Aug 23, 2007 10:00 pm US/Eastern
Tribe Wants Holy Ground In Mashpee Protected
by Joe Shortsleeve
BOSTON (WBZ) ―
-
-
The Mashpee Wampanoag tribe want the government to declare hundreds of acres of land in Middleboro as an independent reservation.
CBS
A major step toward building the first casino in Massachusetts is just days away. Early next week the Mashpee Wampanoag tribe will ask the federal government to declare hundreds of acres of land in Middleboro as an independent reservation.
The tribe also wants hundreds of acres of land in Mashpee protected forever.
"The legend behind the spirit fire is that the smoke is alerting the creator to get ready to accept another Wampanoag spirit," said Wampanoag chair Glenn Marshall.
For the Wampanoag Indian tribe, the Mashpee Cemetery is holy ground and the Cape Cod grave yard covers about 50 acres, dating back to the 1600s.
So what does a graveyard have to do with a possible Indian casino?
Well, the tribe has already purchased 550 acres of land 40 miles from Mashpee in the town of Middleboro and is planning to build a massive casino resort.
That Middleboro property needs to be put in a special protective trust for the tribe by the United States government.
In addition to the huge parcel of land in Middleboro, WBZ has learned that early next week the tribe will ask the federal government to take hundreds of acres of land here in Mashpee in trust as well, including the sacred Indian burial ground.
"It means it can never ever be taken from the tribe again. It is in trust to the tribe and for the tribe," Marshall said.
In return, for about nine parcels of land in Mashpee covering about 200 acres, the tribe is promising never to build a casino there.
That will only happen in Middleboro. The tribe is still waiting for the governor's support.
Marshall said he is optimistic.
The federal government could say "yes," taking land from state and local control in Mashpee and Middleboro and designating it as an independent Indian reservation.
Mashpee residents will vote on the land transfers this fall. If approved, it would be the first time land on the main cape became part of an Indian reservation.
(© MMVII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
Click to enlarge
Stumble It!
Comments