res25284

R 284

2025 -- S 1034
Enacted 05/07/2025

S E N A T E R E S O L U T I O N

SUPPORTING THE RECOGNITION OF THE POKANOKET TRIBE AS THE ANCIENT AND ONGOING STEWARDS OF THEIR ANCESTRAL HOMELAND, AND ACKNOWLEDGING THEIR CENTRAL ROLE IN SHAPING THE REGION'S PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE

Introduced By: Senators Ujifusa, Urso, Britto, McKenney, Gu, Appollonio, Sosnowski, Raptakis, DiPalma, and Murray

Date Introduced: May 07, 2025

WHEREAS, The Pokanoket Tribe is the ancient and continuous steward of the lands now

known as Bristol, Warren, Barrington, East Providence, and parts of Providence, including Mount

Hope (Montaup), the seat of Pokanoket government and the home of Massasoit (Great Sachem)

Ousamequin; and

WHEREAS, The Pokanoket Tribe was the headship tribe of the Pokanoket Confederacy,

which included over 60 Tribes and Bands united by cultural, linguistic, and historical ties, and

continue to uphold traditions, protect sacred sites, and revitalize languages across Rhode Island

and southeastern Massachusetts; and

WHEREAS, The Pokanoket people developed sophisticated systems of governance,

diplomacy, and environmental stewardship long before European contact, values they continue to

uphold through formal tribal structures and spiritual practice; and

WHEREAS, In 1524, Italian explorer Giovanni da Verrazzano described the Pokanoket

peoples at Mount Hope Bay as “the goodliest people” he had seen, noting their strength, dignity,

and generosity; and

WHEREAS, In March 1621, Massasoit Ousamequin entered into a treaty with the

Plymouth Colony, ensuring mutual protection and peaceful coexistence that lasted for more than

fifty years; and

WHEREAS, The Pokanoket sheltered and nursed an ailing Roger Williams back to

health, contributing to the founding of Rhode Island in 1636; and

WHEREAS, Massasoit Ousamequin was laid to rest at Burr’s Hill in Warren, Rhode

Island, a sacred site, and in 2017, the Wampanoag Repatriation Confederation secured the return

of sacred items from the Smithsonian under the 1990 federal Native American Graves Protection

and Repatriation Act; and

WHEREAS, Members of the Pokanoket tribe, including Simeon Simon in 1781, served

in the Revolutionary War, fighting with American soldiers; and

WHEREAS, Throughout the 20th and 21st centuries, Pokanoket leaders like Princess

Red Wing (Mary E. Glasko Congdon), Frederick Weeden, and Sagamore William “Winds of

Thunder” Guy have advanced Indigenous rights, cultural preservation, and sovereignty, including

helping to secure the return of sacred lands from Brown University in 2017; and

WHEREAS, The Pokanoket Tribe continues to engage in educational initiatives, land

stewardship, and cultural celebrations across their homeland, ensuring their history remains vital

to Rhode Island’s identity; and

WHEREAS, In 2021, the Tribe marked the 400th anniversary of the 1621 treaty, and

dealing with centuries of challenges, including the erosion of land rights, broken treaties, and

unfulfilled promises—with enduring strength and resilience; and

WHEREAS, In November 2024, Brown University, as part of its commitment to

preserving the land and ensuring sustainable access for Native tribes with ties to it, transferred

ownership of 255 acres of its Mount Hope property in Bristol to a preservation trust established

by the Pokanoket Tribe; and

WHEREAS, This land holds significant ancestral importance for the Tribe, being the

home of Metacom (King Philip) and the site of his death during King Philip's War, and the

transfer ensures access to this historically and spiritually vital land and water; now, therefore be it

RESOLVED, That this Senate of the State of Rhode Island hereby supports the

recognition of the Pokanoket Tribe as the ancient and ongoing steward of its ancestral homeland,

and acknowledges its central role in shaping the region’s past, present, and future; and be it

further

RESOLVED, That this Senate hereby honors the Pokanoket Tribe’s ancestors and living

descendants, and commits to promoting and protecting their cultural heritage, sacred lands, and

rightful place in Rhode Island history; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to

transmit duly certified copies of this resolution to the Honorable Senator Jack Reed, the

Honorable Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, the Honorable Congressman Seth Magaziner, the

Honorable Congressman Gabe Amo, the Honorable Governor Dan McKee, the Honorable Lt.

Governor Sabina Matos, the Honorable Treasurer James Diossa, the Honorable Secretary of State

Gregg Amore, and Sagamore William Guy.

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LC002775

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