NESPA Winner: Localizing Contest, 2023
The Cypress, Brookline High School, Brookline, MA
This article was reviewed by newspaper staff and represents a paper-wide point of view.
In 2013, the newspaper staff published a statement on the meaning of the word “Sagamore.” To the 2013-14 staff, “the story of how the first staff chose to name it ‘The Sagamore’ remain[ed] a mystery.” More recently, we uncovered clues as to how the name was selected. This sparked an investigation into the impact using the name has today.
We have decided to change the name of the newspaper out of respect for Indigenous peoples. Continuing to use the name actively disregards the meaning of the word and the history that surrounds it, thereby harming Indigenous communities.
The word “Sagamore” denotes an important leader of some New England Indigenous tribes. The current Sagamore of the Massachusett Tribe at Ponkapoag, Faries Gray, said the traditional role of a Sagamore was to protect their people in conflict. Gray said the role of a Sagamore looks different in modern times.
“What that means for us today is protection of our territory from being developed. It’s like a protector. It’s a responsibility,” Gray said. “It’s my duty to protect our people, our territory and our culture. For me, that name means a tremendous amount of responsibility.”
