Who Are the Wampanoag?

          The Wampanoag are one of many Nations of people all over North America who were here long before any Europeans arrived, and have survived until today. Many people use the word “Indian” to describe us, but we prefer to be called Native People.

          Our name, Wampanoag, means People of the First Light. In the 1600s, we had as many as 40,000 people in the 67 villages that made up the Wampanoag Nation. These villages covered the territory along the east coast as far as Wessagusset (today called Weymouth), all of what is now Cape Cod and the islands of Natocket and Noepe (now called Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard), and southeast as far as Pokanocket (now Bristol and Warren, Rhode Island). We have been living on this part of Turtle Island for over fifteen thousand years.The Wampanoag, like many other Native People, often refer to the earth as Turtle Island.
Today, about 4,000-5,000 Wampanoag live in New England. There are three primary groups – Mashpee, Aquinnah, and Manomet – with several other groups forming again as well. Recently, we also found some of our relations in the Caribbean islands. These people are descendants of Native Wampanoag People who were sent into slavery after a war between the Wampanoag and English. We, as the People, still continue our way of life through our oral traditions (the telling of our family and Nation's history), ceremonies, the Wampanoag language, song and dance, social gatherings, hunting and fishing.

          The Wampanoag Homeland provided bountiful food for fulfillment of all our needs. It was up to the People to keep the balance and respect for all living beings and to receive all the gifts from The Creator. We were seasonal people living in the forest and valleys during winter. During the summer, spring, and fall, we moved to the rivers, ponds, and ocean to plant crops, fish and gather foods from the forests.

          Because of many changes in North America, we as the Wampanoag cannot live as our ancestors did. We adapt but still continue to live in the way of the People of the First Light.

Reflection:

          Judgement calls are made every single second of everyday. Labels are formed and placed on individuals almost subliminally in this day and age. These characterizations mold society notions surrounding certain groups of people who may be different or considered "outsiders". The Wampanoag people have suffered tremendously since the landing of the Europeans on North American soil due to retribution, simply because they were not seen as equals in the minds of the Europeans.The Wampanoag people were now just seen as "Indians" rather then the natives who RIGHTFULLY own the land they have built their whole livelihood on. The Wampanoag once attributed from about 40,000 of the worlds populations, although it may not be seen as an astounding numbers, in the grand scheme of things this was an enormous amount of Wampanoag people who solely lives in the modern day New England area.

                Amazingly enough, the Wampanoag people are stills striving as a community today. Although the 40,000 Wampanoag are not roaming around the North East as frequent as they once were, a relatively large amount of Wampanoag, about 4000-5000, still are living their daily lives just as their ancestors did. Living for balance, respect, tradition and lastly agency can be attributed to the last few Wampanoag alive. This agency seen helps maintain cultural continuity and has allowed this once grandiose tribe to survive, even if they did split into three different groups (Mashpee, Aquinnah, and Manomet) they still manage to keep their true identity and values at the forefront of their daily lives. 

       Eldredge,Wampanoag N, & Penobscot (N.d.). Who Are the Wampanoag? Retrieved November 1 1998, from Plimoth Plantation Web Site: http://www.plimoth.org/learn/just-kids/homework-help/who-are-wampanoag