Sugar Shack

Maple sugaring is an essential part of our past at Mashantucket, and an important tradition handed down from generation to generation to maintain a connection to our agricultural roots in a way that respectfully leverages our land and resources for the betterment of the Tribe. Getting involved in this annual tradition gives Pequot families of all ages a sense of pride and confidence through a traditional cultural trade that anyone can learn.

At Mashantucket, the longtime cultural practice of syrup harvesting is more popular than ever. Each winter, Tribal Members gather together to clear sugar bush, tap trees, rig up sap lines, and get the Tribe’s sugar shack up and running in full swing—the way Pequots have done for hundreds of years.

Tribal Member Jeremy Whipple leads the Weekápaheek Project. He is enthusiastic about maintaining this and other traditions of homesteading, as well as harvesting sustainable foods that are part of the heritage of and indigenous to the Pequot people.