More than a week after descendants of the Pokanoket Tribe set up an encampment on Brown University land in Bristol, tensions are rising. Late last week, Brown’s Steering Committee of the Native American and Indigenous Studies Initiative issued a statement to its students, faculty and community. In it, Brown clarified the difference between people descended from a indigenous tribe, and those having a recognized tribe.

In Brown’s eyes, the fact that the United States government does not recognize the Pokanoket tribe, is significant.

An excerpt from the statement reads: “In the state of Massachusetts, there are two federally recognized Wampanoag Nations — The Wampanoag Tribe of Aquinnah and the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe. Here in Rhode Island, the Narragansett Indian Tribe in South County is the only federally recognized tribe. While there is a long history of erasure and forced assimilation of Native peoples in the Northeast, meaning many tribal communities have been written out of history, the Pokanoket Tribe is not recognized by the federal government or the state, and more importantly is not recognized by the other federally recognized Wampanoag communities.

“The Pokanoket are a group that claims descent from the line of King Philip (Metacom) after King Philip’s War, and many members of the group may very well have Native ancestry. However, according to historical records used by Mashpee for their language revitalization, the Pokanoket families were taken in by Mashpee after the war, and became a part of their community. There is a delicate yet important technical difference between holding Native ancestry and holding nation status, and that is at the heart of the issue here.”

Responses came swiftly from three organizations over the weekend.

First, Sagamore Po Wauipi Neimpaug of the Pokanoets issued a statement clarifying the lineage and heritage of his people, called “This is Who We Are.” Read that statement here.

Secondly, the FANG Collective, which has organized in the last four years to fight against fracked-gas pipeline projects, as well as power plants in Rhode Island, issued a statement of its own.

An excerpt reads: “We are shocked and deeply disappointed that Brown University would openly attack our organization and attempt to discredit our work and sacrifice. We are even more disappointed that Brown University would publicly attack the Pokanoket Nation and challenge their legitimacy. This reckless behavior that upholds the legacy of white supremacy and colonization is unacceptable and must not be tolerated.”

Read the full Fang Collective response here.

Finally, the Federation of Aboriginal Nations of America responded to discredit the entire process of federal recognition from a “colonial entity” (the U.S. government) for indigenous peoples. They went on to state that the original transfer of the land from the Pokanokets to colonists in 1680.

An excerpt from their statement reads: “For those members of the general public and Brown community who may not be aware, the original title transfer upon which Brown University’s current claim hinges stems from the Plymouth Colony’s unlawful “by Turf and by Twig” transfer ceremony, held on September 22, 1680. At this ceremony, after the beheading and quartering of Po Metacom (King Phillip), the Plymouth Colony sent James Ingrahm, as an official representative, to meet with colonial proprietors, represented by William Bradford, to officially transfer the lands to their possession. During this ceremony, the purported transfer was accomplished by Ingrahm literally snapping a twig from a tree, picking up a clod of dirt from the turf, and presenting these elements to Bradford, “officially” transferring title from the Pokanoket Tribe to representatives of the newly formed Bristol, Plymouth Colony. As plainly demonstrated, there was never any lawful agreement for sale of the lands of Sowams, and in particular the principle village of Potumtuk, on behalf of Po Metacom, nor any of his lawful successors. As such the transfer was void ab initio and the lands of Sowams, and Potumtuk in particular, still remain in the lawful and proper stewardship of the Pokanoket Tribe to this day.”

Read their full statement here.