Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation’s annual Feast of Green Corn and Dance is a time to celebrate the riches of the land and to reap the rewards of a season of hard work. At sunrise, on the first day of this event, a blessing was held on the grounds of the Eastern Woodland Village exhibit. The Village is a living exhibit consisting of several structures typical of a summer campsite.
Children, parents and Tribal leaders adorned in Regalia gathered around campfires during the dark hours of the morning before sunrise on August 24th. Tribal children held baskets of corn and danced in a circle.
“This is the first year that we’re blessing these grounds of the Village, as well as, the Reservation,” said MPTN Councilwoman Marjorie Colebut-Jackson, Schemitzun Chairwoman. “Just as our ancestors built weetus to house guests from different villages, we worked to prepare our home for your arrival to our four-day celebration of Schemitzun. It is a time to tell stories, to reconnect with old friends, to share good food, crafts, sports and to dance.”
All in attendance joined hands and formed a circle around the fires as Councilwoman Marjorie Colebut-Jackson gave the blessing. She thanked all family, friends and guests including the media for their hard work throughout the year. Marjorie expressed the importance of “keeping the culture going.” “This year, young men are drumming with and competing along side adults.”
“Our youth are stepping up to the plate. Adults are stepping back to let the young drummers and young warriors move forward in their place. The youth know things are changing and they want to lead.” This was obvious when viewing the sunrise participants - all smiles!
Bingo veteran of 22 years and Tribal member, Michael Holder, VP Operations, Mashantucket Pequot High Stakes Bingo at Foxwoods, is a Day Two employee of Bingo. So, why not Day One?
“I was transitioning from my previous employer, Electric Boat, to High Stakes Bingo at Mashantucket,” states Mike with a gleam in eyes. “Calling bingo was my first job and eventually, I worked every job on the floor, including admissions, selling pull tabs, even washing and waxing the floor.” Mike continues, “Probably the only job I didn’t do was to work in the kitchen.” Though Mike admits to grilling himself a burger a time or two especially, after the long hours spent on the floor in the early days.
If you were around in the early days of MPTN High Stakes Bingo, you know that it all started with this game of chance. The first location for the Tribe’s lucrative enterprise was a 1200-seat hall and is now the home of Festival’s slot room. Mike gazes down into the original hall from his office windows and remembers the excitement created by this very popular game.
“Opening day was very stressful, we promised a huge prize payout and a new car giveaway. Back then, prize money availability was directly linked to ticket sales. We were concerned and questioned, ‘Will they come?’”
“Well, they did come! Route 2 was backed up and the parking lots were full. We had to make room for as many as we could. Still, some were turned away. Today, we have three times the seating capacity with extended games and they continue to fill our hall.”
Mike says, “It ALL started right here!” Bingo was MPTN’s first lucrative enterprise and its showings afforded the opportunity for a builder named Charles R. Klewin, Norwich, to take a chance and build a casino on a handshake. Today, that casino, Foxwoods, is the largest in the world and the game of bingo is its foundation. Think about it!
“We are the only bingo hall anywhere that pays out ONE MILLION Dollars in one lump sum.”
Last month during the Firecracker Game held on 4th of July weekend for the past 12 years, a man from New Jersey, a first-time bingo player went home with the million bucks, paid on-the-spot!
Players come from all over the world to play in this game and it’s not tough to figure out why they travel from Bermuda, Germany and Canada. “The total pay-out is $1.7M with five early bird specials at $5K each; 17 at $20K each; and a Super Jackpot in three parts: $25K to $1M plus a 2008 Corvette give-away and $100K cash door prizes…all for $500 a ticket.
So, what does Mike like best about his job? “The people I work with. They make my job rewarding.”
Mike takes great pride in his very lucrative Bingo operation. His employees, some of whom started with him from the very beginning are dedicated to running a very tight ship for the massive crowds that attend regularly.
In response to a direct question: “Is BINGO here to stay?”
Mike replies, “The Tribe holds Bingo close to its heart. There will always be Bingo at Foxwoods,” as stated by the Tribal Council to Mike.
Don’t miss September’s Special Games and Octoberfest Bingo! Tickets are on sale now!
Rain was predicted, but luckily the Great Spirit blessed us with sunshine for the tenth anniversary of the Mashantucket Pequot Museum & Research Center (MPMRC) on August 11. The smudging ceremony was performed by Kenneth M. Reels, Vice Chairman, as he did on the opening day in 1998. Lori Potter gave the blessing. Bill Satti emceed, welcoming town officials and dignitaries.
“It is a monumental day for the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation,” said Kimberly Hatcher-White, Executive Director. “It would not be as special without the people who have supported the museum over the past ten years.”
“Tell me a story,” she said “It’s a part of our everyday conversation. Storytellers pass down this art from one generation to another. Parents, family, and elders share knowledge to ensure history and culture stay alive.”
“Often these stories are cautionary tales. Our story was told many times over by newspapers, TV, radio, in Congress, and in smaller rooms. The story was told by those who not only witnessed it, but were involved in its birth. This dream came from the hopes of those individuals.”
