Gladys Tantaquidgeon
Gladys Tantaquidgeon (1899-2005)
Gladys Tantaquidgeon was a Mohegan Medicine Woman who dedicated her life to the preservation of Native American beliefs, customs, and traditions across the United States. Born in Uncasville in 1899, and a direct descendant of the famous 17th-century Mohegan Sachem, Uncas, Tantaquidgeon studied anthropology at the University of Pennsylvania. Shortly afterward she helped found the Tantaquidgeon Indian Museum in Uncasville. Her national efforts led to a term working with the federal Bureau of Indian Affairs which resulted in revitalized promotions of Native American artwork and centuries-old customs previously banned by the federal government. She went on to play a vital role in the Mohegan Tribe being granted federal recognition in 1994.
