My 3 eldest grandsons and I rode Amtrak trains back and forth across the United States for a month. We visited several cities and had great time. We’re back in Massachusetts and a bit tired now and a lot closer as a family. Chicago Our first stop was Chicago – Los Angeles View from the train – Chicago to LA Seattle San Francisco View of … Continue reading Kokummus (grandmother)
A hot topic among First Nations Peoples in Canada this month is the claim of a well-known Canadian writer that he is Indigenous and therefore eligible to represent Indigenous People and even to accept award money on behalf of his ‘Nativeness.’ Specifically, the author claims that he has “Nipmuc roots from Dartmouth, Massachusetts on my father’s side and Ojibwe roots … on my mother’s side.” While I … Continue reading Award-winning Canadian Author Claims that Dartmouth Indians are Really Nipmuc?
I recently received an email from a Courtney Phillips who mentors a group of youngsters in her area. She said that they had visited my PastTense Genealogy website, checked out the resources, and wanted to give me a “High Five” for the resources I included on the site. She then suggested I add this site to my list of resources – “History at Home – … Continue reading A Virtual High-Five
We recently drove across the country and back. We drove because I don’t like to fly (air sickness). We live on the Atlantic coast and we drove to Pacific coast and back. 6000 miles of hoopla, tiredness, awesomeness, and fun. I’m going to relate out adventures here and on my other blog – For All My Relations -I’ll write about the African-American and Indigenous Peoples … Continue reading Our Cross Country Trip – in pieces – Prologue
A friend and I – Photo by Stacey Tufts We celebrated our 92nd Annual powwow this past Sunday. The Creator gave us glorious weather and a great crowd. Here are a few photos from the event. All the below photos were taken by Dave TallPine. The Elders Continue reading Hassanamisco Indian Fair
The Chief of the Nipmuc Nation and Hassanamisco Band of Nipmuc Indians recently retired. Per our constutution (and historic precedence), the retiring chief submitted the names of three individuals whom he felt could be his successor. The Elders of the Nipmuc Nation choose our next chief from among those names. Guess who? Me! At first I was resistant (please see my post from October 2012 … Continue reading Chieftress????
Folks are wondering what’s going on with this Nipmuk Unity thing. Well, some think that’s it’s a sinister plot to overthrow the current band governments and form something new. Certain Nipmuc Nation tribal council members even stated that the new “tribe” or band would be based within the Hassanamisco Indian Museum (’cause that’s how all indigenous tribes are formed – within museums). Others are fearful … Continue reading The Powers that Be
Everything in my life is hard now. Dealing with my daughters and grandsons is hard now. Dealing with fear-filled council members is hard now. Getting money for the Museum is hard now. Dealing with a loco “friend” is hard now. My blood pressure is out of control and I really need to chill out but I am surrounded. So what can I change? Absolutely nothing … Continue reading How Hard is Hard?
last week, someone told me to put a particularly troublesome person on a shelf and to not give any of my energy to that person again. and I fully intend to do that – after I write this. there are those who think that being a council member gives you the right to be not only respected but worshipped by the people. that’s not true. … Continue reading Shelve the Haters
There is so much going on in Nipmuc country right now. I can’t decide what to write about. Things are moving forward with the Museum restoration, the Museum has a new Strategic Plan that hopefully the committee will vote to accept, we are starting a new Language Class at the tribal office, ….plus some other stuff. And I am only thinking of what’s happening within … Continue reading Hmmm…What shall I write about?
Cheryll Toney Holley 