“On August 11, 1998 the dream became a reality. Today, we are joined together, in the aptly named Gathering Space, to celebrate the tenth anniversary. The Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation accomplished many firsts since [then], including this building.”
Kim informs the audience of plans for the next ten years: ensuring up-to-date standards, improving the mission, being a vehicle to education the public and being a safe and welcoming place.
“Next summer the second floor is getting a new exhibit: Pequots in the Lost Century: 1870-1970… There is new archeological, cultural, and historical evidence that challenges the misconceptions for the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation and the MPMRC. And the story continues.”
“I can’t believe it’s been ten years,” said Vice Chairman Ken Reels. “It’s a beautiful thing. On behalf of the Tribe, I would like to thank everyone for coming. The most important part of what we do, and what we continue to do, is to share our rich, vibrant heritage with the world.”
“History is not complete unless his story, her story, and the whole story is told… Our goal here is to not show a bias towards anything but our version of the story.”
“We are not here to force our history. We are here to blend in with museums around New England. To encourage our children and Tribal members to tell their story, to write books…. We should all tell our history and live in harmony.”
“I would like to thank each and everyone of you for helping maintain what we have today,” said Joyce Walker, Vice Chairwoman, Tribal Elders Council.
“Each and everyone of us has a story,” Joyce continued. “Many elders did not live on the Reservation. Our parents or grandparents were born here, but through the years we had to live elsewhere to find work. We are blessed to be able to come back.”
During interviews after the ceremony, Dr. Jack Campisi, Dr. Kevin McBride, and Kimberly Hatcher-White talked to Alexis Ann, editor & publisher, The Resident, about their continued role in the museum.
“It goes back to Federal Recognition. One of the aims of Skip [Hayward] was to build a museum,”said Jack.“The executive director of Indian Rights Association recommended me to Skip because of my work with the Mashpee, Gay Head, and Narragansett Tribes.”
Skip and Jack met in 1978 and by January of 1979, “I was writing the Petition for Federal Acknowledgement. The difference is the President acknowledges and Congress recognizes.” The petition was vetoed by President Ronald Reagan, and Jack started working on Congressional approval of the Mashantucket Pequot Indian Land Claims Settlement Act.
“The Tribal members did a lot of research - Skip, Terry [Bell], and Loretta [Libby], going through records at courthouses and legislative buildings, studying the community, interviewing members, tracing lineages, finding evidence of community activities, and even digging up old phone bills.” said Jack.
In 1983, Skip approached Kevin about conducting archaeological research on the Mashantucket Pequot Reservation. At the time, Kevin was Director of Public Archaeology Survey Team, Inc., and an Anthropology Research Associate at UConn in Storrs.
“Really, I met Skip and Bill Starna from the Federal Recognition process. Skip and the Tribe had a vision, a dream, a goal to build a museum. History depicted the Pequots as extinct. He wanted to build a museum to convey their story. He valued research, partly for the Federal Recognition process, but also because he understood that archeology helps find people’s past - to be a resource to do their own research.”
“The museum now supports one of the best archeology programs in the country. The facilities are state-of-the-art to promote the learning of culture - of any one.”
Kevin, now the Director of Research for the museum and an Assistant Professor of Anthropology at UConn, explains that the State was closing in on the 200-acres the Tribe had left. “They could have been bitter. They could have told it their way, but they used the museum to tell the larger story in a way that engages the community from multiple perspectives. The agenda is to help people understand.”
Kimberly Hatcher-White, Executive Director, tells Alexis her plans for the next ten years. “I want to improve on what this institution does to impact the community,” said Kim. “Our current exhibit RACE: Are We So Different? is an opportunity for people to come together and talk about issues in a safe environment - it’s a vehicle to bring people together to help understand each other.”
“After ten years, museums can get stale. But it’s not the case here because in the museum world we are the baby.” A new exhibit will be underway next summer to the second floor: “Pequots in the Lost Century: 1870-1970.” Kim continues, “There is a gap where information is limited… During that period the thought was nobody was here on the Reservation, but we are finding there was a lot more going on than people believe and think.” Jason Mancini, senior researcher, is in year one of the research for the five year project.
The third part of the plan is to get the museum accredited. “It’s very difficult for Native museums,” said Kim. “We already go by museum standards. We should be an accredited institution.”
Kim started her career in 1994 pushing a cart at Foxwoods, selling coins. “I wanted to work my way up,” she said. When Kim got the chance to go to school, she jumped at the opportunity.
Kim earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology with a minor in Anthropology from Eastern Connecticut State University in 2002 and started working at the museum in the collections department under her mentor, Meredith Vasta.
When Terry Bell announced her resignation in 2006, Kim was encouraged to apply for the job. Terry sponsored Kim as her replacement. In September 2006, six months before Terry left, Kim became the deputy director. “In October 2006, I hit the ground running,” said Kim.
