05/01/2026
Thank you LOCAL SEEN for capturing yesterdays event. It was a packed house and a remarkable day for the Herring Pond Wampanoag Tribe, Wampanoag Nation and all indigenous people's of this region.
We gathered in Plymouth to celebrate our state recognition under Executive Order 637, and I want to begin by thanking the Town of Plymouth for welcoming our local Tribes and descendants with such care. The impactful words spoken, the key to the Town, the exchange of gifts, and the flag swap were powerful gestures of respect and partnership.
Our personal thanks goes our to the Plymouth Select Board, Chair David Golden, Vice Chair Dick Quintal, and Members Bill Keohan, Deb Iaquinto, and Kevin Canty, Town Manager Derek Brindisi, and Executive Assistant Jade for their words, support and presence yesterday.
To our state delegation, we cannot thank you enough. Senator Dylan Fernandes, Michelle Badger, Kathleen LaNatra, thank you for your wonderful words. Thank you as well to State Representative Dave Viera for attending, and to all other delegates and elected officials who either attended or supported this effort.
There are so many to thank, but I am grateful to our Tribal Council, committee members and citizens who came out to share and support our efforts. We thank all our sister Tribal Nations leadership, clan mothers, Medicine Men/spiritual leaders, and all the indigenous people and communities who stood with us yesterday...Wampanoag, Narragansett Nipmuc and others. Your presence brought unity and honor to this moment.
Our appreciation goes to the many partners (who we call friends) who joined us, including representatives from the Attorney Generals office, the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, Plymouth Police/Fire, Audubon Society, Massachusetts Women of Color Coalition, the Plymouth For All, NAICOB, Rhode Island Indian Council, UMASS Boston Institute for New England Native American Studies, Community Land and Water Coalition, the Compact of Cape Cod Conservation Trusts, Tidmarsh Farms, Pine Barrens Alliance, Friends of Ellisvile, Herring Pond Watershed Association, Cedarville Steering Committee, Pilgrim Hall and so many other community groups, Tribal serving organizations and allies who attended. If we missed naming you here, please know we are forever grateful.
Last, but certainly not least we are sending our gratitude to Scott Foster Photography for traveling to Plymouth to capture this moment!
Chairwoman Melissa Harding Ferretti
Herring Pond Wampanoag Tribe Tribal Council
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