2005 -- H 6065 ======= LC00859 ======= STATE OF RHODE ISLAND IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2005 ____________ J O I N T R E S O L U T I O N GIVING STATE RECOGNITION FOR THE POKANOKET TRIBE OF THE WAMP ANOAG NATION Introduced By: Representatives Gallison, Malik, Corvese, San Bento, and Jacquard Date Introduced: March 01, 2005 Referred To: House Judiciary 1 WHEREAS, An identifiable Pokanoket Indian community has existed in the vicinity of 2 their ancestral lands of North-Central and Eastern Rhode Island and Southeastern Massachusetts 3 since prior to the first European contact as evidenced by the fact that this area was known as 4 Pokanoket Country/King Philips Country documented in colonial times; and 5 WHEREAS, The Pokanoket Tribe of the Wampanoag Nation has continuously lived, 6 married and intermarried amongst themselves and intermarried with the Wampanoag Nation 7 Community; and 8 WHEREAS, The Pokanoket Tribe of the Wampanoag Nation entered into treaties and 9 warred with the colonial governments in particular the Great New England War of 1675-1676 10 a.k.a. the "King Philips War"; and 11 WHEREAS, It is the policy of the State of Rhode Island to recognize the indigenous 12 people within the borders of the state, and to support the aspirations for the preservation of their 13 cultural heritage and to assist them in achieving their just rights; and 14 WHEREAS, This act will insure the prevention of other individuals misrepresenting 15 themselves by "representing" to be members of he Pokanoket Tribe of the Wampanoag Nation; 16 and 17 WHEREAS, The towns of Bristol County in the state of Rhode Island (Bristol, 18 Barrington and Warren) recognize the Pokanoket Tribe of the Wampanoag Nation as the 19 aboriginal people throughout Eastern Rhode Island and Southeastern Massachusetts and further 1 support their Petition #145 in the Bureau of Indian Affairs to obtain federal recognition. The 2 Pokanoket tribe is also supported by a National Resolution from the General Society of 3 Mayflower Descendants, endorsed by Pilgrim Society and the Pilgrim Hall Museum in Plymouth, 4 Massachusetts & etc.; now, therefore be it 5 RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives and the Senate of the legislature of the 6 State of Rhode Island and greater Providence Plantations formally recognize the Pokanoket Tribe 7 of the Wampanoag Nation and supports Petition #145, submitted within the Bureau of Indian 8 Affairs, Department of the Interior, Washington, D.C.; and be it further 9 RESOLVED, That duly certified copies of this resolution shall be transmitted to the 10 President of the United Sates, the presiding officers of the Senate and the House of 11 Representatives of the Congress of the United States, and the Director of the Bureau of Indian 12 Affairs, United States Department of the Interior. ======= LC00859 ======= 2 EXPLANATION BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL OF J O I N T R E S O L U T I O N GIVING STATE RECOGNITION FOR THE POKANOKET TRIBE OF THE WAMP ANOAG NATION *** 1 This resolution would give state recognition to the Pokanoket Tribe of the Wampanoag 2 Nation. ======= LC00859 ======= 3 .