Praying Indians of Natick and Ponkapoag

The Praying Indians of Natick and Ponkapoag is a cultural heritage group that claims descendancy from Praying Indians in Massachusetts, including the Massachusett people, an Indigenous people of the Northeastern Woodlands.

This article is about the nonprofit organization. For 17th-century Native converts to Christianity, see Praying Indians. For 17th-century community, see Praying Indians of Natick.
Praying Indians
of Natick and Ponkapoag
Named afterNatick, Massachusetts, Ponkapoag praying town
Founded atStoughton, Massachusetts
TypeNonprofit
Registration no.000551105
Legal statusnonprofit
PurposeCultural, Ethnic Awareness
Location
Membership (2021)
60
President
Rosita Andrews
Websitenatickprayingindians.org

While they identify as a Native American tribe, they are unrecognized, meaning they are neither a federally recognized tribe[1] nor a state-recognized tribe.[2]

Nonprofit organizations

The Praying Indians of Natick and Ponkapoag is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization established under the name "Praying Indians of Natick Mother Village Ut Ponkapog Kah Peantamoonk Otanash Yeshuatribal Council, Inc." in 1996.[3] They are based in Stoughton, Massachusetts.[3]

Officers

The officers of the Praying Indians of Natick and Ponkapoag are as follows:

  • Rosita Andrews, president
  • Rosita Andrews, treasurer
  • Amber Orlando, clerk
  • Rosita Andrews, assistant clerk.[3]

Shawn V. Silva, also known as StrongMedicine Bear, served as director from 1996 to 2019.[3] Silva is Andrews' son.[4]

Activities
Wedding of StrongMedicine Bear and WarriorWoman at the historic Eliot Church in Natick, Massachusetts, 2015.

Rosita Andrews is a public speaker, who goes by the name Chief Caring Hands.[5] She spoke to the Natick School Committee to retire their Native American mascot.[6] Andrews also officiated the wedding of her son StrongMedicine Bear and WarriorWoman at the historic Eliot Church in Natick, Massachusetts, in 2015.[4]

The Boston Equal Rights League invites representatives of the organization its annual Faneuil Hall commemoration of the Boston Massacre.[6]

The organization hosts an annual powwow at Cochituate State Park.[6]

See also

References
  1. "Indian Entities Recognized by and Eligible To Receive Services From the United States Bureau of Indian Affairs". Indian Affairs Bureau. Federal Register. January 29, 2021. pp. 7554–58. Retrieved 6 November 2021.
  2. "State Recognized Tribes". National Conference of State Legislatures. Retrieved 6 November 2021.
  3. "Praying Indians of Natick Mother Village Ut Ponkapog Kah Peantamoonk Otanash Yeshuatribal Council, Inc". OpenCorporates. Retrieved 7 November 2021.
  4. Beland, Amanda. "Natick Praying Indians celebrate a wedding for the history books". Portland Press Herald. Retrieved 7 November 2021.
  5. Hilleary, Cecily (March 10, 2021). "'Betrayal of the First Order' - Puritan Missionaries Leave Mixed Legacy Among Native Americans". Voice of America. Retrieved 7 November 2021.
  6. "Praying Indian history preserved by tribal chief". Bay State Banner. 8 September 2010. Retrieved 7 November 2021.
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