Tribe chairwoman faces challenger

Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah) members will have the choice of new leadership during its annual election this Sunday. 

Aquinnah Wampanoag Tribe voters will head to the polls and have a choice between incumbent Cheryl Andrews-Maltais, the tribe’s longest-standing chairwoman who has held the seat for 17 years, and councilman Kevin Devine. In-person voting will be held at the tribal administration building on Black Brook Road in Aquinnah from 10 am to 2 pm. 

Council chair, a three-year term, isn’t the only office under contention. Tribe member Christina McMullen and former tribal chair Tobias Vanderhoop are racing to be the tribal council secretary. Meanwhile, there are two at-large council seats and three candidates are looking to be elected to one of the positions — incumbent Linda Coombs, tribe client specialist Paul Jeffers-Mayhew, and former tribal chair Beverly Wright.

Andrews-Maltais wants to accomplish a long line of tasks currently underway and some that still need to be initiated. Devine, however, is pushing for a new path forward. 

Andrews-Maltais  said it was important to ensure the tribe doesn’t lose “all the hard-fought ground we have regained” since struggling to achieve federal recognition decades ago. Andrews-Maltais said she had accomplished most of what she had set out to achieve for the tribe in her position, but there was still work to be done. 

“I’m running for Chairwoman for the last time to finish the work that I was elected in 2008 for and repeatedly re-elected to do,” she said. 

Devine, however, said his top priority would be to develop a strategic plan with “measurable goals” to hit priorities like health, education, and “sustainable economic opportunities that align with our values and protect our land for future generations.” He said the tribe had long been operating with “no clear guidance” because of consistent staffing issues tied to a lack of housing. He also said there was a need to build and strengthen relationships with the Vineyard community and mend some “feuds” that have been perpetuated for years. 

“There is a need for change, and I am extremely committed to serving our community, safeguarding our traditions, and advancing collective well-being,” Devine said. 

The candidates each bring their own set of experiences to the table. 

Andrews-Maltais highlighted the numerous other roles she’s had in tribal and federal government from tribe historic preservation officer in Aquinnah to senior advisor to the assistant secretary of Indian Affairs. She said in these “uncertain times,” it is important to have a leader who has a deep understanding of how the federal government operates. Andrews-Maltais also said she has the ear of decision-makers and helped shape federal policy to better meet the tribe’s needs. Additionally, she had led the tribe through the COVID-19 pandemic and was part of making financial reserves in case of disruption to the federal government. 

“No one is more experienced and qualified to do this job,” she said. 

Devine said he brings “multi-faceted leadership” from a mixture of “tribal governance and national service.” Before returning to the Island, Devine served nearly 30 years in the U.S. Army. In his role as a sergeant major, Devine said he guided large teams, developed leaders, and executed complex missions. Devine was elected to the tribal council in 2021 and currently chairs the Aquinnah Wampanoag Housing Authority. He’s also active with the tribe’s budget and finance committee and veterans committee. 

Devine said his leadership is “grounded in servant leadership, rigorous accountability, transparency, and people-first decision[-]making that prioritizes community.”

There were some platforms the candidates shared. Both candidates stated a goal to tackle the housing shortage, with Devine aiming to bring about state low-income housing tax credit programs similar to those used by the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe and to look for federal funding for workforce housing. Andrews-Maltais highlighted affordable housing projects already underway for the tribe, both on the Island and on land set aside across from the satellite office in New Bedford. 

Another platform the two candidates share is their opposition against the offshore wind industry. Devine highlighted that the tribe felt unlistened to regarding these projects while Andrews-Maltais said she’ll continue supporting litigation against offshore wind projects and raise awareness of their “devastatingly negative impacts” of industrializing the sea, including to environmental and cultural resources like sacred places.