Up and Down the River Film

Courtesy of the Mohegan Tribe.

About the Film

Up and Down the River is a 20-minute educational film that centers Mohegan nuanced perspective of and participation in the American Revolution. In siding with the American colonists, Mohegans faced sacrifices as they sought to preserve Mohegan sovereignty, identity, and cultural traditions. Some Mohegan soldiers, such as Sameul Ashbow Jr., gave their lives for the cause of Mohegan and American independence. Mohegan women faced the loss of family members, as well as their social and political rights. Through these losses, generations of Mohegan women resiliently preserved their traditions, language, and identity to ensure the future of the Mohegan nation.

Up and Down the River was co-written by Council of Elders Vice Chair Melissa Tantaquidgeon Zobel and her daughter Film Director Madeline Sayet. The National Parks of Boston helped the Mohegan Tribe secure funding to produce this film through the National Park Foundation.

The Mohegan Tribe has generously made Up and Down the River available on their website. Teachers can also access supplementary material via their educator portal.

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June 2026 Film Showing

On June 11, 2026, the National Parks of Boston partnered with the Mohegan Tribe and Bunker Hill Community College to host a film showing and discussion for Up and Down the River. Vice Chair of the Council of Elders and co-writer of the film, Melissa Tantaquidgeon Zobel, provided some historical context and understanding prior to the showing. She and endawnis Spears (Diné/ Ojibwe/ Chickasaw/ Choctaw, Co-Founder, Akomawt Educational Initiative) hosted a talk-back and conversation with audience members following the film. This event occurred as part of the commemorative exercises for the 251^st anniversary of the Battle of Bunker Hill.

The Mohegan Tribe

Watch "Up and Down the River"

Duration:

8 minutes, 2 seconds

Melissa Tantaquidgeon Zobel, Vice Chair on the Council of Elders for the Mohegan Tribe, provides an introduction to the Mohegan Tribe's Film "Up and Down the River" for a film screening on June 11, 2026, at Bunker Hill Community College. The National Parks of Boston partnered with the Mohegan Tribe and Bunker Hill Community College for this event in honor of the 251st anniversary of the Battle of Bunker Hill.