Why we are changing the name
January 18, 2023
It is past time to move away from being named “The Sagamore.”
Reggi Alkiewicz is a member of the Nunatsiavut Government from Labrador, Canada, and serves as a Civic Engagement Coordinator for the Native American Indian Center of Boston. Alkiewicz helped our staff connect with members of the Massachusett Tribe at Ponkapoag. Alkiewicz said using the name “The Sagamore” is harmful to Indigenous people today because the newspaper has no connection to Indigenous culture.
“This name is inappropriate and cannot be used,” Alkiewicz said in a conversation with staff. “The term Sagamore is a term of honor. It is a chief term. Your newspaper has no commitment to Indigenous people.”
Sagamore Gray said Indigenous mascots and names like “The Sagamore” remind him of this country’s brutal history of violence towards Indigenous people.
“When I see a school that has [us as their] mascot, honestly, I just feel like we’re trophies. They look at us like we are a trophy. Like, ‘look at this savage that we conquered.’ They’re not viewing us as human beings,” Gray said.
Gray is no stranger to pushback on these kinds of initiatives. He encourages those who may be hesitant to try to understand the perspective of Indigenous people.
“We just ask people to have some empathy and to have some heart and to try to have some understanding of what it is that the Indigenous people here went through and continue to go through. Sometimes that has to sit with people and fester, so they can absorb exactly what it is they’re telling them, but” Gray said. “Most people have the ability to reflect and so we just ask them to reflect a little bit on what it is we’re asking them to change.”
Some staff wondered if the name “The Sagamore” could continue to be used in a way that honors and respects the title. J. Cedric Woods is the director of the Institute for New England Native American Studies at the University of Massachusetts, Boston. Woods said the name could not be used to honor Indigenous people because the meaning of the word has no correlation to a newspaper.
“I don’t advocate for changing names of towns that are using the Indigenous name of that place. I think changing the name actually erases Indigenous presence,” Woods said. “But for a newspaper, I would step back and say, ‘Well, let’s set aside whether it’s the Native name or not. What’s the role of the paper? And does that name make sense?’ To me, I don’t see the connection between the name ‘Sagamore’ and a newspaper.”
Gray said our name change should be used as an opportunity to educate the community on the history of the Massachusett people. Articles such as this one are part of our ongoing effort to expand our coverage of Indigenous voices and be attentive to Indigenous communities.
“You’re not just changing a name, you’re changing minds,” Gray said.
Conclusion
Our newspaper aims to be a source of unbiased and relevant news for the school community. We hope to represent the community fairly and accurately. With these values in mind, a name like “The Sagamore” does not make sense. It does not symbolize who we are and it actively counteracts our goal to make all people feel heard and represented on the pages of our paper.
As the newspaper moves toward a new name, we encourage you to think about the meaning of the word “Sagamore” and the title of honor it represents. Changing the name is an act of respect towards people and stories like that of Sagamore Faries Gray, to whom the title rightfully belongs.
Gray said he was chosen to be the Sagamore by a previous Sac’hem about 30 years ago. The Sac’hem’s recommendation was approved by the Tribal Council and Gray took on the daunting responsibility of the Sagamore from a young age.
“It probably chose me, rather than me choosing that as a role. It was just who I was,” Gray said. “Prior to being asked to be the Sagamore I was already the Sagamore. The title was with me always.”
Further reading
The Indigenous history of Brookline
Q & A with J. Cedric Woods, director of the Institute for New England Native American Studies
Felina Silver Robison on being Indigenous in Brookline
More about Sagamore Faries Gray