Occupy Worcester

Occupy Worcester is swelling.

The encampment is currently at Lake Park, next to Quinsigammond Lake on the border of Worcester and Shrewsbury.  To get to the camp via public transit take the #16 bus to Lake Park and walk towards the lake looking for the tents by the lake.  Clark University students also set up an encampment on Clark's Green in Solidarity with Occupy Worcester.

It is a beautiful campsite and can be a peaceful place to sleep at night.  There are about 25-27 tents set up and the number of people there at any given time can range from 15-50.  Many Occupiers have jobs or are students, but they are duking it out through the cold and now the SNOW in order to build relationships and solidarity within the movement and show their dedication to the cause!  I am so proud of my brothers and sisters for their perseverance.  If you plan on camping out remember to bundle up (long-johns; long, thick socks or two; sweat-pants; undershirt; long-sleeve shirt; vest; sweatshirt) and bring blankets.  You could also support the Occupying Revolutionary Warriors who are enduring the elements by lending:

• Warm blankets
• Heavy winter clothing
• Tents and Easy-ups
• Tarps
• Water-proofing spray
• Rope
• Firewood
• Hot food and beverages 
• Snow shovels
• Letters or visits of encouragement

They are occupying to strengthen the movement.  They are building the human bonds that will propel this forward and demonstrating their love of a community fighting for a better world for all of us.

Photo Credit: Brittany Durgin

Joe Scully says it best with his beautiful piece on the significance of Lake Quisigammond:

Occupy Worcester has a home. We love our home. Located at Lake Park on the shores of beautiful Lake Quinsigamond, we have set up camp. Last night the group on Worcester Common came to consensus to move from the Common to Lake Park for the time being at least. As it is state property, we don't expect too much intervention by city police. So far, State Police and the Department of Conservation and Recreation have told us they have no problem with us being there. There are open bathroom facilities (including showers), space for tents and open flame for cooking. 11 tents spent their first night at the camp and this morning we're getting organized for occupation with medic and civil disobedience trainings. I think this is a perfect opportunity for us to get organized and train ourselves mentally and physically. I hope those who have advocated for an encampment will join us and lend their bodies and their talents to its success.

The name "Quinsigamond" connects us with an ancient and sacred history we should aspire to honor.

In Algonquian, Quinsigamond means "the place for fishing pickerel." It was the name that the Pakachoag tribe of the Nipmuc people called their home. For 10,000 years these people lived sustainably in this place. They lived in small camps and would move from place to place as necessary within the seven hills area. Their settlement strategy may be an inspiration for us. Homes were constructed out of sticks and skins and when it came time to move to follow a harvest, they simply carried the essentials on foot and leave sticks would be left behind to compost.

Devastated by post-Columbian plagues, which claimed the lives of up to 80% of their people, the Pakachoag leadership were willing to give up their rights to their land forever in order to get along with the English. Daniel Gookin negotiated the sale of the 64 square miles of Quinsigamond from the Pakachoags, led by Horowaninit in 1674 for the grand total of two coats and four yards of rough wool cloth. As these people had no history with the concept of land ownership, they slowly began to realize that their access to the basic necessities of life was being taken away from them. A small group led by sachems Matoonas and Muttawmp were inspired by Metacom (King Philip to the English) who was organizing an armed resistance against the English occupation. Matoonas, whose son was executed in a sham trial for the murder of an Englishman, struck back at the towns of Mendon and Brookfield (then the county seat). King Philip's War became a convenient opportunity for the English to execute a systematic campaign of genocide against the native peoples. Just like America's wars today, the Natives suffered the overwhelming weight of casualties (around 20:1) compared with the English.

Matoonas and his warriors protected what was remained of Metacom's people, 75 mostly women and children, at the sacred place of the Pakachoags, Mount Wachusett. Ultimately, Matoonas and others were betrayed by their people and handed over by Horowaninit. A group of Pakachoags in an attempt to stop the English devastation executed Matoonas on Boston Common. The authorities rewarded the Pakachoag leadership by executing some of them and forcing the rest to die of starvation and exposure on Deer Island in Boston Harbor.

It's worth noting that Gookin had been born in Ireland, the son of Protestant Landowners. Protestant Englishman had then recently conquered Ireland under the leadership of Oliver Cromwell. The same culture of conquest, subjugation and exploitation connects the tragedies of the Irish and Native American peoples. Scholars believe that Gookin likely named Quinsigamond "Worcester" as a tribute to the victory of Cromwell's New Model Army over the Catholic King Charles I which enabled the conquest and colonization of Ireland.

I think we would do well to take as inspiration the legacy of Matoonas and the Pakachoag people whose occupied land we call Worcester. Let's be flexible in our settlement arrangements. Let's use guerilla style tactics to wage asymmetrical nonviolent direct action. Let's stay united and not sell out our own warriors.

I propose we call this settlement Camp Quinsigamond in honor of our First People brothers and sisters.

Photo credit: Brittany Durgin

Photo credit: Brittany Durgin

Occupy Worcester October 16th 2011 from Brian Wilkinson on Vimeo.



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~Shreena