Schaghticoke Women’s Traditional Council Celebrates 10 years

Native Women’s leadership group launches website to offer educational and cultural resources

In 2013, a group of Schaghticoke women established a women’s leadership council in accordance with tradition, with the goal of reviving and maintaining the cultural practices of the Schaghticoke people.

Since then, these women spanning four generations have been meeting regularly to share experiences and raise awareness of issues facing the Native community. Their new website, www.schaghticokewomen.org, launches the public face of the group and their availability for consulting, speaking engagements, and cultural education and activities.

“Groups like this are integral to keeping tribal communities intact culturally, socially, and politically,”  says Ruth Garby Torres, one of the founding members. “In this part of Turtle Island and elsewhere, it is common for Indigenous women to maintain female-only councils or caucuses as sources of information, action, and sustainability.”

Recognized by the State of Connecticut, the Schaghticoke people  have also been petitioning for federal recognition for years. Federally listed  tribal nations are eligible for benefits such as health care, elder care, tuition, and funding for business projects, to name a few. But legitimacy is not defined merely by external acknowledgement . The council offers a way to meld past, present and future, with multiple generations sharing knowledge and carrying traditions forward.

Members of the SWTC include Darlene Kacsak, Erin Lamb Meeches, Ruth Garby Torres, Beth Stewart-Kelly, Holly Ciecierski, Wunneanatsu Lamb Cason, Aileen Harris McDonough, Wunneonatsu Annalyce Cason, and Catherine Adele McDonough.  Additional original founding members Trudie Lamb Richmond, Johnette "Peggy" LaConte, Claudette Bradley-Engblom, Ed.D, passed away in 2021.

“The Schaghticoke Women’s Traditional Council envisions a future where the cultural legacy of our people continues to shine. We look ahead with hope, resilience, strength, and growth,” says Wunneanatsu Lamb-Cason. “Our mission, inspired by generations before us, is to empower our people and share the invaluable cultural traditions of the Schaghticoke. The launch of our website is a significant step toward fulfilling this mission;  we aim to serve our community as a resource of education, understanding, and awareness through advocacy, cultural enrichment, and the preservation of our traditions.”