Mohegan Tribe facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mohegan Tribe of Native Americans of Connecticut
"The Wolf People"
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 Flag
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| Capital | Uncasville, Connecticut |
| Official languages | English Mohegan |
| Demonym(s) | Mohegan |
| Government | Republic |
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• Tribal Council Chairman
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James Gessner |
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• Council of Elders Chairman
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Laurence Roberge |
| Legislature | Mohegan Government |
| Tribal Council | |
| Council of Elders | |
| Independence | |
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• de facto
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September 21, 1638 |
| March 7, 1994 | |
| Area | |
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• Total
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2.05 km2 (0.79 sq mi) |
| Population | |
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• 2010 estimate
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1920 |
| Currency | United States dollar |
| Time zone | EST |
The Mohegan Tribe is a Native American group recognized by the United States government. This means they are a sovereign tribal nation. Their special land, called the Mohegan Indian Reservation, is located in Uncasville, Connecticut, along the Thames River.
The Mohegan people have been an independent nation for over 350 years. This independence was first recognized by the Treaty of Hartford (1638) in 1638. This treaty was made by their leader, Sachem Uncas, after he helped the English win the Pequot War (1637–1638). Even though the treaty recognized them, the tribe later faced challenges and lost much of their land.
In the late 1900s, the Mohegan Tribe worked to regain their identity and land. They filed a lawsuit to get back land that Connecticut had sold illegally. As a result, the Mohegan Nation was officially recognized by the U.S. government in 1994. The U.S. Congress passed a law, and land was given to the tribe to be their reservation.
Having their own sovereign reservation allowed the Mohegan to open businesses. They started gaming operations to earn money for their community. This money helps with their well-being and economic growth. The Mohegan Sun casino opened on October 12, 1996, near the old Fort Shantok site.
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The Mohegan Tribe's Vision
In 1997, the Mohegan Tribe's Council of Elders shared their vision. It describes their beliefs and hopes for the future:
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- We are the Wolf People, children of Mundo, a part of the Tree of Life. Our ancestors
- form our roots, our living Tribe is the trunk, our grandchildren are the buds of our future.
- We remember and teach the stories of our ancestors.
- We watch. We listen. We learn.
- We respect Mother Earth, our Elders, and all that comes from Mundo.
- We are willing to break arrows of peace to heal old and new wounds. We acknowledge and learn
- from our mistakes.
- We walk as a single spirit on the Trail of Life. We are guided by thirteen generations
- past and responsible to thirteen generations to come.
- We survive as a nation guided by the wisdom of our past. Our circular trail returns
- us to wholeness as a people.
Mohegan History
Before the 1600s, the Mohegan were part of the Pequot Tribe. These groups were Algonquian peoples living in what is now southern New England.
Uncas and the Pequot War
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The early 1600s brought big changes for tribes in Connecticut. More European settlers arrived, leading to competition for land. Also, new diseases greatly reduced the Native American populations. During this time, a disagreement happened within the Pequot Tribe between their leader, Sassacus, and another leader, Uncas.
Uncas and his followers left the Pequot Tribe. They called themselves the Mohegan, meaning "Wolf People," like their ancestors. Each tribe had different ideas about how to deal with the English and other Europeans. Uncas (1598–1683) became the leader, or Sachem, of the Mohegan Tribe. He chose to work with the English colonists. The Pequot, led by Sassacus, decided to fight the colonists. Other local tribes also chose sides in the Pequot War, which lasted from 1637 to 1638.
Uncas saw the terrible losses caused by the fighting. He decided to become friends with the European settlers. This choice was difficult, but it led to an alliance between Uncas, the Mohegan people, and the English during the war with the Pequot. The Mohegan helped the English defeat the Pequot.
Uncas settled his people in a village called Shantok on the Thames River. The tribe defended this village from an attack by the Narragansett tribe. This attack was linked to both European and Native American conflicts. The Mohegan Tribe's alliance with the English helped keep their people relatively safe during and after King Philip's War, when colonists attacked many Native American groups.
Mohegan Government
The Mohegan Tribe has had its own government structure since before Europeans arrived. Today, the Mohegan Government has the power to make and enforce laws on their lands. They use the Constitution of the Mohegan Tribe of Indians of Connecticut, which they wrote in the 20th century.
