PICKING THE NEXT SACHEM

WE (THE MOHEGAN TRIBE) WILL VOTE TO PUT FOUR NEW MEMBERS INTO THE COUNCIL OF ELDERS THIS ELECTION. THEY WILL BE INSTALLED ON WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2008. THE SAME DATE AS THE ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF THE DEATH OF OUR BELOVED CHIEF RALPH STURGES,(CHIEF G'TINE'MONG).

I HAVE BEEN INFORMED THAT THE NEXT COUNCIL PLANS TO APPOINT THE NEXT CHIEF.

IN THE CONSTITUTION OF THE MOHEGAN TRIBE, ARTICLE X- POWERS AND DUTIES OF THE COUNCIL OF ELDERS , SECTION 2 (d) "TO APPOINT AND DEFINE ALL RELIGIOUS AND CEREMONIAL POSITIONS, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO MEDICINE PERSON, CHIEF OR SACHEM, PIPE CARRIER, TRIBAL HISTORIAN, SAGAMORES, NONNERS, FIRE KEEPERS, ETC.; THE PERSONS SO APPOINTED TO SAID POSITIONS SHALL ACT UNDER THE SUPERSION OF, AND SUBJECT TO THE REMOVAL BY, THE COUNCIL OF ELDERS, AND SHALL FULFILL THEIR RESPECTIVE DUTIES IN ACCORDANCE WITH TRADITIONAL MOHEGAN CUSTOMS AND TRADITIONS:"

THE FIRST SACHEM OF THE MOHEGANS WAS UNCAS. THE UNCAS FAMILY WERE THE SACHEMS UNTIL ISAIAH UNCAS (THE SON OF BEN UNCAS III) DIED IN 1770. WE DID NOT HAVE ANOTHER SACHEM OR CHIEF UNTIL 1902, WHEN HENRY MATTHEWS BECAME CHIEF. CORTLAND E. FOWLER (LITTLE HATCHET) BECAME CHIEF BEING VOTED IN AT THE MOHEGAN CHURCH 1970-1991. RALPH STURGES WAS FIRST VOTED IN AS CHIEF IN THE MOHEGAN CHURCH BY THE MEMBERS OF THE MOHEGAN TRIBE IN ATTENDANCE. A BALLOT WAS SENT TO THE MEMBERSHIP AND RALPH GOT A MAJORITY VOTE. ALSO ON THE BALLOT WAS TO MAKE EMMA T. BAKER (MEDICINE PERSON) POSTHUMOUS, AND GLADYS TANTAQUIDGEON, (MEDICINE PERSON) , BOTH GOT ELECTED.

NOTE THE TRIBE DID NOT HAVE A CHIEF FOR A PERIOD OF ONE HUNDRED THIRTY TWO (132) YEARS.

ON TALKING TO COUNCIL OF ELDERS, I FEEL THEY BELIEVE THAT THE CONSTITUTION SAYS THEY SHOULD PICK THE NEXT CHIEF AND THAT THEY WILL DO IT BECAUSE THEY FEEL IT IS THEIR DUTY. THEY FEEL THEY SHOULD NOT SHIRK THEIR DUTIES.

RALPH STURGES WAS A GREAT LEADER. WHEN YOU WOULD PAST HIS OFFICE HE WOULD ALWAYS SAY COME AND TALK AWHILE. HE ALWAYS HAD TIME FOR THE MEMBERS, THEIR CONCERNS WERE HIS CONCERNS. HE WAS AN EXAMPLE, OF WHAT WE SHOULD WANT OUR CHIEFS OF THE FUTURE TO BE..

AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THIS ARTICLE, THE CONSTITUTION SAYS THAT COUNCIL OF ELDERS CAN APPOINT THE NEXT CHIEF. HOWEVER IF YOU CHECK OUR HISTORY, TRADITION, AND CULTURE YOU WILL FIND IT IS NOT THE WAY IT SHOULD BE DONE. WE SHOULD DO WHAT MOHEGAN PEOPLE HAVE DONE BEFORE . NOT SOMETHING NEW MANDATED BY THE CONSTITUTION CREATED IN 1996..

WHY DO WE NEED TO PICK A CHIEF RIGHT NOW? WHY CAN'T THE TRIBE BE ALLOWED TO PICK THE NEXT CHIEF INSTEAD OF SEVEN INDIVIDUALS?

TRIBAL MEMBERS THINK ABOUT WHETHER WE WANT TO GO WITH TRADITION, CULTURE, AND HISTORY OR DO WE WANT TO GO WITH THE NEW COSNTITUTION?