Land Acknowledgement
BART's Land Acknowledgement: Honoring the Mohican People
Mohican (Muh-he-con-ne-ok) – “The people of the waters that are never still.
We stand committed to building an inclusive, equitable space for all, which begins with acknowledging the history of the land beneath our feet.
Honoring the Ancestral Homelands
It is with gratitude and humility that we acknowledge that we are learning, speaking, and gathering 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.
Our Commitment to Action and Education
At BART, we recognize our complicity in colonialism and encourage our entire community to take action in restoring harm. As lifelong learners, it is our duty to remember and teach the past, so that we may not repeat it.
We urge our students, staff, and families to take the time to learn about the original keepers of this land and support the ongoing work of the Stockbridge-Munsee Community.
Resources to Learn More and Connect
Ancestral Territory Map: To visualize the historical boundaries of the Mohican homelands (Muh-he-con-ne-ok), please explore this interactive map provided by Native Land Digital. [Explore the Mohican Ancestral Territory Map]
Stockbridge-Munsee Community: Official website for the Mohican Nation. [Link to the Stockbridge-Munsee Community Website]
Mohican History & Culture: Information and educational materials about Mohican history and modern culture. [Mohican History Resource]
Tribal Council: Direct contact for official tribal inquiries. Secretary Jody Hartwig at [email protected]
Cultural Affairs Dept.: Contact for educational partnership and cultural understanding. Cultural Affairs Department at [email protected]
Mohican (Muh-he-con-ne-ok) – “The people of the waters that are never still.”
- English colonists referred to them as the River Indians
- French colonists referred to them as Loupes or the wolves
Language:
- Algonquin based dialect
Organization:
- Consisted of 5 bands and 4 matrilineal clan lines
Land:
- Prior – Near Albany, New York to Stockbridge, Massachusetts (the Berkshires), southwest Vermont, the entire Hudson River valley of New York from Lake Champlain to Manhattan, western Massachusetts up to the Connecticut River Valley, Northwest Connecticut, and portions of Pennsylvania and New Jersey
- Post – Wisconsin due to colonization and resettlement
Contact Period:
- 1609 with Henry Hudson
- 1614 when the Dutch established a trading post called Castle Island near Albany, New York
"The people of the waters that are never still."