Thursday, 4:30 PM
Tribe expects recognition
By Raja Mishra, Globe Staff
The Mashpee Wampanoag tribe is expected to win recognition Thursday as a sovereign Native American nation, a historic designation that is likely to build momentum for efforts to bring casino gambling to Massachusetts.
The Mashpees, slaughtered and forcibly resettled by colonists, would be the second tribe recognized in Massachusetts and the first by the Bush administration, entitling the tribe to millions in federal funding for healthcare and social services. The recognition also increases pressure on Governor Deval Patrick to take a stand on gambling.
On the eve of the announcement, the Mashpee tribe said they expect to win recognition and have arranged for a celebration. Tribal officials said they will seek to persuade Patrick to authorize a casino.
Patrick has said he will not make a decision for at least six months, awaiting recommendations from an internal study group he recently named. State lawmakers would have to approve any gambling expansion, and they are expected again to debate the issue this year on Beacon Hill, where slot machine bills have failed several sessions running.
