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Patriotic Regalia
Proudly displayed at Mohegan Church, Chief Occum/Lemuel Fielding's regalia is one of the most magnificent examples of eastern regalia found anywhere.
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Chief Wegun / Henry Mathews (1902-1903)
A renowned basketmaker, from a long line of basketmakers, Mathews' style remains one of the most admired. Utilizing extremely narrow natural and verdigris ash splints he created baskets for sale, ceremony and display.
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Chief Occum / Lemuel Fielding (1903-1928)
A peace chief born in 1859, Lemuel was active in the Boy Scouts,
Mohegan Church and the Wigwam Committee. In 1921, he
traveled to Washington, D.C. in an attempt to reclaim the Royal
Mohegan Burial Ground. He also served on the Algonquian Indian
Council.
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Chief Everett Fielding (1929-1935)
Everett was the son of Lemuel and Alice Fielding. He was born in
1887 and served as assistant chief of the Mohegan Indian Association
before becoming Tribal chief. Fielding was also active on the
Wigwam Committee. He had one daughter, Elsie Lucille Fielding
Eichelberg.
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Chief Peegee Uncas / Julian Harris (1935-1937)
Born in 1872 to Gertrude and Gerry Harris, Chief Peegee was an
avid hunter. His contributions include representing the Tribe before
the state legislature in 1941, serving on the Tribal Council and
Wigwam Committee and on the Algonquian Indian Council. He
married Elizabeth Burniston and they had one child, Raymond
Norton Harris.
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Chief Matahga / Burrill Fielding (1937-1952)
Burrill was a war chief, born to Eliphalet and Lydia Fielding in 1862.
He married Annie L. Teevan and worked hard to keep the Tribe
together and maintain the traditions of the Wigwam Festival, both
in construction of the arbor and in making clam chowder, oyster
stew and yokeag. Matahga also fought for land claims in Hartford,
including the return of the Royal Mohegan Burial Ground. Burrill
was also president of the Mohegan Tribal social club.
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Chief Harold Albert Tantaquidgeon (1952-1970)
In 1904, Harold was born to Harriet and John W. Tantaquidgeon.
Along with his father and sister, Gladys, he co-founded the
Tantaquidgeon Museum, where he practiced woodworking,
lectured on Algonquian Indian lore and built a long house and
wigwam. Also active in the restoration of the Mohegan Church, he
was a hero in World War II and opened the Mohegan-Pequot
Bridge with Governor Dempsey in 1967. He was known for his
involvement with outside activities and teaching children about
Mohegan traditions, reasoning, “One day, when some of them
grow up to become congressmen and senators voting on Indian
issues, maybe their visit here will guide them to vote the right
way.”
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Chief Little Hatchet / Courtland Fowler (1970-1991)
The son of Edwin Fowler and Elizabeth Northdruft, he was born in
1905. Court married Hope Holder. He was responsible for the
repair of the Mohegan Church and the addition of the Sunday
School in the 1950s. He fought to preserve Tribal burial grounds,
keeping Ashbow burial ground from being absorbed by
neighboring property owners and opposing vandalism at
Shantok, as well as advocating for its return.
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Chief G'tinemong / Ralph W. Sturges (1992-2007)
Ralph Sturges, born in 1918, is one of a long line of Mohegan
chiefs since Uncas who have followed his example as a friend
of the non-Indian and man of his word. Those values enabled
him to serve successfully as a security and intelligence officer in
World War II. Ralph became a marble sculptor, a lifelong
passion that places him in a long line of great Mohegan carvers
who were also chiefs. His local artistic contributions include a
donation of a whale sculpture to the late Governor Ella Grasso
and the presentation of a relief carving of Uncas' mark to Uncas
Elementary School in Norwich, Connecticut. Ralph also carved an
Indian head logo (designed by the late Michael Cooney) for
Montville High School in 1986 and the base for the repatriated
Samuel Uncas gravestone in 1992.
During the 1980s, Ralph served on the Mohegan Tribal Council
and chaired the Burial Committee. Following the death of
Courtland Fowler, Ralph was elected Lifetime Chief in 1992. His
greatest accomplishment was leading the Mohegans to
successfully complete the federal recognition process.
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