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LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The mission of the New England Archivists (NEA) is to connect and support diverse individuals and organizations in New England responsible for the care of cultural heritage and the documentary record, through advocacy, education, communication, and the forging of a strong, inclusive professional network. As a regional organization, our work takes place in the ancestral homelands of many Indigenous nations across the New England area. The state boundaries of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont were and are a product of settler colonialism. We acknowledge the continuing colonial harm that archival and memory institutions have played—and continue to play—in erasing and suppressing Indigenous history, voices, and people. Our organization is a product of and continues to benefit from settler colonization. NEA is committed to combating white supremacy and addressing racial injustice in the field through our advocacy and outreach efforts, and we are determined to better de-colonize and further Indigenize our organization where and when possible. We will listen, learn, and work with Indigenous communities and Indigenous-led organizations in the New England area on an ongoing basis.
New England State Information
Connecticut
Nations that have existed and/or still exist today:
| Nipmuc (Nipmuck) | Sequin or "River Indians" |
| Tunxis | Poquonnock |
| Podunk | Wangunk |
| Machimoodus | Hammonasset |
| Menunkatuck | Quinnipiac |
| Matabesec (Wappinger Confederacy) | Pootatuck |
| Weawaug | Unquowa |
| Siwanoy | Mashantucket Pequot |
| Mohegan | Golden Hill Paugussett |
| Schaghticoke | Eastern Pequot |
Maine
Nations that have existed and/or still exist today:
| Abenaki | Arosaguntacook |
| Norridgewock | Pequawket |
| Mi’kmaq | Tarrantine |
| Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians | Wabanaki |
| Passamaquoddy Motahkokmikuk | Penobscot |
| Passamaquoddy Sipayik |
Massachusetts
Nations that have existed and/or still exist today:
| Mahican | Massachusett Tribe at Ponkapoag |
| Nauset | Nipmuc Nation (Bands include the Hassanamisco, Natick) |
| Pennacook | Pocomtuc |
| Stockbridge | Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe |
| Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head Aquinnah | Assawompsett-Nemasket Band of Wampanoag |
| Pocasset Wampanoag of the Pokanoket Nation | Seaconke Wampanoag Tribe |
| Chappaquiddick Tribe of the Wampanoag Indian Nation | Herring Pond Wampanoag Tribe |
| Nipmuck Tribal Council of Chaubunagungamaug |
New Hampshire
Nations that have existed and/or still exist today:
| Penacook | Winnipesaukee |
| Pigwacket | Sokoki |
| Cowasuck | Ossipee |
| Wabanaki (Dawnland Confederacy) | Pentucket |
| Aucocisco | Pawtucket |
| Naumkeag |
Rhode Island
Nations that have existed and/or still exist today:
| Wampanoag | Pequot |
| Nipmuc | Niantic |
| Brothertown Indians (forcibly relocated to Wisconsin) | Chaubunagungamaug Nipmuck, Dudley Indians |
| Hassanamisco Nipmuc | Natick Nipmuc |
| Nehantic | Narrangansett Indian Tribe |
Vermont
Nations that have existed and/or still exist today:
| Abenaki | Mahican |
| Missiassik | Pennacook |
| Pocomtuc |
In the event that we have an incorrect link or are missing an existing band/nation, please contact the Land Acknowledgement subcommittee so that we can correct our error.
Resources
- Native-Land.ca | Our home on native land
- First Archivist Protocols
- Anti-racist & Anti-oppressive readings and resources for archivists
- Native Northeast Research Collaborative
Conclusion
We, the Land Acknowledgement subcommittee, hope that the NEA Board considers our proposal for the adoption of a land acknowledgement statement, endorsement of the First Archivist’s Circle Protocols for Native American Archival Materials, and further marketing of the Racial Justice Honoraria Fund to increase reach and support professional development of BIPOC information workers, as first steps we can take as an organization to support Indigenous communities in the New England area. These steps for outreach, advocacy, and collaboration with Indigenous communities in the New England area go beyond a land acknowledgement statement into something sustained and tangible. We envision the outreach and advocacy goals of the land acknowledgement proposal to be revisited annually, thus strengthening us as an organization.
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