Son of Mashpee
Reflections of Chief Flying Eagle,
a Wampanoag
by
Earl Mills Sr. and Alicja Mann
Wampanoag Chief Earl Mills Sr. of Mashpee and author Alicja Mann of North
Falmouth have collaborated on this book which presents Mashpee,
Massachusetts, as it once was and is today.
The book addresses a variety of topics, from the history of the Wampanoags
of Cape Cod to the dramatic changes in the Mashpee community following the
Wampanoags' well publicized and unsuccessful 1976 lawsuit to reclaim their
land.
Part biography, part history, Son of Mashpee is a portrait of Chief Flying
Eagle, Earl Mills Sr., and his family, with a strong emphasis on the
heritage and legacy of the Wampanoags.
The book consists of three parts: Roots, Childhood Vignettes and Heritage.
All are richly illustrated with maps, drawings and photographs, some even
dating back to the 1800s.
Son of Mashpee is printed in sepia on acid-free paper for archival
preservation.
Why is Son of Mashpee an important book to see and read?
Wampanoags are the Native Americans whose first encounter with the Pilgrims
set the course of the history of New England and, to some extent, the
history of this country, yet the Wampanoags' stories are not told, the
Wampanoags' voices are not heard. The authors of Son of Mashpee
were determined to change that.
Voices & Opinions
Cape Cod Times recommends Son of Mashpee as a ". . . highly readable,
often humorous and thoroughly entertaining book that should be read by
anyone who doesn't have an understanding of the tribe's importance to
Mashpee and Cape Cod."
Joan Avant Tavares, Owamasqua, Mashpee Wampanoag Tribal Historian and
long-term Director of Indian Education, Mashpee Public Schools, states
"This book becomes an important piece of contemporary literature filling
the great void in the source of information concerning Mashpee Wampanoag
heritage. Individual voices from the Native American community are finally
heard. For those who are interested in learning about our heritage and our
culture, this book has made a vital contribution."
The Falmouth Enterprise: "Mr. Mills' memories are evocative of a time so
different from the one we live now, a time when small towns were complete
unto themselves, when everything one wanted or needed was within reach . .
. ."
Ron Welburn, Associate Professor, English Department, University
of Massachusetts: Son of Mashpee portrays the Mashpee Wampanoag community from the inside. I enjoyed the way Earl Mills Sr.'s long memory offers readers glimpses of his family and his people's legacies by combining numerous valuable photographs with his narrative and conversation with co-author Alicja Mann. I'd recommend this book as a resource for middle school through university students and teachers.
Authors
The spirit of my parents and grandparents lives in the woods of Mashpee and
in the memory of the people. I am a link between them and my children and
grandchildren. Earl Mills Sr.
Earl Mills Sr., Chief Flying Eagle, has lived in Mashpee since his birth,
with the exception of time spent in the Army and pursuing his education at
Arnold College in Connecticut. He has been Chief of the Mashpee Wampanoags
since 1956, has organized many pow wows and was the driving force behind
the renovation of the Old Indian Meeting House, one of the most significant
historic landmarks on Cape Cod. Mr. Mills has also made his mark on the
Cape as a devoted teacher of physical education and most recently as the
founder of The Flume, a well-known Mashpee restaurant. This book came
about because "there is a great need in me to share with others that which
I remember and that which I know about Mashpee."
Mashpee is the true home of Earl Mills, but it is also the place where I
feel at home more than any other place in this country. I am emotionally
connected to it by some similarities between my life experiences and those
of the Wampanoags. Alicja Mann
Alicja Mann was born and educated in Poland from where she emigrated to the
United States in 1972. She made her home on Cape Cod, became a mother and
worked for several years as a scientist and translator. After becoming
more comfortable in her new country and language, she left science in 1985
to pursue her writing. Ms. Mann has written numerous feature stories,
profiles of personalities and social-political commentaries, many of which
were published in regional and national newspapers and magazines, including
the Cape Cod Times, The New Leader, In These Times and Cape Cod Life. She
is a former Op-Ed columnist of the Cape Cod Times and the author of A Cup
of Sky, a collection of her poems and essays.
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