Tribe's concentration of power, transparency questioned
TODAY's quote: “Time and time again, we find that transparency, although often seen initially as threatening, improves council and program operation by removing grounds for rumor and misinformation as the means for affecting change." - 2011 Harvard Project on American Indian Economic Development.
Leadership: Unstructured, non-strategic approach to soliciting grants
The Mashpee Enterprise reports that just a year ago as the casino hubbub really got hot, Earl H. Mills Sr., Chief Flying Eagle (on right), called a meeting of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe.At that meeting the tribes' one-time leader charged that the tribe's new leadership after the Glenn Marshall debacle was still making decisions about which tribal members should be informed without asking members for their opinions.
The Mashpee newspaper says a renewed transparency debate has been triggered by the surfacing of a 2011 Harvard University-authored inventory assessment of the tribe, and the recent announcement of a tribal gaming authority ordinance.
Tribe members and others are questioning if tribal leaders have ignored recommendations intended to help the tribe develop strong governmental institutions.
The official Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe website says this about Earl Mills, Chief Flying Cloud;
A traditionalist but also a modern chief with a diverse background, the gregarious Mills brought education, and a variety of outside experiences to his leadership role. A historian and expert on "all things Wampanoag", Mills epitomized the vast diversity of the Mashpee Wampanoag whose survival skills required an adeptness and balance between walking in the outside world while protecting and preserving unique tribal traditions.
A renowned chef of traditional foods, a teacher, and entrepreneur, Mills continues to educate tribal members and friends about the significance of Native tradition in today's world.
A renowned chef of traditional foods, a teacher, and entrepreneur, Mills continues to educate tribal members and friends about the significance of Native tradition in today's world.
Posts
6 comments:
It's worse than this article is saying .All the secret meetings and votes that the members don't know about contracts etc.The so called compact between the Gov and tribe we won't know anything about that either.We really don't know how much is owed by the tribe.No transparency here just lies and secrecy.
I hope the State and city of Taunton read this article.Because that is what you will get
tribal member,
I have met many tribal members through the WigWam and elsewhere.
I have a great respect for the heritage and tradition, a deep reverence and appreciation for the spirituality and the depth of the soul. Those members have taught me more than they will ever know.
Human nature is what it is and the greed and superficiality was displayed long ago in the process.
That the Tribe failed to see this denies the reality of what $$$$ breeds.
It is conspicuous that the membership enrollment grew with the dreams of $$$ filling the coffers.
With Sovereignty comes a price, the cost of accepting responsibility for the corruption of the tribal government.
You might want to consider the Tribes in California with profitable Slot Barns that are disenrolling members and whining that the BIA or US courts should intervene.
It seems to me that you can't have it both ways.
Either you are Americans, subject to the judiciary and legal systems or you are a "Sovereign Nation" with a Tribal system of your own members.
During this process, I called 'newly' registered Middleboro voters to remind them of the TMFH (Town Meeting From Hell) when residents stood in the sweltering sun to endorse the Middleboro Mega Monster.
I happened to call an elderly couple, newly registered Middleboro voters.
The husband answered the phone and I repeated the 'script.'
He blasted me because he was apparently a long time Middleboro resident who never exercised his democratic rights by voting, but registered to vote because of the dollar signs the Slot Barn offered and in his pathetic words 'to get out of this hell hole of a town.'
I am truly saddened by what the Tribe has destroyed.
Hey Middleboro Review you must be in my age group or a little older if you went to the WigWam in Mashpee or are you being smart-ass.
Dear Tribal Member,
WigWam in Wareham!
Rest assured, I'm aging fast!
Do you agree with my assessment of what has been done to your Tribe?
Yes I do agree and more .It is even worse than in the press or on the blogs ,dot.coms etc.
Post a Comment