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November 30, 2007

Narragansetts' Brown protests Treaty Rock Farm deal

LITTLE COMPTON -- Not everyone was happy with the recent deal to protect Treaty Rock Farm.

John Brown, historic preservation officer for the Narragansett Indian tribe, attended today’s news conference announcing the deal and declared the land arrangement “illegal, suspicious and sneaky.”

He said usually when federal funds are used to purchase development rights for land that has Native American history, the associating tribe is contacted. Brown said the Narragansett tribe should have been consulted on this venture and wasn’t.

“We have a serious problem here,” he said. “What they’ve done they cannot do.”

The tribe member said three federal acts require tribes to be notified when such deals are made. His tribe wasn’t aware of the pact, however, until a National Conservation Resource Service official called them this morning. Brown said he immediately called U.S. Sen. Jack Reed -- who was supposed to appear at today’s affair, but had a last-minute change of plans -- and didn’t get a response. He believes Reed didn’t come primarily because of Narragansetts’ complaints.

The Journal could not reach Reed.

The tribe is asking the federal funds be withdrawn and suspend the deal until the tribe is included, Brown said. He said there isn’t any way for those involved to fully know what is sacred, historical and important to the tribe without their input.

-- Journal staff writer Alisha A. Pina

At the news conference he confronted representatives of the conservation agencies and state officials, including Michael Sullivan, director of the state Department of Environmental Management.

“There is tribal history on this farm, it’s called Treaty Rock Farm for a reason,” Brown said to those within earshot. Pointing toward Sullivan, he continued, “This gentleman told me it’s a done deal and it’s not a done deal without me. I am the tribe in these matters. With this [alleged illegal deal], I wonder what else the tribe is being left out of.”

“For us not to know about this is unheard-of.”

Few commented publicly on Brown’s concerns. John Berg, of The Nature Conservancy, said he has questions about Brown’s objections, especially because the tribe historically connected to Little Compton is the Wampanoag tribe and not the Narragansett tribe.

Published town history says Little Compton originally belonged to the Wampanoag tribe, who were led by Awashonks, the sister of Metacom (commonly known as King Philip). They called the area Sakonnet. Treaty Rock Farm is the site on which she signed a 1676 peace pact with colonist Benjamin Church.

“Our goal was to protect the place for everyone,” Berg said. “That’s what we did.”

Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:13 PM | Permalink

November 30, 2007

Narragansetts' Brown protests Treaty Rock Farm deal

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