Brothertown Indian Nation
The Brothertown Indian Nation citizens descend from seven separate New England Native villages.
- Tunxis–Farmington, Connecticut
- Mohegan–Mohegan, Connecticut
- Montaukett–Montauk, New York
- Narragansett–Charlestown, Rhode Island
- Niantic–Rhode Island and Connecticut
- Pequot–Mashantucket and Stonington, Connecticut
Members from each of these parent tribes met to discuss forming a single community on March 13, 1773. Under the guidance of Joseph Johnson, Samson Occom, and others, our ancestors formed an Indian community that adopted Christianity while maintaining many of the Native traditions from our parent tribes.
To escape the negative influences of European colonists, we migrated to New York and settled on a tract of land gifted to us by our Oneida brethren in 1774. While the first people arrived in 1775, due to the Revolutionary War, it wasn’t until November 7, 1785, that our town was officially named Eeyawquittoowauconnuck1 (Brothertown) and our tribal government established. Our history, which covers more than 230 years and over 1000 miles, is one rooted in educational success and community service. This has allowed us to make an impact on the lives and landscapes that brought us from New York to the eastern shore of Lake Winnebago in Wisconsin, and beyond. Our history and resilience have paved the way for continual transformations that have allowed us to survive with strong families who honor traditions.
In 1982, Wisconsin Governor Lee Dreyfus declared “The Year of the Brotherton Indians” in support of our road to federal recognition. In 2020, Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers also asserted Wisconsin’s support for the Brothertown by declaring November 7, 2020 as “Eeyamquittoowaconnuck (Brothertown) Day” commemorating and celebrating the tribe’s contributions and presence in the state.
Today, the Brothertown Indian Nation is one of 12 tribal nations located in Wisconsin and operates under a Constitutional Government. The mission of the Brothertown Indian Nation is to continue a stable and dynamic government that promotes and maintains our spiritual, physical, intellectual, social, and economic well-being as a tribal entity.
- 1. The original spelling of the Algonquian term Eeyawquittowauconnuck has since been altered and adopted to Eeyamquittowauconnuck by the tribe. The discrepancy lies in the original documents legibility and the uncertainty of the ‘w’ versus the ‘m’.
