The story begins in 1683 with infirmed and elderly Mohegan Sachem (Head Chief) Uncas being carried to the Massapequotuck River (now called Thames) to watch the comings and goings of Natives and English colonists. In the early 1600s, Uncas had been a Pequot Sagamore who split with his tribe to found the Mohegans, due to his desire to ally with the English. Here, his Narragansett grandmother, Meekunump, greets him on his last day on earth to offer a harsh retrospective on his life’s choices and foreshadow the future of his people. And they, in turn, will reflect back on Uncas’s choices, for all the centuries to come.

Cast: Bruce “Two Dogs” Bozsum (Mohegan) as Sachem Uncas, Margaret Bruchac (Abenaki) as Nonner Meekunump, David Uncas Sayet (Mohegan) as Sagamore, Kenny Ramos (Kumeyaay) as Wawequa, Miles Roe (Shinnecock) as Miantonomo, Ed Littlefield (Tlingit) as Sassacus

Samson Occom was born in a wigwam but followed a scholar’s path and became one of the first ordained Native ministers. When he travelled to England to raise funds for the Indian School that became Dartmouth College, his mentor, the Rev. Eleazar Wheelock, promised to take care of Occom’s family. But Wheelock failed to do so, due to the lack of subservience of Occom’s Montauket wife, Mary Fowler. While Occom succeeded as a teacher, he and Mary suffered at the hands of the English, who were not trustworthy or respectful of their ways.

Cast: Frank Kaash Katasse (Tlingit) as Samson Occum , Madeline Sayet (Mohegan) as Mary Occom, Randy Zobel as Eleazar Wheelock.

Samuel and his wife Mary, a Wagunk, lost three sons in the American Revolution. Their son, Samuel Jr., was the first Native soldier to die for this country at Bunker Hill. Samuel sold Mary’s Wagunk land (without her approval) and supported the building of a mill on Mohegan land, against her will. When Mary could no longer tolerate her husband’s choice to sacrifice his family and support the mainstream over his people, she called down the thunder spirits upon him.

Cast: Miles Roe (Shinnecock) as Samuel Ashbow, Erin Trip (Tlingit) as Hannah Ashbow, Madeleine Hutchins (Mohegan) as Martha Uncas, Kenny Ramos (Kumeyaay) as Jacob Fowler

With the help of their well-connected missionary friend, Sarah Huntington, Lucy Teecomwas and Cynthia Hoscott founded Mohegan Church, in order to appear Christianized (i.e. “civilized”) and avoid tribal relocation West, under Andrew Jackson’s Federal Indian Removal policy.

Cast: Margaret Bruchac (Abenaki) as Lucy Teecomwas, Erin Tripp (Tlingit) as Cynthia Hoscott, Madeleine Hutchins (Mohegan) as Missionary Sarah Huntington.

Shortly after John, Harold and Gladys Tantaquidgeon founded Tantaquidgeon Museum (originally called Tantaquidgeon Lodge), at the height of the Great Depression, a fire broke out in their house. With limited water, they had to choose between saving the house or the lodge. Above all else, these three Mohegans, wanted to keep the powerful objects and memories in that lodge safe and share them in ways that would foster friendship and understanding with their neighbors. Today, this institution is the oldest Native-run museum in America.

Cast: Bruce “Two Dogs” Bozsum (Mohegan) as John Tantaquidgeon, Madeleine Hutchins (Mohegan)  as Gladys Tantaquidgeon, Kenny Ramos (Kumeyaay) as Harold Tantaquidgeon, Miles Roe (Shinnecock) as Fireman