The Aquinnah Circle committee’s recommendations to move forward with a new food establishment caused contention during Tuesday evening’s Aquinnah select board meeting, with few members of the Wamapoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah) present at the meeting.
Aquinnah posted a request for proposal (RFP) in November for someone to revitalize 9 Aquinnah Circle, the “gateway to the Aquinnah Cultural District,” according to Jim Pickman, a member of the Aquinnah Circle committee. The town received three proposals.
The proposals for the property allowed flexibility in establishment types, but required that it be open for six months or more of the year, and that it had to benefit the town in some way. The RFPs were not allowed to copy another Aquinnah Circle business owner’s current operations. Additionally, franchises were not allowed, particularly those from off-Island.
The first proposal was from Chef Jonathan Bodnar, who wanted to use the property as a “grab and go” restaurant that would be open for nine months of the year. The second proposal was from the Aquinnah Cultural Center, for an expansion of its programs and outreach to teach people about the town’s history and the Aquinnah Wampanoag who live there. The center, if accepted, plans to use the facility for eight to nine months of the year. The final proposal was from applicant Alexandra Taylor, who would use the property as a “bustling little food establishment … and a place to gather,” which would operate under a similar time frame as the previous two applicants. Taylor also plans, if the proposal is accepted, to work with Island Grown Initiative by allowing them to use the establishment’s kitchen at night to feed Islanders in need.
The decision was to give the go-ahead to Taylor to start making a business plan and work with a contractor to figure out the amount of work, time, and money that would be required for the project. Once she figures that out and has a timetable and a fundraising plan, she would need the plan to be reviewed by the committee and then the Aquinnah select board. Pickman said the committee thought it was a great idea to have a gathering place for Aquinnah residents. “I think they’re really strong, and the committee … decided a twofold decision,” Pickman said.
The committee also plans to ask the Aquinnah Cultural Center (ACC) whether they would be interested in using 13 Aquinnah Circle for its project, although this would require another RFP.
“We can have both a restaurant and an ACC visitor center. We certainly saw that as a win-win if we could get them both,” Pickman said.
Aquinnah resident Jamie Vanderhoop, who is also of Narragansett and Seekonk Wampanoag descent, said that while she appreciated the thought that went into the RFPs, she was concerned about the lack of Aquinnah Wampanoag voices in the process.
“This proposal looks wonderful if you’re not taking into account the history of the Wampanoag people, whose land we are standing on,” Vanderhoop said, mentioning a right of first refusal agreement the town has with the tribe, which she said was passed in a 2003 town meeting, and the Dawes Act, which, according to the National Park Service, allowed the federal government to break up tribal lands. “I am not an Aquinnah Wampanoag, but I am an ally, and I believe … it is the work of the people that are not living on our homeland to advocate for Aquinnah people,” Vanderhoop said.
“I understand and accept the history that you just described, and I consider myself, as best as I can, an advocate for the rights of the Wampanoag and their presence on their homeland,” Pickman responded. “We did not, in any way, ignore or know about this right of first refusal … we proceeded without that in mind. If we had known about that, we would not have done it the way we did.”
Vanderhoop also said it should not always be the Wampanoag people who are advocating for their voices to be heard.
Some attendees agreed with the sentiments Vanderhoop held. Attendee Kayla Darcy said she was opposed to the property going to a non-Native American. Darcy said it belongs to the Wampanoag, and the board should allow tribe members to submit RFP proposals for the property. Wampanoag tribal council member Amira Madison said this was a complicated issue, but there needs to be more communication between the town and the tribe, alongside a need to remind people about Wampanoag history.
Meanwhile, attendee John Davis and Aquinnah climate and energy committee chair Bill Lake both said this project would economically benefit the town, and hoped for a way to meet both economic and Wampanoag needs.
The board unanimously approved to refer these issues to town counsel, including clarification about the 2003 vote.
I stand with and support Jaime’s concerns as an ally to honor the Aquinnah circle as an exclusive zone for Wampanoag buisness or culture on a federally recognized site . How much more can we take without understanding why this subject deserves the utmost of care and empathy .