Iconic Aquinnah Cliffs land and restaurant rescued

This summer the NLC was overjoyed to be involved in rescuing land that many feared would be lost forever to development interests. When the Aquinnah Shop Restaurant went on the market in June for $3.5 million hearts in the Aquinnah Wampanoag community sank fearing they could never raise enough money to save the sacred land on the crest of the iconic Gay Head Cliffs.

So, on August 18, when the papers declaring the property sold to NLC for $2 million were filed in the Edgartown Registry of Deeds Ramona Peters could hardly contain her excitement.

“We’ve done amazing things,” she said, “but recovering this piece of ancestral homeland today in Aquinnah is by far the most spectacular action we’ve taken!”

The deed for the 3.3-acre property including the cliff side restaurant, a parking lot and open space that connects to the Aquinnah Cultural Center is just a place holder as the ultimate owners of the land will be the Aquinnah Land Initiative, Inc. once their 501(c)3 status is finalized.

“I am thrilled to have the land back under Wampanoag stewardship,” says ALI President, Wenonah Madison. Wenonah is the great-granddaughter of Napoleon and Nanette Madison, who founded the property’s now idle restaurant, the Aquinnah Shop in 1948.

The ALI is an Aquinnah-based land conservation group led by a Wampanoag, all-female board of directors.

 “For time immemorial Wôpanâak women have watched over our ancestral lands and worked hard to remain here on the island and in Aquinnah,” says Madison, “ALI will continue this tradition, empowered by the cultural understanding that our bodies are not separate from our land. We are grateful and humbled by the support and mentorship of the Native Land Conservancy.” 

The organization’s mission is to restore the sacred relationship between native people and our ancestral lands. ALI’s goals that mirror those of the NLC include land reclamation/rematriation, advocacy, promoting land stewardship best practices, and collaborating with other local conservation-focused organizations. In addition to pursuing sustainable stewardship within this property and future land acquisitions, the ALI plans to lease the former restaurant building to a Wampanoag-owned business. 

“This opportunity to assist these island sisters is incredibly meaningful,” Ramona said, “Our Board is very excited to be supporting this group that shares our mission and looks forward to future collaborations.”