Massachusetts has two federally recognized tribes. They have met the seven criteria of an American Indian tribe: being an American Indian entity since at least 1900, a predominant part of the group forms a distinct community and has done so throughout history into the present; holding political influence over its members, having governing documents including membership criteria, members having ancestral descent from historic American Indian tribes, not being members of other existing federally recognized tribes, and not being previously terminated by the U.S. Congress.[2]
State-recognized tribes do not have government-to-government relationships with the United States federal government, but they do have a relationship with the state. Massachusetts has two state-recognized tribes, acknowledged through executive orders by governors.
These are some of the tribes that have existed in what is now Massachusetts. Most no longer exist as functioning American Indian tribes within the state; however, some are tribes in other states or in Canada.
Mahican tribe, from New York but some migrated to Massachusetts in the late 17th century[10]
More than 20 organizations claim to represent historic tribes within Massachusetts; however, these groups are unrecognized, meaning they do not meet the minimum criteria of a federally recognized tribe[3] or a state-recognized tribe.[12]
^Weinstein, L. (1997). "Book Reviews"(PDF). Western Connecticut State University. Archived(PDF) from the original on 15 November 2021. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
^Newland, Bryan (12 July 2012). "Federal Tribal Recognition". Office of Congressional and Legislative Affairs. US Department of the Interior. Archived from the original on 21 November 2021. Retrieved 23 November 2021.
^Dukakis, Michael S. (8 July 1976). "No. 126: Massachusetts Native Americans". Massachusetts Executive Orders. Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Archived from the original on 31 August 2022. Retrieved 31 August 2022.