Tribal Elder Paul E. Harris, Sr., (May 4, 1946 - July 25, 2008) passed on instantly during an auto accident in Preston on the afternoon of July 25th. Son of Paul E. Johnson, Jr. and Marion M. Red Feather Curry, Paul was born, raised and educated in New London. Paul proudly served our country as a member of the U.S. Navy.
A three gun military salute was performed in Paul’s honor at the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Burial Grounds after a funeral ceremony held at Dinoto Funeral Home in Mystic on July 31st.
In a time-honored tradition, since 1885, the military bugle call “Taps” was played over the grave of veteran Paul Harris. The American Flag, on behalf of the U.S. Navy, President of the United States, and a proud nation, was presented to Paul’s daughter, Christina Harris.
Paul is survived by sons, Paul E. Harris, Jr., Gabriel Harris, and siblings, Chief Pedro J. Silver Wolf Johnson, Laughing Woman Patrick, Spiritual Leader, Marion Hatcher Standing She Bear and War Chief Stanley Standing Oak Harris Jr. He was predeceased by two sisters, Barbara and Jean.
Known best for his superb musical talent, Paul taught drumming at the Juilliard School of Music and worked with many lead bands across the country before going to work for his Tribe’s biggest enterprise, Foxwoods Resort Casino. There, Paul Harris served as executive assistant for entertainment where his primary responsibility was to liaise with the incoming acts, including the local musicians who played the lounges.
In a June 2000 interview with Modern Drummer Magazine, Paul said of Foxwoods, “‘This isn’t the place for introspective performers. You have to be able to play great music, and play it very well - and also have to be able to sell it to the audience.’”
Paul was a genius at marketing music and helped to take his Tribe’s entertainment venues to the top during the early days at Foxwoods. His personal experience of being a drummer and always the band manager were the perfect ingredients for shaping the entertainment world at Foxwoods.
“‘I know what it’s like to have to pay your bills by performing,’” he says. “‘You want to do a good job and be asked to come back again. So, I make a point to greet the groups and go over what’s expected of them. I try to answer their questions and make them feel comfortable.’”
Long before the biggest casino in the world existed, Paul lived in the area where it now stands on the Reservation. “‘I remember when there was nothing up here but a cedar swamp and poor people,’” said Paul. “‘The reason I became a drummer was so I could leave this place and never come back. I went out on the road, playing seven nights a week for almost twenty years. At the age of 42, I found myself sitting in a hotel room, realizing that I missed five Christmas Days, many birthdays, and many Thanksgivings. I didn’t have anything to show for it except hotel bills, drums and a schedule for a year in advance. It finally hit me that I didn’t want to end my life living out of a suitcase.’”
Paul was doing studio work in California when he got a letter from the Pequot Tribe informing him that they were building a casino and asking him to come back to the Reservation and get involved. He returned in 1992, at which point, the entire operation was a bingo hall - a single cement building surrounded by a dirt parking lot. “‘The Chief of the Tribe was working as a ticket-taker at the door,’” said Paul.
At that time, the Tribe asked Paul to put together the fledgling “casino’s” first entertainment, and gave him $1,000 to rent a sound system. “‘We pushed bingo tables together to make a stage, and mounted a couple of outdoor floodlights on the ceiling for the lighting system,’” says Paul. “‘Kenny Rogers was our first ‘showroom’ act on this incredibly primitive setup-and we sold out! Kenny got $10,000 and we made $30,000. We thought, ‘This is great! We can do this forever.’”
‘“But, it hasn’t taken forever,”’ concluded Paul. “‘In only seven years, that ‘crude’ operation turned into the world’s largest casino/hotel. I’ve gone from being a freelance road musician to being an executive for one of the finest entertainment programs in the world. And, I still get to play from time to time, either sitting in with our groups or doing some outside projects. I was always able to make money with drums - giving lessons, working with high school drumline, or playing local gigs. But, I never thought I’d see this end of things. I count my blessings.’”
In conclusion and most importantly, Paul was a philanthropist with a heart of gold. His many friends, from near and afar, and from all walks of life, will tell you - To know him was to love and respect him for his brilliance, kindness, compassion and humanitarianism. We will miss the sunshine that Paul E. Harris brought into this world but our memories of him with his winning smile, hearty laugh and bear-ish spirit remain forever!
Donations can be made to the Mashantucket Pequot Spiritual Center c/o Judy Bell, Chairperson, Board of Directors, PO Box 3344, Mashantucket, CT 06338.
Just One Arrow
song by John York
dedicated to Paul Harris by The Resident
Oh the road is long and narrow,
And I’m down to just one arrow,
And my old paint, he can hardly stand.
But you can point me toward the battle,
Put me back up in my saddle,
It’s time for me to take my own last stand.
I’ve been looking for a way to cross the Rockies in my mind,
Tryin’ to decide about my own Great Divide.
There’s a mighty Mississippi ragin’ somewhere in my soul,
I’ve got to cross this desert, before I reach my goal.
Cause the road is long and narrow,
And I’m down to just one arrow,
And my old paint, he can hardly stand.
But you can point me toward the battle,
Put me back up in my saddle,
It’s time for me to make my own stand…
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