Post by Okwes on Mar 7, 2008 13:52:27 GMT -5
Tribal chief calls meeting for Saturday
STAFF WRITERS
March 06, 2008
MASHPEE — His Indian name is Silent Drum, but Chief Vernon Lopez has been outspoken in recent weeks about the Mashpee Wampanoag's internal strife.
Lopez has called a meeting for 2 p.m. Saturday at Camp Burgess in Sandwich.
Sources within the tribe say the chief wants to assert his authority and push the tribal council to lift the shunning of four members.
"It's mostly to get the tribe together and we have drumming and sit down and talk," Lopez said yesterday, calling it more of a social gathering. "It's to bring the people together."
In December 2006, four tribe members — Amelia Bingham, her son Steven, Stephanie Tobey-Roderick and Michelle Fernandes — were barred from tribal activities and benefits for seven years after filing suit to gain access to tribe finances in Barnstable Superior Court.
On Jan. 20, spurred on by Lopez, tribe members voted at a special meeting to lift the punishment.
After that vote, the shunned members attempted to get into the tribe's February meeting, but were turned away.
Days later, tribe members received in the mail a letter written by the tribal council's lawyer, William McDermott, stating that the meeting vote was not binding. McDermott is paid by the tribe's casino investors.
Lopez said yesterday that the Binghams, Tobey-Roderick and Fernandes would be welcome at Saturday's event. "We're like one big family and we always have been," Lopez said. "Anybody's welcome as far as I'm concerned. I represent the whole tribe."
The tribe's monthly meeting is scheduled for the next day.
Stephanie Vosk can be reached at svosk@capecodonline.com George Brennan can be reached at gbrennan@capecodonline.com
STAFF WRITERS
March 06, 2008
MASHPEE — His Indian name is Silent Drum, but Chief Vernon Lopez has been outspoken in recent weeks about the Mashpee Wampanoag's internal strife.
Lopez has called a meeting for 2 p.m. Saturday at Camp Burgess in Sandwich.
Sources within the tribe say the chief wants to assert his authority and push the tribal council to lift the shunning of four members.
"It's mostly to get the tribe together and we have drumming and sit down and talk," Lopez said yesterday, calling it more of a social gathering. "It's to bring the people together."
In December 2006, four tribe members — Amelia Bingham, her son Steven, Stephanie Tobey-Roderick and Michelle Fernandes — were barred from tribal activities and benefits for seven years after filing suit to gain access to tribe finances in Barnstable Superior Court.
On Jan. 20, spurred on by Lopez, tribe members voted at a special meeting to lift the punishment.
After that vote, the shunned members attempted to get into the tribe's February meeting, but were turned away.
Days later, tribe members received in the mail a letter written by the tribal council's lawyer, William McDermott, stating that the meeting vote was not binding. McDermott is paid by the tribe's casino investors.
Lopez said yesterday that the Binghams, Tobey-Roderick and Fernandes would be welcome at Saturday's event. "We're like one big family and we always have been," Lopez said. "Anybody's welcome as far as I'm concerned. I represent the whole tribe."
The tribe's monthly meeting is scheduled for the next day.
Stephanie Vosk can be reached at svosk@capecodonline.com George Brennan can be reached at gbrennan@capecodonline.com