Native American tribes in Massachusetts
Native American tribes in Massachusetts are the Native American tribes and their reservations that existed historically and those that still exist today in what is now the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. A Narragansett term for this region is Ninnimissinuok.
Federally recognized tribes
Massachusetts has two List of [federally recognized tribes by state#Massachusetts|federally recognized tribes]. They have met the seven criteria of an American Indian tribe: being an American Indian entity since at least 1900, a predominant part of the group forms a distinct community and has done so throughout history into the present; holding political influence over its members, having governing documents including membership criteria, members having ancestral descent from historic American Indian tribes, not being members of other existing federally recognized tribes, and not being previously terminated by the U.S. Congress.State-recognized tribes
State-recognized tribes do not have government-to-government relationships with the United States federal government, but they do have a relationship with the state. Massachusetts has two state-recognized tribes, acknowledged through executive orders by governors.- The Hassanamisco Nipmuc Band was state-recognized through Executive Order 126 by Governor Michael Dukakis in 1976.
- The Herring Pond Wampanoag Tribe was state-recognized through Executive Order 637 by Governor Maura Healey on November 19, 2024.
American Indian reservations
These are two federal Indian Reservations in Massachusetts.- Mashpee Wampanoag, reservation land in Mashpee and Taunton
- Gay Head (Aquinnah), Dukes County, Martha’s Vineyard)
Historical tribes of Massachusetts
These are some of the tribes that have existed in what is now Massachusetts. Most no longer exist as functioning American Indian tribes within the state; however, some are tribes in other states or in Canada.- Mahican tribe, from New York but some migrated to Massachusetts in the late 17th century
- Massachusett, Massachusett Bay
- Nipmuc, central plateau
- Pennacook tribe, northeastern Massachusetts and southern New Hampshire, descendants may be part of the Odanak First Nation in Quebec, Canada. Other descendants moved to the praying towns of Wamesit and Natick.
- Pocomtuc tribe, also Deerfield Indians, western Massachusetts
- Wampanoag tribe, Rhode Island to south edge of Massachusetts Bay