Episode 004 Salute To Indigenous Peoples’ Day with Tobias Vanderhoop

Conversations With Carole

Salute To Indigenous Peoples’ Day with Tobias Vanderhoop

"Growing up in an extended family as I did, both in Everett and on the Island, definitely contributes to my sense of Tribe today. You didn't want for anything; we all shared what we had."
You won’t want to miss this interview. Those of the insightful words of my special guest today, Tobias Vanderhoop, who proudly represents the Aquinnah people of the Wampanoag Tribe. We'll learn more about his close relationship with his community as we celebrate Indigenous Peoples Day. You’re listening to Conversations with Carole!

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About Tobias Vanderhoop
My Vision

Kuweequahsun, nutus8wees Tobias Vanderhoop. Nuwôpanâeeshkeetôp nuwtômâs Ahqunahut.

(Greetings my name is Tobias Vanderhoop. I am a Wampanoag man from Aquinnah.)
Tobias grew up "off Island," in the City of Everett, north of Boston. He was fortunate to have the opportunity to come to the Island frequently, and his interactions with his cousins, friends, and this special place made him know this as his home.
In 1992, Tobias moved to Aquinnah (the Indigenous town on Martha's Island) with the idea that he could stay there and work for his Tribe. While working for the Tribal Administration, Tobias had the opportunity to participate in a partnership between the Tribal Education Department and the University of Massachusetts Boston, working toward a Bachelor's Degree in Community Planning and Management, which he earned in 2004. After receiving a call to action from Tribal Elder Norva Randolph in 1999, Tobias also served on the Tribal Council for a total of eight and a half years.
After serving two terms as a Tribal Councilman, he felt he could do more for his community, so he applied to Harvard University and was accepted into their Mid-Career Master's in Public Administration program. Tobias commuted from Cambridge back to the Island as often as possible from July 2007 – June 2008 to continue to serve the Tribal Council while completing his education.
Since then, he has continued to push the boundaries of his service to the Tribal Community, serving as Tribal Administrator for four and a half years and assisting the Tribal Chief in the judiciary branch of our government as Chief Administrator.
Following a two-year Tribal assignment in Ketchikan, Alaska, Tobias returned to Aquinnah and launched his consulting practice, which assists organizations interacting with various Tribal departments on Island.