Acknowledging the People of the Long Water

The Algonquian word “Quinnipiac” means “people of the long water,” and refers to the Indigenous people that lived in this region for centuries before European colonization. The Foundation staff learned about and acknowledged the Quinnipiac and other Algonquian-speaking people during a recent presentation from Jennifer Rawlings, a member of the Seaconke Wampanoag Tribe and co-founder of The Center for Indigenous People’s Rights. 

“‘Nipi’ is the word for water. We relied on these waterways for travel and to fish,” said Rawlings. “It was intuitive to us to care for the waterways as they cared for us.”