The Pokanoket Tribe is seeking to be the first tribe in Rhode Island to gain state recognition.

The tribe is the subject of a bill that would recognize its relationship with the state. A hearing was held on Tuesday, where tribal leaders said they weren't interested in filing land claims or a opening a casino.

The only federally recognized tribe in the state is the Narragansett Tribe. Under the tribe's settlement act, Congress extinguished aboriginal title for all Indians in the state, according to a judge who dismissed a land claim filed by an unrecognized tribe.

The Pokanoket Tribe says it is interested mainly in cultural and historic preservation. The tribe has filed a petition for federal recognition with the Bureau of Indian Affairs.

Get the Story:
Pokanokets lobby at State House for recognition (The Providence Journal 3/10)
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Relevant Links:
Pokanoket Tribe - http://www.pokanoket.org