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Righting the Past

A Dartmouth delegation repatriates Samson Occom鈥檚 papers to his Mohegan homeland in Connecticut.

President Philip J. Hanlon 鈥�77 and other Dartmouth officials, faculty, and students traveled to Uncasville, Conn., on April 26 and 27 to repatriate papers of the Rev. Samson Occom, a pivotal figure in the College鈥檚 founding. The ceremony outside the Mohegan Church included a gift to Dartmouth of a wampum belt specially made for the occasion.

Unity of Nations drum group outside of a church
The Unity of Nations drum group performs outside the Mohegan Church before an April 27 ceremony where a Dartmouth delegation repatriated papers from the Rev. Samson Occom to his Mohegan homeland. Occom, who was born in 1723, helped the Rev. Eleazar Wheelock raise the money that was used to establish Dartmouth, though Occom felt betrayed that Wheelock strayed from the original vision of educating Native youth. (Photo by Eli Burakian 鈥�00)
Mohegan Council of Elders sign to repatriate Samson Occom's papers
Mohegan Council of Elders Chairman Two Bears Charlie Strickland, left, signs documents relating to the repatriation of Samson Occom鈥檚 papers along with Dartmouth President Philip J. Hanlon 鈥�77, Mohegan Tribal Council Chairman James Gessner Jr., and Mohegan Chief Many Hearts Lynn Malerba on April 26.  (Photo by Peter Hoey/Mohegan Tribe )
Painting of Samson Occom hangs in Mohegan Congregational Church, Uncasville, CT
A portrait of the Rev. Samson Occom that hangs in the entrance to the Mohegan Church. The painting was done by Douglas Henry in 1997. (Photo by Eli Burakian 鈥�00)
Peter Carini packaging Occom papers
College Archivist Peter Carini packs up some of the Samson Occom papers at the Dartmouth Library to take them to Connecticut. (Photo by Julia Levine 鈥�23)
Box that reads "Samson Occom"
A box containing some of the papers of the Rev. Samson Occom that were repatriated by Dartmouth to Occom鈥檚 Mohegan homeland. (Photo by Eli Burakian 鈥�00)
An old book
A Hebrew primer includes handwritten text from Occom in several languages, including Mohegan. (Photo by Eli Burakian 鈥�00)
Mohegan Tribe formally received the papers of their ancestor, Samson Occom from President Philip J. Hanlon
Dartmouth President Philip J. Hanlon 鈥�77 presents Mohegan Tribal Council Chairman James Gessner Jr., center, and other tribal leaders with a box containing some of Samson Occom鈥檚 papers at a ceremony in Uncasville, Conn., Occom鈥檚 Mohegan homeland, on April 27. Standing at left is Mohegan Tribal Council Vice Chairwoman Sarah Harris 鈥�00, a member of Dartmouth鈥檚 Native American Visiting Committee.  (Photo by Eli Burakian 鈥�00)
Sarah Harris speaking at a podium to an audience
Mohegan Tribal Council Vice Chairwoman Sarah Harris 鈥�00, who is also a member of Dartmouth鈥檚 Native American Visiting Committee, helped bring the idea of repatriation of Occom鈥檚 papers forward. (Photo by Eli Burakian 鈥�00)
Philip J. Hanlon wears traditional Mohegan blanket
Medicine Woman and Tribal Historian Melissa Tantaquidgeon Zobel, left, and Mohegan Chief Many Hearts Lynn Malerba present President Philip J. Hanlon 鈥�77 with a blanket, a traditional ceremonial honor. (Photo by Eli Burakian 鈥�00)
Group gathered in front of a church
Members of the Mohegan Tribe and a delegation from Dartmouth gather outside the Mohegan Church in Uncasville, Conn., on April 27 after a repatriation ceremony for the papers of Samson Occom. (Photo by Erin Supinka)
Phil Hanlon and others looking at a display case
President Philip J. Hanlon 鈥�77 and his wife, Gail Gentes, examine some of the Occom papers now on display at the Mohegan Tribe鈥檚 Tantaquidgeon Museum. (Photo by Eli Burakian 鈥�00)
Two Bears Charlie Strickland handing belt to Philip Hanlon
Mohegan Council of Elders Chairman Two Bears Charlie Strickland, left, presents a wampum belt created for the occasion to President Hanlon at the ceremony. (Photo by Eli Burakian 鈥�00)
Ceremonial belt from Mohegan Tribe
The wampum belt that the Mohegan Tribe presented to President Philip J. Hanlon 鈥�77 on April 27 as Dartmouth repatriated Samson Occom鈥檚 papers to his Mohegan homeland. (Photo by Eli Burakian 鈥�00)
Members of the executive board of Native Americans at Dartmouth.
Members of the executive board of Native Americans at Dartmouth attended the ceremony. From left, Hayden Campos 鈥�22;  Mikaila Ng 鈥�22;  Erin Bunner 鈥�22;  Caileadair Holmes 鈥�22;  Phyllis D. Gardner 鈥�20;  and Sydnie Ziegler 鈥�22. More than 1,200 Native American students have graduated from Dartmouth since 1970, when then-President John Kemeny rededicated Dartmouth to advancing Native American education. (Photo by Eli Burakian 鈥�00)
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