT.