Hall of Elders
Del Logan, Onondaga
Adelphena Logan, longtime friend, mentor, and patron of the Institute for American Indian Studies, was an extraordinarily accomplished elder of the Onondaga tribe. Born in June of 1912, she was a direct descendent of Tal-ga-yee-ta (Logan), a celebrated Mingo Chief of the Cayuga Iroquois and a member of the Eel Clan. Adelphena attended Alfred, Syracuse, and Columbia Universities. Post-graduation, she was the Director of Arts and Crafts at the Syracuse Parks and Recreation for thirty years. She also held the positions of Assistant Indian Planning Director at the Cayuga Iroquois Country Museum and Assistant Director of the Owasco Restored Indian Village and Museum in Auburn, New York. Throughout her professional career, she was a part-time instructor at the Rochester Museum of Arts and Sciences. She was also a consultant to the Smithsonian’s Board of Indian Arts and Crafts, Auburn Community College, and the Syracuse Folk Arts of the Cultural Resources Council, both of which focused on Iroquois arts, history, and lore. She was an adamant supporter and friend of Edmond (Ned) Swigart, the co-founder of the American Indian Archaeological Institute, now IAIS. Del created many items for museum programs in addition to donating many of her and her family’s personal cultural items. After her death, the Institute for American Indian Studies published a transcript of her stories, Memories of Sweet Grass. Logan passed away in July of 1978.
Trudie Lamb Richmond, Schaghticoke
Schaghticoke
Trudie Lamb Richmond, an elder of the Schaghticoke Tribal Nation, is a Native American activist, author, educator, cultural leader, master storyteller, and former Chairwoman of her tribe. She attended Long Island University as an undergraduate, earned a master’s degree in Anthropology from the University of Connecticut, and a second master’s degree from Bank Street College of Education. Trudie was co-founder of the American Indians for Development (AID) in 1974 and worked as the AID’s assistant director until she accepted the position of Director of Education and Public Programs at the Institute for American Indian Studies in 1988. In 1996, she was made Director of Public Programming at the Mashantucket Pequot Museum and Research Center. She held that position until her retirement in 2012, where she continues as a volunteer. Throughout her career, she served on the Connecticut Indian Affairs Council and the Native American Heritage Advisory Council, and gave multiple traditional performances and educational seminars in Connecticut. She was deeply concerned with the elimination of Native stereotypes in popular culture and public misconceptions of Native lives. Trudie was also a member of IAIS Native American Advisory Committee, served on IAIS’ Board of Trustees and continued to share her knowledge and spirit through programming and IAIS.
Gladys Tantaquidgeon, Mohegan Medicine Woman
Mohegan Medicine Woman
Mohegan scholar and medicine woman, Gladys Tantaquidgeon was born in 1899 on Mohegan Hill in Uncasville. She is a 9th generation ancestor of the famed Chief Uncas who was depicted in the book and movie, Last of the Mohicans. At age five, she began her medicinal training with her maternal aunt Emma Baker, a traditional herbal healer. With her and two other women elders, Gladys learned the intricacies of Mohegan culture and history, including tribal cosmology and sacred stories, such as those about the makiawisug, or “little people”, who guard healing plants. Even though she never received her high school diploma, her eagerness to learn earned her the privilege of studying anthropology at the University of Pennsylvania with the help of her friend and mentor, anthropologist Dr. Frank Speck. After leaving college, she conducted fieldwork on New England Indian reservations. Later, she was offered a job as a social worker in Rapid City, South Dakota, where she worked until 1938. From then until 1947 she worked to promote the newly formed Federal Indians Arts and Crafts Board. Gladys then returned to Connecticut, where she worked with her family to help form the Tantaquidgeon Indian Museum. She was also member of IAIS Native American Advisory Committee. When she was 93 years old, she became an official medicine woman. Throughout her life, she authored countless scholarly articles and a book, Folk Medicine of the Delaware and Related Algonkian Indians. Gladys passed away in November of 2005 at the age of 106.
Nanepashemet (Anthony Pollard), Pawtucket Massachusetts-Wampanoag
Born in 1953, “Tony” graduated from Southern Massachusetts University and began working as an interpreter at the Plymouth Plantation, facilitating conversation in their Native American Studies Program. Since childhood, he had a desire to fully understand his people’s history and culture. As he learned about and experienced his past, he adopted the name Nanepashemet, the name of a great Sachem of the Indian Confederacy of Massachusetts. He eventually was offered the position of Curator at the Plymouth Plantation museum. Considered a scholarly colleague and friend by staff members at the Institute for American Indian Studies, Nanepashement instructed IAIS visitors on Algonkian material culture and created many of the deer skin clothing replications at our museum before his death in 1995. Tony Pollard’s enthusiasm was infectious and he left a strong legacy with his people and the Native community.
Chief Big Eagle (Aurelius Piper), Golden Hill Paugussett
Chief Big Eagle was the traditional hereditary chief of the Golden Hill Tribe of the Paugussett Indian Nation. Proud of his indigenous heritage, Big Eagle dedicated a large portion of his life to the preservation and teaching of Native American history and cultural traditions. He was a master beadworker, creating beautifully beaded belts and other objects. He was the founder of the White Buffalo Society, a federally registered non-profit Native American inter-tribal organization that strives to retain a heritage passed down from the elders. Throughout his life he served on the Minority Advisory Council of the Department of Aging, and volunteered at the Bridgeport, Connecticut, elementary schools where he not only founded an Indian Education program, but served as a consultant and instructor. He also founded, in 1983, the “Native American Prison Project” at Somers Prison which allowed Native American inmates to be allowed access to traditional services such as smudging and sweatlodges. Chief Big Eagle continued the Paugussett’s unrelenting struggle to preserve their quarter-acre reservation in Trumbull. His picture hangs in the Connecticut State Capitol building in honor of his work with the American Indians for Development. A World War II Veteran of both the US Navy and US Army, he traveled extensively as an activist for Native American and minority rights. Chief Big Eagle also acted as the foreign correspondent for the Eastern North America tribes to the De Kiva Journal, a group based in Belgium and the Netherlands which takes Indian rights cases before the International Human Rights Council in Geneva, Switzerland. He passed away in August of 2008 at the age of 93.
Slow Turtle, Mashpee Wampanoag
The Supreme Medicine Man of the Wampanoag Nation, Slow Turtle had spent a large part of his life providing spiritual guidance for his people but also participated in governmental issues within the general Native American community. He was the first Executive Director of the Massachusetts Commission on Indian Affairs, responsible as the liaison between the Massachusetts legislature and the state’s four tribes. He also played an instrumental role in the passage of state legislation that became the model for NAGPRA. For several years, he was a spiritual teacher at North Central Correctional Institution’s Native American Spiritual Awareness Council in Massachusetts. Slow Turtle was a leader in creating the federal Native American Religious Freedom Act of 1978, and also the Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978, which requires that all orphaned Native American children and those taken from their homes be placed in American Indian homes that keep them in touch with their culture. Slow Turtle passed away in October of 1997 at the age of 67.
Chief War Hawk (Harry K. Williams), Shinnecock
After spending three years in the United States Army in World War II, the Shinnecock elders urged Williams to become involved in the tribal government. Representing the Shinnecock Tribe at the local, state, and federal level, Williams’ political career came to a climax when he brought a case regarding the protection of his reservation lands to the United States Supreme Court. He was the second-longest serving Trustee of the Shinnecock Tribe, elected 27 times between 1946 and 1979. Chief War Hawk served as the Ceremonial Chief for the Shinnecock Indian pow-wow for many years.
Chief Strong Horse (Kenneth Smith), Narragansett
Kenneth Smith, or Chief Strong Horse, grew up in an environment of hunting, fishing and swimming on the Narragansett reservation. As the Tribal Chairman of the Narragansett Tribal Council, he tried to facilitate a better relationship between the state and federal governments and his people. Always optimistic, Chief Strong Horse believed that the tribe must stay positive about their future government interactions. He also served as master of ceremonies for many years at the Narragansett Tribe’s Great Swamp gathering and annual August Meeting. He said that his primary mission was to continue the Narragansett relationship with the Great Spirit and the lands of the reservation.
Theresa (Plouffe) Hayward, Mashantucket Pequot
The daughter of Arthur and Elizabeth Plouffe, Theresa was one of the most widely known and respected of the Mashantucket Pequot elders. Born in Norwich, she spent her whole life on the Mashantucket Pequot Reservation serving on various leadership committees. These included being the chairwoman of the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Council, being a member of the Pequot Historical & Cultural Committee, and participating in the tribe’s gaming commission. When she passed away in 1996 at age 67 from a long-term illness, she had 18 grandchildren and 8 great grand-children.
Red Thunder Cloud, Catawba
Catawba ethnobotanist Red Thunder Cloud was the last living speaker of the Catawba language and with his death in 1996 came the death of the language. He made several recordings to pass the language on to future generations. Though many question if Red Thunder Cloud was a native speaker of Catawba, he was widely accepted as a scholar of Native American linguistics. Personally, he was very close with leaders from a number of tribes, including those from Schaghticoke, Mohegan, Shinnecock, and Montauk, in addition to the Catawba. Known as ‘Tez’ to friends and family, he worked extensively at IAIS, preparing traditional programming and supporting the museum in all of its endeavors.
Chief Hockeo (Roy Sebastian), Eastern Pequot
Known as Chief Hockeo, Running Deer, Roy Sebastian, was born on July 25, 1926 in Old Mystic, CT In Algonquian hock or hogki means the body. Chief Hockeo’s name was passed down from his great grandfather, to his grandfather, to his father, and finally, to him. Chief Hockeo is a lineal descendant of Francisco Sebastian, son of Tamer Brushel Sebastian (1822-1915) whose obituary states “she had the pure blood of Pequot Indians in her veins”
Chief Hockeo’s parents were Roy Emanuel Sebastian a great deer hunter and leader and Julia Sebastian an artist and mother of seven children. Five of his siblings served on the Eastern Pequot Tribal Council: William Neese Mihtuck (Two Trees) Sub-Chief, Lawrence, Ponoc Reservation Guard, Donald Beseka (Gun) , Winifred (Morning Dove) Mohtompan Wuskuhwhan, Treasurer, Gladys Qunneke, (Doe). Vera Wunnegen Nushawonk (Beautiful Spirit) served as Chair of the Elders Council. Chief Hockeo was married to Virginia, Rose Basket and they had three children. His daughter Katherine, JD. (Wataswan) Nupppe Wequash served as Chairwoman, Patricia, M.D. (Squash Blossom) Askutasquash Peshauau Medicine Woman and Gwendolyn M.Ed. Neese Butterfly (Two Butterflies) Educator. He has six grandchildren: Lily of the Valley, JennaGoQuietly, ThunderBear, Bigeagle, PumpkinSun, Sequoyah: and two great grandchildren: Willow Anumwussukuppe and Ivy Wunnepog.
As former Tribal Chairman (1976-1997) of the Eastern Pequot Tribe, a state recognized tribe, Chief Hockeo declared their tribal sovereignty and fought for tribal rights, lands and people. In 1994 Chief Hockeo was honored by Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation at its annual Schemitzum festival for “maintaining their (Eastern Pequot) sovereignty and cultural identity.” In 1996 the Cultural Director of Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation honored Chief Hockeo with an eagle- feathered Chief’s headdress. In 1997 at the Eastern Pequot annual meeting Chief Hockeo was declared Sachem for Life. He often led ceremonial and burial services on their historic reservation (established in 1683) and at other community and sacred places.
