Who are the Wampanoag? (2024)

FAQs

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.

The Wampanoag Tribe, also known as the People of the First Light, has inhabited present-day Massachusetts and Eastern Rhode Island for more than 12,000 years. They were part of a rich tapestry of indigenous people with a vast variety of tribes, societies and cultures numbering many times over those present today.

A Native American people, the Wampanoag have lived in the New England region for more than 12,000 years. Their name means “Eastern People” or “People of the First Light.” The traditional territory of the Wampanoag included land that is now in southeastern Massachusetts and eastern Rhode Island.

In 1620, one very influential sachem of the Wampanoag was a remarkable statesman named Massasoit. Spiritual beliefs involved a reciprocal relationship with nature.

The Wampanoag people, the “People of the First Light,” are responsible for saving the Pilgrims from starvation and death during the harsh winter of 1620–21.

The Wampanoag built dome-shaped houses called wetus. Several families lived in each wetu. The Wampanoag hunted and fished. They also grew corn, beans, and squash.

The Wampanoag have lived in southeastern Massachusetts for more than 12,000 years. They are the first tribe first encountered by the Mayflower Pilgrims when they landed in Provincetown Harbor and explored the eastern coast of Cape Cod and when they continued on to Patuxet (Plymouth) to establish Plymouth Colony.

Today, about 4,000-5,000 Wampanoag live in New England. There are multiple Wampanoag communities - Aquinnah, Mashpee, Herring Pond, Assonet, Chappaquiddick, Pocasset, and Seaconke - with smaller groups and communities across the United States and world.

Where do they live? Today there are about four to five thousand Wampanoag. Most live in Massachusetts where there are two federally acknowledged tribes, the Aquinnah Wampanoag and the Mashpee Wampanoag, as well as several smaller bands in areas like Herring Pond, Assonet, and Manomet.

The Wampanoag, and many of the other native peoples in New England, spoke a language belonging to the Algonquian language family. The language of the Wampanoag is most closely related to those spoken by the Mohican and Pequot; the neighboring Narragansett spoke a dialect of the same language.

Who are the Wampanoag Thanksgiving? ›

Long before the arrival of the Pilgrims, the Wampanoag held frequent Thanksgiving-like celebrations, giving thanks in the form of feasts and ceremonial games. Exposed to new diseases, the Wampanoag lost entire villages. Only a fraction of their nation survived.

Others pinpoint 1637 as the true origin of Thanksgiving, since the Massachusetts Bay Colony's governor, John Winthrop, declared a day to celebrate colonial soldiers who had just slaughtered hundreds of Pequot men, women, and children in what is now Mystic, Connecticut.

The pilgrims celebrated their successful harvest in 1621 by shooting their guns into the air, which caused Massasoit to bring together warriors and prepare for battle. Instead of fighting, the Wampanoag and pilgrims worked together to prepare a feast.

The Wampanoag were a tribe known for starting the Thanksgiving tradition by sharing a meal with the Pilgrims who arrived in America in 1620. They were a group of Native American bands, each one led by a sachem, that farmed, hunted, gathered, and fished in the Massachusetts region.

The Pawnees, classified as a “friendly tribe” by the U.S. Government, were men and women of great courage and endurance. Some of the Pawnee warrior battles fought to preserve lives, lands and possessions were considered legendary.

She was the daughter of Wahunsenaca (Chief Powhatan), the mamanatowick (paramount chief) of the Powhatan Chiefdom. At its height, the Powhatan Chiefdom had a population of about 25,000 and included more than 30 Algonquian speaking tribes - each with its own werowance (chief).

Today, about 4,000-5,000 Wampanoag live in New England. There are multiple Wampanoag communities - Aquinnah, Mashpee, Herring Pond, Assonet, Chappaquiddick, Pocasset, and Seaconke - with smaller groups and communities across the United States and world.

Chief Earl Mills Jr.

Reports tell us Hiacoomes from Chappaquiddick was the first Wampanoag to convert in 1643. Many people have converted, but many others see this religion as the end of our ancient way of life. This has caused much strife and division in our communities.

For the Wampanoags and many other American Indians, the fourth Thursday in November is considered a day of mourning, not a day of celebration. Because while the Wampanoags did help the Pilgrims survive, their support was followed by years of a slow, unfolding genocide of their people and the taking of their land.