Selling Quality Native American Products Worldwide!

Historical Misinformation (Brief History cont.)

Because we know that members of our community must walk in two worlds, we realize we must know what our strengths and weaknesses are in both worlds. The Unkechaug are committed to a strategic plan to identify and address our needs in the settings of both worlds. Among our people we are prepared to undertake a continuous program of reintroducing our language and our cultural traditions and to reinforce our beliefs about individual achievement and community strength. At the same time, we are prepared to seek an alliance with mainstream organizations so that we can look at our children together, examine them, and identify their strengths and weaknesses through testing and proven diagnosticmethods. As we begin to prescribe what is needed, we are prepared to work within an alliance of schools, families, and tribal members to determine the best environment within which our individuals can achieve and where we can increase our support. Traditionally, the Unkechaug held spiritual and religious beliefs that Samson Occum, Mohegan missionary and ordained Minister from the Dartmouth College Indian School, did not describe as incompatible with the Christian worldview. Occum described the native belief as an assurance that there was life after death and an ultimate reward for good, "Canhhmtoownt". The Dutch described those tribal members who were called, "Kitzinacka" or "Powas", gifted individuals capable of ministering to their fellow kinsman, helping them develop, and bringing them into wellness. The Unkechaug are firmly committed to bring our youth up to the highest educational level possible and support individual achievement. The Unkechaug are also firmly committed to the support of the family and the development of the individual members whether it be through economic development, improved health conditions, access to housing, or career training and opportunities. As the community grows, the Unkechaug realizes that the members will require enhanced services and that the tribal infrastructure must be responsive. The Unkechaug is committed to finding resources to develop the tribal infrastructure and developing a strategic plan to take the Unkochaug into the 21st century.

- HARRY B. WALLACE

Chief, Unkechaug Nation