Thomas called Champlain’s claim “ridiculous,” and said he understands those removed from the tribe are upset. “Of course, no one would like it,” he said.
But he said he’s bound by the decisions of the tribal assembly and can’t be held responsible for someone else’s ancestry.
Members were asked to prove they descend from ancestors listed on an 1880 census using birth, death and marriage certificates. The Champlains had used other documents as recently as 1994. This time, it wasn’t enough.
Dennis Champlain said he learned his family was kicked out by reading about it in a newspaper. Thomas says members can appeal to a tribal court, but the Champlains say no one ever told them how to appeal.
Dennis Champlain does not blame his fellow Narragansetts, but he calls the process unjust. “It’s not a matter of whether it’s right or wrong,” he said. “It’s a matter of who has the power. The tribe has the power we don’t.”
— Associated Press
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