Social Media Actions
Earth Day April, 22: Post this picture on social media calling for the protection of Mashpee lands on Earth Day, with this message:"Happy Earth Day! The protection of Indigenous rights = the protection of Mother Earth. Join the good fight in Protecting the Mashpee Wampanoag Lands! Tell a friend, spread the word, Contact your senators to support HR 312 today! More info here: tinyurl.com/mw-webinar #StandwithMashpee" (copy and paste photo into your Facebook post).
April 26: Asking others to light sacred fires on May 3 to stop the judge from taking away lands in the upcoming trial. “The Trump Admin is trying to erase Native American lands amid the Covid-19 pandemic. This Sunday, May 3rd, I am going to light my sacred fire in solidarity with the Mashpee Wampanoag tribe in a prayer protest. Their big hearing is May 7th when the judge hears Mashpee pleas for the safeguarding of their last 321 acres." #StandWithMashpee
May 3: Post a picture of your fire/candle along with this blurb. "This fire represents our collective #PrayerProtests and I stand in Solidarity with the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe and all other tribes fighting to maintain their homelands. I oppose the Department of the Interiors decision to disestablish Tribal Reservations Lands".
May 7: Keep an eye out for instructions to either celebrate the judge's decision to protect lands or decry the judge’s decision to assault lands.
November: Watch for a major Thanksgiving Day action we will plan for this 400th anniversary. https://www.plymouth400inc.org
Letter Writing Instructions
Find the contact information for your Senator
Here is a sample letter that you can adapt to your letter to the Senate:
The Honorable ___________________
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510
Dear Senator,
I am writing to express my deep disappointment with the March 27th, 2020 decision by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Secretary of the Interior to disestablish the reservation land of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe. As your constituent, I am urging you to vote in favor of H.R. 312 Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe Reservation Reaffirmation Act in the utmost timely manner.
The Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe is located on Cape Cod Massachusetts and has roughly 2,800 tribal citizens- many of whom fall below the national and state low-income levels. Their reservation land is a critical component to continue to qualify for federal and state funding; to continue to build homes for their community, operate their language school, food pantry, emergency response department and most importantly keep the doors open to their community and government center.
This was a heartless decision made in the midst of a global epidemic without the consideration of its impact on the future of the Mashpee Wampanoag families and children. As my Senator, it is your responsibility to ensure the Federal Government is complying with their Trust Responsibility to ALL Native American Tribes and that ALL TRIBES ARE TREATED EQUALLY AND FAIRLY.
Thank You
*Courtesy of Heron-Hill LLC
Support Links for Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe
Petition in Support of H.R. 312 Mashpee Reservation Reaffirmation Act
Wôpanâak Language Reclamation Project
#StandwithMashpee T-shirts
SNEUCC Statement Released on Mashpee Wampanoag Disestablishment