SACRED AND HISTORIC SITES

WHAT DOES UNCAS' CABIN, UNCAS' SPRING, UNCAS'' CAVE, FORT HILL AND THE PARSONAGE ALL HAVE IN COMMON? THEY ARE ALL SACRED AND HISTORIC SITES ON LAND THAT THE MOHEGAN PEOPLE DO NOT OWN.

YEARS AGO I WORKED ON A PETITION TO SAVE THESE SITES. WE NEVER SENT THE PETITION FORWARD BECAUSE WE (THE TRIBAL MEMBERS) FELT THAT THE TRIBE DID NOT HAVE THE MONEY. NOW YEARS LATER, THE TRIBE IS EVEN DEEPER IN DEBT AND WE STILL DO NOT OWN THESE HISTORIC SITES.

AT THE TIME, THE TRIBAL COUNCIL CHAIRMAN AND I WENT OUT TO MANY OF THE HISTORIC SITES. HE WAS REALLY INTERESTED IN THESE SITES. NOTHING WAS EVER DONE THOUGH.

MAYBE WITH THE FUTURE EXPANSION, THE TRIBAL GOVERNMENT COULD LOOK INTO POSSIBLY PURCHASING SOME OF THESE PROPERTIES.

THAT BRINGS US TO ANOTHER ISSUE, MAYBE THE COUNCIL OF ELDERS DUTIES IN THE CONSTITUTION SHOULD INCLUDE THAT THEY HAVE CONTROL OVER SACRED AND HISTORIC LANDS. I REALIZE THAT THIS WOULD POSSIBLY BE A CONFLICT WITH THE LAND MANAGEMENT (UNDER THE TRIBAL COUNCIL.) AN EXAMPLE HAPPENED YEARS AGO WHEN SOIL WAS TAKEN FROM SHANTOK BY THE POND TO PUBLIC WORKS WHICH TECHNICALLY IS ALSO SHANTOK. IF THE ELDERS HAD CONTROL OVER SACRED AND HISTORIC SITES, THEN THEY COULD HAVE PROTECTED THESE THINGS IF IT WAS NEEDED.

THERE ARE ONLY A HANDFUL OF HISTORIC AND SACRED SITES THAT WE KNOW OF. AT ONE TIME THERE MAY HAVE BEEN HUNDREDS. I THINK IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT WE TRY TO PURCHASE AND PROTECT THESE SITES.

EDITORIAL FOOTNOTE: WE RECENTLY CHECKED UNCAS' CABIN AND UNCAS' SPRING, THEY WERE UNDISTURBED AND IN GOOD SHAPE.