Herring Pond Wampanoag Tribe

[4][5][6] Before 2024, the Herring Pond was recognized as a Native American tribal group in Massachusetts by the Commonwealth's Commission on Indian Affairs (MCIA), although this recognition lacked the force of law.

[10][11][12][13] The Herring Pond Wampanoag Tribe has not submitted a documented petition to the Bureau of Indian Affairs for federal acknowledgment[14] through the administrative procedures under 25 C.F.R.

[15] In 1838, a petition signed by John V. Conet and other members of the tribe requested assistance from the state to build a schoolhouse, noting that they had previously sent children to a white school until they were "deprived that privilege in part."

George N. Briggs, Commissioner of The District Of Marshpee and the Treasurer of The Herring Pond Indians, and Charles Marston, Commissioner of the Herring Pond Plantation, submitted a report in 1849 on the financial claims and expenditures made by members of the tribe and noted that the territory of the community of 60 people totaled about 2,500 acres.

[21] In May 1894, the community of Indigenous inhabitants in the Great Herring Pond village spoke out against what they perceived as a violation of their fishing rights, claiming that citizens of Sandwich and Bourne were abusing their river access.

A full listing of materials available relating to this community is on a page that includes an introduction by representatives of the Herring Pond Wampanoag Tribe.

[30] The Herring Pond Wampanoag Tribe is a member of the National Congress of American Indians, who lists it as being "state recognized" and in the Northeast Region.

[citation needed] The first few powwows were held at the Herring Pond Wampanoag Meetinghouse before expanding and moving to Mashpee, Massachusetts.

[citation needed] In 2020, the Sheehan Family Companies of Kingston, Massachusetts, awarded the Herring Pond Wampanoag Tribe a three-year grant of $156,000 "to preserve, promote, and protect the cultural, spiritual, and economic well-being of its tribal members, educate youth, and promote awareness among the public about tribal history and rights.

"[32] The Nellie Mae Education Foundation in Quincy, Massachusetts, donated $100,000 in operating funds to the Herring Pond Wampanoag Tribe, Inc. in 2021.