Wampanoag family raises $8 million to buy back Martha’s Vineyard property
A Native-led nonprofit, the Aquinnah Land Initiative (ALI), is raising $8 million to purchase and restore a 3.5-acre property on Martha's Vineyard with deep historical ties to the Wampanoag community. The property, formerly an Aquinnah Shop and restaurant founded by Wampanoag couple Napoleon and Nanette Madison, is being reclaimed by their descendants to preserve ancestral land.
Why it matters
This initiative represents a significant effort by an Indigenous community to reclaim and preserve ancestral land, highlighting ongoing struggles for land rights and cultural heritage. It also demonstrates community-led efforts to restore historical sites and strengthen cultural identity.
A Native-led nonprofit organisation has launched an $8 million campaign to acquire and restore a historic property on Martha’s Vineyard that has deep ties to the Wampanoag community. A former Aquinnah Shop sat on the 3.5-acre property overlooking Martha’s Vineyard’s Gay Head Cliffs. The site also had a restaurant, which was started in the 1940s by Wampanoag couple Napoleon and Nanette Madison. But it is empty now.The Aquinnah Land Initiative (ALI) has launched the campaign to purchase this property from the Native Land Conservancy, which paid $2 million when it bought it in 2023, TBN reported.A family restaurant with deep community tiesFor many Wampanoag families, the Aquinnah Shop is more than a restaurant. They worked there, ate there and gathered at the property. It was a place where they built connections, even as ownership of nearby land changed over the years.ALI intends to rehabilitate the former restaurant.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in