Nipmuc council member happy for denial

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2001

Although the tribal council of the Nipmuc Nation of Massachusetts issued a statement saying it viewed denial of its federal recognition petition both "positively and negatively," one member is leaning towards the former.

"I'm glad it happened," councilor Bill Bould told The Norwich Bulletin. "We stopped being an entity the minute outsiders came in flashing money around."

Gould might have additional reason to be happy. He was sanctioned in March for speaking to the media about the tribe's casino plans before they were officially announced.

The tribe subsequently announced it had signed a deal with Lakes Gaming to run a casino. Casino plans are now in doubt with Assistant Secretary Neal McCaleb's decision to deny federal acknowledgment to the tribe.

The tribe has been state-recognized since the 17th century.

Get the Story:
BIA reverses earlier Nipmuc findings (The Norwich Bulletin 9/28)
Feds reverse course, propose rejecting recognition of Nipmuc Indians (AP 9/27)

Today on Indianz.Com:
McCaleb reverses recognition decisions (9/28)

Related Stories:
Letter: Don't fight Nipmuc Nation (9/26)
Ojibwe tribe lent Nipmuc Nation money (9/24)
Nipmuc Nation to add missing members (8/31)
Meeting with McCaleb sought (8/31)
Meeting held on Nipmuc recognition, casino (8/30)
Possible Nipmuc casino discussed (8/29)
Meeting scheduled on Nipmuc casino (8/17)
McCaleb to listen 'closely' to recognition experts (8/9)
Nipmuc tribal members battle for control (8/6)
Town receptive to Nipmuc casino (8/1)
Muwekma Tribe denied recognition (7/31)
McCaleb decision sure to draw scrutiny (7/31)
Meeting to address Indian issues (7/27)
BIA pushed to provide 'answers' on recognition (7/26)
Nipmuc recognition focus of meeting (7/26)
Long journey for Nipmuc Nation (7/23)
Nipmuc Nation makes gaming agreement (7/10)
Report: Nipmuc Nation to announce casino (7/9)
Towns plan to challenge Nipmuc recognition (7/6)
States open to possible Nipmuc casino (6/25)
McCaleb endorses BIA on recognition (6/14)
Battle brewing over Nipmuc casino (6/8)
Tribe said eyeing private property (6/7)
Opposition to alleged casino mounts (6/7)
Alleged casino plan criticized (6/6)
Ex-Nipmuc leader criticizes actions (6/5)
Alleged tribal leader says casino in works (6/4)
BIA has small goal for big problem (5/22)
Nipmuc Nation still waiting (4/17)
Last-minute BIA decisions scrutinized (3/26)
Nipmuc Nation granted recognition (1/22)