Quiripi Ancestors May Now Rest in Peace
By Iron Thunderhorse, March 2007
For the past decade ACQTC Inc. by and through its Sachemauog (Chiefs) and Powwamanitompoag (Shamans) have been working with a number of universities, private parties, and agencies regarding the repatriation of human ancestral remains that were either removed from ancestral graves over a hundred years ago or have been unearthed in the 20th century by land owners.
These human ancestral remains have ended up in both private as well as government collections. (See Skull-and-Crossbones Society and Human Remains). ACQTC Inc. has filed an official N.A.G.P.R.A. Request with university officials who have possession of Quinnipiac remains several years ago and it has all been submitted to a federal agency for recommendations.
Meanwhile, within our Connecticut homeland, we have been working out a successful plan with private parties, land trust managers, local selectmen, etc. so that we may continue having intimate access to ancestral land and sacred sites. For the past decade our elders have made pilgrimages to sacred landmarks that lie within our ancestral Sachemdom. Land trust and preserve managers work with us to make these sites accessible, so we can make offerings to the mandooak without being disturbed. This all falls within our rights to aboriginal title to land which our ancestors have used since ‘time immemorial’.
ACQTC Inc. has now gone even further. We now have a new sacred burial grounds, where we will be re-interring our ancestors in the traditional way. This location is known only to seven people (5 ACQTC and 2 outsiders) all sworn to secrecy. The new burial grounds are located in an area that is unaccessible to the general public. By the time this NOTICE is read we will have conducted our first reburial. Nothing of value will be buried with them, just the traditional foods for a safe journey to the Spirit Trail.
Our ancient burial ground is at Wooster Park in East Haven, but our experience is that vandalism, gang activity etc. has plagued the Greater New Haven parks. They have been unable even to clean up the graffiti and the public and private sectors have noted this. So we have taken these steps to secure a new burial ground that we can monitor ourselves and maintain ourselves.
This is a significant milestone for ACQTC Inc. whereas we have guided our ancestors back home and laid them to rest in the traditional manner. We now have come full circle since the removals of our people and their remains that have been scattered all over the land. Rest In Peace Old Ones, we love and care for you now and forever.
Biwabiko Paddaquahas / Iron Thunderhorse