Chief Hockeo worked with Tribal Council, members, historians, archaeologists, attorneys, tribal, governmental and religious officials to research and collect evidence to support their tribal petition for acknowledgment as a federally recognized tribe by the US Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), Department of the Interior (DOI). The tribe sought federal acknowledgment to become eligible for health, education and housing services. Under his leadership the tribe submitted an initial petition in 1978 and received a positive preliminary decision in 2000 and a final positive decision in 2002 declaring the tribe as the historic Eastern Pequot Tribe. The evidentiary collection includes over 70,000 pages. In 2005 after an appeal by the state of Connecticut and 29 towns opposing additional federally recognized tribes and casino development, the US DOI in an unprecedented decision reversed and overturned the Eastern Pequot federal acknowledgement. The Eastern Pequot Tribal Nation will always possess and exercise its inherent tribal sovereignty.
During his leadership Chief Hockeo worked with his daughter, Tribal Council and members to submit several large successful petitions for grants from the Administration for Native Americans, US Department of Health and Human Services. He is remembered by all who have known him as a well-respected elder who constantly fought for his tribe, land and people praying: “Tabuttantam Manitoo ,Sunnamatta Wetomp? Cowammaunuck.”
(Thank you Creator, Is it not so, dear friend? We love thee.)
Biographical Statement Written By: Katherine Sebastian Dring, JD; Elder and former Chairwoman of the Eastern Pequot Tribal Nation
Ken Mynter, Mohican Historian
Stockbridge Mahican (also Mohican) Ken Mynter’s goal was to establish and foster a constant trail of communication about Native lifeways in the Northeast. At the Institute for American Indian Studies, he taught children’s workshops, lectured, demonstrated woodworking and the construction of a gustoweh.
Roy Blackbear (Roy Black), Mohawk
A well respected speaker in the powwow circuit even before Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods, Roy Blackbear was always called upon to speak at cultural events. According to his friends, Roy Blackbear “lived tradition” even though he was not enrolled in any specific Native tribe. He was also a very well-known silversmith and made all of the items that Institute for American Indian Studies has presented to veterans. Moreover, Roy himself was honored in 1997. Roy Blackbear passed away on August 31, 2007 at the age of 85.
Everett “Tall Oak” Weeden, Pequot & Wampanoag
Elder, Activist, Educator, and Historian
Born in Providence, Rhode Island, in 1936, Everett “Tall Oak” Weeden is a respected Indigenous elder known for his lifelong commitment to education, cultural preservation, and Indigenous rights. In 1959, he began working with his cousin and mentor, Princess Red Wing, at the Tomaquag Indian Museum, where he helped preserve and share Native history and traditions. Together with his wife, Patricia Turner of the Mashpee Wampanoag community, he raised his family in the Indigenous traditions of Southern New England.
Tall Oak dedicated much of his life to correcting misconceptions about Native peoples and sharing Indigenous history from Native perspectives. Through extensive genealogical research, he discovered his family’s Pequot and Wampanoag roots and became a passionate advocate for telling accurate Indigenous histories. He has lectured widely at schools, universities, museums, and public institutions and has appeared in documentaries including 500 Nations and PBS’s We Shall Remain. His work has focused particularly on the effects of the Pequot War, the Native slave trade, and the displacement of Indigenous peoples throughout Southern New England.
In 1970, Tall Oak joined other Native leaders, including Frank James (Aquinnah Wampanoag), in organizing the first National Day of Mourning in Plymouth, Massachusetts. Created in response to the censorship of Native perspectives during the Pilgrims’ 350th anniversary commemoration, the event, held on Thanksgiving Day, brought together Indigenous people from across the country and remains an important annual gathering today.
Tall Oak also devoted years of research to the history of the Pequot diaspora and the Native slave trade. His research into the colonial-era enslavement and dispersal of Native peoples led him to Bermuda, where he worked to reconnect descendants of Pequot people who had been separated from their homelands following the Pequot War and the slave trade.His efforts helped reconnect descendants of Indigenous peoples in Bermuda with Native communities in Connecticut, leading to a historic cultural reconnection in 2002.
Through activism, education, research, and community-building, Tall Oak Weeden has spent his life preserving Indigenous history, strengthening Native identity, and fostering connections among Indigenous peoples across generations.
