At the Congregational Meeting on February 4, 2024, the Congregation voted to approve the amendment of the Church Bylaws to add the following Article XIV, LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AND COMMITMENTS
Land Acknowledgement This Church was founded in 1734 as a mission to the Mohican people with the intent that they would live and worship in harmony with European settlers. What began as a hopeful experiment led, within fifty years, to this Christian tribe being dispossessed of, and driven from, their homeland. As followers of Christ, we are called, in the words spoken by Isaiah, to “maintain justice and do what is right”. Accordingly, we offer this land acknowledgment using the language approved by the Stockbridge-Munsee Community.
It is with gratitude and humility that we acknowledge that we are learning, speaking, gathering, and worshiping on the ancestral homelands of the Mohican people, who are the indigenous peoples of this land. Despite tremendous hardship in being forced from here, today their community resides in Wisconsin and is known as the Stockbridge-Munsee Community. We pay honor and respect to their ancestors past and present as we commit to building a more inclusive and equitable space for all.
Commitments The approval of this Land Acknowledgement demonstrates the commitments of The First Congregational Church, United Church of Christ, Stockbridge, Massachusetts to continue engagement and collaboration with the Stockbridge-Munsee Community. This will involve ongoing education as we become aware of tribal issues. We respect the history and cultural significance of this land and, as stewards, intend to consult with the Stockbridge-Munsee Community prior to engaging in ground disturbing activity as described in the Addendum.
We commit, as well, to continue our own education around social justice issues and to find opportunities to provide appropriate responses and actions to build a more inclusive and equitable space for all.
For an excellent summary of the Stockbridge-Munsee history here, please click here. Through written material and video of tribal members as they walk Main Street, you will hear their story.
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“The People of the Waters that Are Never Still have a rich and illustrious history which has been retained through oral tradition and the written word. Our many moves from the East to Wisconsin left Many Trails to retrace in search of our history. Many Trails [see left] is an original design created and designed by Edwin Martin, a Mohican Indian, symbolizing endurance, strength and hope. From a long suffering proud and determined people.”
Resources: “The Story of Stockbridge, 1789-1989” published in 1989, includes a few pages that give a useful overview of the early history of Stockbridge. There is a lot of information, both current and historical, on www.mohican.com