Massachusetts attorney general Tom Reilly has asked the Bureau of Indian Affairs to consider whether the Wampanaog Tribe's failed land claim has anything to do with the tribe's federal recognition.

The tribe sued in 1976 to recover its ancestral land. The case was dismissed after a jury said the tribe wasn't "Indian" for purposes of federal law.

Tribal leaders have said they won't revive any claims to private land in the town of Mashpee. Their pledge prompted town officials to endorse the tribe's recognition petition.

The BIA issued a preliminary determination in favor of the tribe in March. The decision stated that the failed land claim didn't have an effect on the tribe's status.

The BIA will issue a final determination on the tribe in March 2007.

Get the Story:
AG revisits Wampanoag land lawsuit (The Cape Cod Times 10/12)

Relevant Documents:
Summary of Acknowledgment Cases | R. Lee Fleming Declaration

Only on Indianz.Com:
Federal Recognition Database V2.0 (May 2005)

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

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