The Mohegan Nation is governed by its people. They elect a Tribal Council with nine members and a Council of Elders with seven members. The Tribal Council handles most of the tribe's lawmaking and leadership duties. Marilynn Malerba became the 18th lifetime chief of the Mohegan Tribe on August 15, 2010. She is the first female chief in modern Mohegan history.
The Council of Elders handles legal matters and protects the tribe's culture. They also make rules about who can be a tribal member. The Tribal Court handles all legal cases that are not related to gaming.
After the U.S. Congress passed the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act in 1988, the Mohegan Nation worked with the State of Connecticut. They negotiated an agreement about gaming after gaining federal recognition in 1994. The U.S. government then officially set aside land for the Mohegan as a sovereign reservation.
The tribe opened the Mohegan Sun casino in 1996. The agreement between Connecticut and the Mohegan Tribe gives 25 percent of the casino's slot machine money to the state. This money helps fund state services. This agreement became a successful example for others. Native American tribes in Connecticut have brought in a lot of money for the state. The good relationship between Connecticut and the Mohegan has helped solve issues quickly, like rules for indoor smoking and having state police on the reservation.
Community Contributions
The Mohegan Tribe has helped its neighbors in many ways. They paid $35 million for a new road to the Mohegan Sun casino. This road helps visitors get there without causing traffic in Montville. The tribe also funded an $11 million water project to ensure clean drinking water for the region.
The tribe has also worked to make sure that Connecticut communities get a fair share of casino money. They suggested a successful plan to change how funds are given out. This means communities most affected by casinos receive more money from the Pequot-Mohegan Fund.
The Mohegan Tribe also pays $500,000 each year to the Town of Montville instead of taxes. The tribe is also a partner in the Community Economic Development Fund. This program helps small businesses in the area create jobs. The Mohegan Tribe is the first and only non-bank investor in such a program in Connecticut.
A member of the Mohegan Tribe also serves on the board of trustees for the University of Connecticut.
Mohegan Economy
The Mohegan Tribe has used gaming to create income for the tribe, its members, and nearby communities. Mohegan Sun employs about 10,000 people directly. It also buys goods and services from hundreds of local businesses, which employ thousands more. Employees of the tribe and casinos pay all federal and state taxes. This provides millions of dollars to the government.
By law, profits from Native American gaming must support the health, education, well-being, and infrastructure of tribal governments. While tribes can receive federal grants, by 1997, the Mohegan Tribe was doing so well that they could return grant money. That year, they gave back $2.2 million in grant funds to the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). This money was then given to other Native American nations.
Since opening in October 1996, the Mohegan Sun has brought a lot of money to Connecticut's economy:
- About $2.5 billion in slot machine money given to the State of Connecticut.
- Over $4 billion in salaries, wages, and benefits for employees.
- Over $6 billion spent on goods and services.
- Over $200 million in state taxes.
- Over $65 million in state services.
- Over $18 million in donations to charities.
The tribe partly owns the New England Black Wolves National Lacrosse League team. They fully own the WNBA's Connecticut Sun team. A company connected to the tribe also owns Resorts Casino Hotel in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
In September 2019, a deal was announced for Mohegan Gaming and Entertainment to run the casino at the new Virgin Hotels Las Vegas. This is the first time a Native American tribe has operated a Las Vegas casino.
Notable Mohegan People
- Emma Baker – She helped bring back the Green Corn Ceremony and was a tribal chairperson.
- Fidelia Hoscott Fielding (1827–1908) – She was the last person to speak the Mohegan-Pequot language fluently.
- John E. Hamilton (1897–1988) – Known as Grand Sachem Chief Rolling Cloud, he was an activist for Native American rights.
- Samson Occom (1723–1792) – A Presbyterian minister who helped the Brothertown Indians move to New York state.
- Gladys Tantaquidgeon (1899–2005) – An anthropologist and herbalist, she helped start the Tantaquidgeon Museum.
- Uncas (c. 1588 – c. 1683) – He was the first leader, or Sachem, of the Mohegan.
- Mahomet Weyonomon – A Sachem who traveled to England in 1735 to ask for fair treatment for his people.
- Marilynn Malerba – The first Native American woman to be appointed as Treasurer of the United States.
