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.
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