With a very saddened heart, I write that Chief Wayne Quenikom Pau Muckquashim Everett (Standing Wolf) of the Narragansetts Tribe has passed away. He was one of the original members of The Federation of Aboriginal Nations of the Americas (FANA).
I met Wayne many years ago when FANA was just forming. At that time, we were a small group that had gotten together to form a Federation of East Coast First Contact Tribes.
Together with Superior Chief of FANA, Po Waupi Neimpaug of the Pokanoket Tribe of the Pokanoket Nation, Principal Chief Neesu Wushuwunoag of the Mashapaug Nahaganset Tribe, and Principal Chief Ronald Yonaguska Holloway of the SandHill Band of Lenape and Cherokee Indians (NY, Nj, PA), Wayne was a contributing factor to the formation of what would be called The Federation of Aboriginal Nations of the Americas.
When we were first morphing into FANA, our small group made a few trips to DC on FANA business. I remember the brainstorming that went on during our DC trips. I recall how he willingly shared his visions of what he hoped FANA would become in the future.
Wayne was so very dedicated to his Tribe and community. He had dedicated his life’s work to preserving his Tribe’s history and traditions by establishing his Pettaquamscutt Community Gardens. One of the ways in which he did this was to tell stories of the lives and times of his tribe’s ancestors, thereby guaranteeing that the future generations of his tribe would be rooted in the knowledge of its past.
He had the ability to completely engage with whomever he was conversing with at any given time. He would give his full attention to that person and he would listen to what was being said, and along with his empathy, he was able to offer guidance.
He was a man of great courage and strength.
There will be a void within FANA because of his absence and he will be sorely missed.
