Cape & Islands News

Wampanoag are now a federally recognized tribe

Coming out party last night at Coonemessett Inn 

The 1,486-member Mashpee Wampanoag tribe threw a party last night at Coonemessett Inn with an open bar, a twist on history's reports of our Native Americans relationship with "firewater" a century ago. This time the Indians picked up the tab for the palefaces.

A few minutes after 4 pm the call cal which set the tribe up on its final, one-year leg to recognition. 

Cape Cod's own native American tribe, the Mashpee Wampanoags, whose ancestors greeted the Pilgrims to Plymouth and The Cape in 1620, were given preliminary federal recognition approval.

Glenn Marshall, chairman of the tribe's council, said in a statement, "This is a great day for the Mashpee, but also for this country. We have always believed that the truth of our petition would be recognized, although it has been a long and hard struggle."

The tribe is expected to receive a final determination by March 31, 2007.

 What about The Casino?

Next week, the state legislature will vote again on allowing the state's three dog tracks to each have 2,000 slot machines. 

It the bill pases both house, which is predicted, Governor Romney has vowed to veto it, but early reports suggest that the legislature may be "veto-proof" on this issue and pass the bill again with a two-thirds majority. 

If that happens Romney won't have to go home to Nevada to place a bet on his election, but he'll still have to wait a while.

Our own Indian Nation won't get final recognition until this time in 2007, and then they have to decide which billionaire they'll allow build a casino for them.

The tribe has said it doesn't want to build on Cape Cod, but in Bristol or Plymouth County. 

Imagine, a Trump Tower in :"Beautiful Downtown New Bedford" by the decade's end. 

Read other reports about recognition:

• The Shock of Recognition
• Slots of Fun on the Cape?
• The odds against a local casino
• Slots in Raynham = Casino on the Vineyard