The Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe won't be making any land claims if it wins federal recognition, president Glenn Marshall said.

Marshall said a lawsuit would be costly and counter-productive. "The people who live in Mashpee are our neighbors. They're our friends. You don't sue your friends," he told The Cape Cod Times.

The tribe previously made a land claim in the 1970s but was defeated in federal court. A jury said the Mashpees didn't function as a tribe at critical points in history.

The Bureau of Indian Affairs is now preparing to decide on the tribe's status once and for all. Under a court agreement, the BIA will issue a preliminary determination by March 2006 and a final determination by March 2007.

Get the Story:
Tribe's recognition bid recalls 1976 land claim (The Cape Cod Times 8/20)

Relevant Links:
Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe - http://mashpeewampanoagtribe.com

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