Our efforts to stop indigenous erasure

Detailed summary

Stephanie Seed recommends that the Commonwealth “should commission new markers, working with the indigenous nations whose homelands they describe.” Centered in the article is a…

In her article, “Always read the plaque. Then ask who wrote it,” (Ideas, Nov. 8), Stephanie Seed recommends that the Commonwealth “should commission new markers, working with the indigenous nations whose homelands they describe.” Centered in the article is a photo of a Watertown plaque that commemorates only Puritan settlers.

A volunteer group of Watertown residents, the “Pigsgusset Initiative” (part of Watertown Citizens for Peace, Justice and the Environment), is working to restore such erasure. One of our first efforts was a petition to rename an area in the city that includes a rock monument venerating Christopher Columbus. It is known that Columbus never set foot on what is now American soil, and he murdered and enslaved indigenous peoples from the Caribbean islands. Years later, while the City Council continues discussing improvements to Watertown Square, the rock still remains.

The group also created an interactive website to highlight the presence and rich culture of one of the original people of Massachusetts. Members created stickers and magnets, distributed at community events, that display a digitally altered photo of an “Entering Watertown” sign that reads: “Entering Pequossette, established 15,000 years ago.”

While the Commonwealth slow-walks official changes to the state seal, flag, and motto, we are working in our community to address historical falsehoods. We hope to work with local foundations and private owners to put up indigenous signage in key locations by 2030, when Watertown will celebrate the 400th anniversary of its founding by colonial settlers.

Opening of the article, excerpted from The Boston Globe. To read the rest, open the article on the publisher's site.