We Demand Change!

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We Demand Change!

UN Special Reporter on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Caly Tazy, US Attorney General Merrick Garland, US Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland, Mass. Governor Maura Healey, Mass. Secretary of State Williiam Galvin and Mass. State Auditor Diana DiZoglio

INDIGENOUS ERASURE:

THE MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION'S ROLE

Indigenous people have called the land now known as Massachusetts home for over 13,000 years.
Millennia of indigenous history and culture are still contained in the land: habitation and village sites, burial grounds, artifacts, ceremonial stone landscapes, waterscapes, and more.
The Massachusetts Historical Commission (MHC) is responsible for safeguarding Indigenous history, yet they facilitate the destruction of important Indigenous sites without public knowledge.
For 60 years, Massachusetts’ Governor and Secretary of State have failed to appoint a single Indigenous person to the 17-person MHC Board.
The MHC frequently and consistently allows Indigenous heritage sites, where artefacts have been discovered, and where Tribal members state there is cultural significance, to be destroyed by developers. The MHC signs off on the permits, stating there is "no significant research value."
The Massachusetts Historical Commission violates international laws, such as the UN Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), by allowing federally-funded infrastructure projects to destroy important Indigenous sites without free, prior and informed consent of Indigenous people.
The MHC lacks the expertise and authority to make decisions concerning Indigenous cultural heritage, leading to euro-centric interpretations of archaeological information.
The MHC allows for discovered Indigenous artifacts to be destroyed or permanently stored in state consultant warehouses, preventing their return to Indigenous peoples.
The MHC often makes it difficult for Indigenous peoples to access detailed archaeological reports of their ancestral sites, resulting in loss of cultural heritage, a barrier to education, and lack of government accountability and transparency.
The MHC frequently asks archaeologists to modify their reports to advance state infrastructure projects, even if these projects might damage or destroy significant Indigenous cultural sites.
Desecration of Indigenous cultural sites often involves the destruction of natural resources, as the spiritual and cultural history of Indigenous people is part of the land itself.
The ultimate impact of the MHC's practices is the gradual erasure of Indigenous cultures in Massachusetts, which is a loss for all of humanity, not just Indigenous peoples.

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Community Land & Water Coalition

To: UN Special Reporter on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Caly Tazy, US Attorney General Merrick Garland, US Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland, Mass. Governor Maura Healey, Mass. Secretary of State Williiam Galvin and Mass. State Auditor Diana DiZoglio
From: [Your Name]

The Massachusetts Historic Commission entirely excludes Native Americans from Membership.

For over 60 years the State has failed to appoint a single Native American to the Board of the very state agency charged with protecting Native American archaeological and cultural sites.

As a result, there is entrenched cultural bias at the MHC, and Native American archaeological and cultural sites are being destroyed for development projects everyday, without the public's knowledge.

We demand change!

Specifically, we are calling for action on the following three critical issues:

1. A Change in Leadership
The leadership at the MHC has failed to demonstrate adequate transparency and responsiveness in dealing with matters of historical preservation, especially those involving the Indigenous cultural legacy. New leadership is essential to bring fresh perspectives, greater accountability, and a renewed commitment to the MHC’s mission. The current leadership must be replaced by individuals who are more attuned to the diverse historical narratives that shape our state.

2. Indigenous Representation on the MHC Board
The 60-year absence of Indigenous voices on the MHC Board is a glaring oversight. The Commission must include Indigenous representation in a form that is chosen by the Indigenous peoples themselves, so they have the autonomy to determine how their history, culture, and sacred sites are preserved. Indigenous leaders and scholars should be active participants in decisions that affect their heritage, and the current board makeup does not reflect this important need for inclusion and self-determination.

3. Recognition of Ceremonial Stone Landscapes and Other Cultural Landscapes
Massachusetts is home to a rich array of Indigenous ceremonial stone landscapes and other cultural landscapes that have not received the recognition or protection they deserve. These landscapes hold deep cultural and spiritual significance for Indigenous peoples, yet they are often overlooked or disregarded in the historical preservation process. The MHC must prioritize the identification, documentation, and protection of these cultural landscapes, acknowledging them as integral parts of our shared heritage.

These changes are long overdue. I urge you to use your legislative influence to advocate for these reforms and ensure that the MHC can effectively protect and preserve the full breadth of Massachusetts’ historical and cultural heritage, including the histories and traditions of Indigenous peoples.