1 10 10 https://dawnlandvoices.org/collections/files/original/11a11e1a8696c273a36500a2be99a391.pdf 05a8d8a7ff2ac0a962acb424aed018b4 PDF Text Text �� Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Wampanoag Description An account of the resource Traditional Wampanoag territory encompasses a wide swath of southern New England--much of what is now southeastern Massachusetts, including Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket. Today, there are two federally recognized communities: one at Mashpee, Cape Cod; the other at Aquinnah (Gay Head), Martha's Vineyard. Wampanoag people were among the first indigenous people regionally to begin writing and published a Wampanoag-language bible as early as 1663--a text that has been useful in contemporary language revival efforts. Wampanoag people have also been devoted writers of their own history, as evidenced by the detailed timelines that appear even on the official tribal websites. Resources <a href="http://mashpeewampanoagtribe.com/" target="_blank">Mashpee</a> Wampanoag Tribe <a href="http://www.wampanoagtribe.net/Pages/index" target="_blank">Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head</a> (Aquinnah) <a href="http://www.wlrp.org/" target="_blank">Wopanaak Language Reclamation Project</a> Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource "Deposition" (1797) by Sarah Keetoh and Hannah Babcock Description An account of the resource “In 1789 Mashpee women Amy Simon and Mary Sunkoson complained to the overseers that they were being denied necessities that were supposed to be supplied through their common fund.” A year prior, the <a title="Mashpee Wampanoag" href="http://mashpeewampanoagtribe.com/" target="_blank">Mashpee</a> had lost their independence and in turn were under scrutiny from the “governor-appointed board of over seers.” (Schrems 2).This meant to the natives that they were not able to get as many resources and necessities as they used to. Instead they were monitored and controlled by the colonist in the area. One year later, in 1790, Mary Sunkoson died; this led to the protests and depositions of Sarah Keetoh, Hannah Babcock, and Reverend Gideon Hawley. Gideon expressed that Mary had been ill and unable to receive treatment or help due to these restrictions on herbal medicines. Instead, she was supposed to pray to God. Keetoh and Babcock had a serious problem with the way their people were being governed and these depositions prove that native women had an active role in their tribal society as well as in the literary world of the eighteenth century. In the Wampanoag tribe, women played a very important role that went far beyond the stereotypical colonial women that was soon adopted. Wampanoag native women brought in on average 75% of the food consumed and one of their most well known and loved dishes is called “Three Sisters Rice”, a dish which combines all of their most abundant and important crops; rice, corn, beans, and squash. The native spirituality had many different aspects but centered around the idea of one Mother Earth. The most plentiful and cherished crops; corn, beans, and squash, were examples of how Mother Earth takes care of the human race. The native culture cherished the female body and felt a strong bond between themselves and Mother Earth. “The land was used and shared; it was not owned.” (Dresser 45). They viewed Mother Earth as everywhere around them and understood that as land, she was not property but instead meant for survival. “Women were the souls of the councils, the arbiters of peace and war, and in whom all real authority was vested.” (Leacock 265). For them, Mother Earth had given them the ability to take the lives of plants and animals to sustain their own survival but only because humans are able to respect the sacrifice these other living organisms make for us and understand how it nourishes our bodies, she was the one spiritual leader. Native Wampanoag people understood and loved the female figure just as the ancient Greeks had understood the importance of the woman’s body and worshiped its spirituality. European colonist however, had implemented a society where a woman was only for making children, making clothing, and staying within the household; very much an object that men could buy and own—inadvertently and helplessly reliant on her working husband. Just as this idea had spread across Europe and other nations in Central America and South America, when the colonist arrived to New England they started to infiltrate the native’s beliefs simply by not acknowledging women in roles of authority. In order to save their land, Wampanoag men would learn how to speak and write in English. The men primarily did this because women were not allowed, and women were not allowed because colonists did not acknowledge women in any type of authority. Slowly the balance between men and women started to shift. Eventually, as children of this time grew up with their mothers at home and their fathers at school, church, and working in the fields, this way of life became inherited until it was eventually the only way of life natives knew. The inheritance of land was passed down through the mother lineage, and in Land deposition #35 from the Native Writings in New England, the Wampanoag Sachem leaves his land to two women; Ales Sessetom and Keziah Sessestom. Not only does this Sachem swear in the name of God, but also the deed is written in English. “During the colonial period, male authority was being encouraged by Euro-Americans in their political and military dealings with Native Americans at the same time as Indian women were becoming dependent in individual households on wage-earning and trading husbands” (Leacock 264). By adopting Christianity and English literacy, the Wampanoag people were trying to save their land in any way possible. Of course, the colonist would neither accept this deed as legitimate regardless of how many witnesses signed at the bottom nor would they ever allow a woman, let alone a native woman, to own land. Until these documents were found and transcribed, to the common public it seemed that women played absolutely no authoritative role in native literacy or society. Experience Mayhew, a colonist and missionary who worked alongside the Native Wampanoags, understood the women and children’s role in their tribal society. Instead of comparing women to the subservient role that men play to god, he instead wrote about their struggles with colonization and how they had once been respected. Experience was also the Reverend who signed off on the Land deed dated March 14, 1689 - who grants permission for the two women to own land. The idea that native women were weak and unreliable as human beings is completely false. Weetamoo served as a Sachem to the Wampanoag tribe during King Philips War and was remembered and worshiped for her strength, beauty, and severe confederacy. She was not some weak housewife who depended on her husband. Instead she was an active member of society who was entrusted with some of the most vital assessments for her people. Awashonks was another Wampanoag woman Sachem and ruled at a time when tensions between Colonist and Natives were about to break out into King Philips War, which is noted as one of the most violent periods of warfare. Clearly if women were able to rule over entire tribes and own land, then the oppression that eventually took over the Americas and other countries did not originate from within. Instead, it was learned and instigated by Colonization and Christianity. Overall it is clear that Wampanoag women were taking a stand and fighting for their land just as the men were, in any way possible! Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Hawley, Gideon Keetoh, Sarah Babcock, Hannah Mayhew, Experience Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1797-05-22 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Samantha Woods, UNH '12 Language A language of the resource English, Wampanoag Type The nature or genre of the resource Document Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource pdf Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context DV-267 https://dawnlandvoices.org/collections/files/original/56d6d03cf4001e54288630bd211171c4.jpg 212a5c549e6e0fbaa5ab7918d0229fef Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Wampanoag Description An account of the resource Traditional Wampanoag territory encompasses a wide swath of southern New England--much of what is now southeastern Massachusetts, including Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket. Today, there are two federally recognized communities: one at Mashpee, Cape Cod; the other at Aquinnah (Gay Head), Martha's Vineyard. Wampanoag people were among the first indigenous people regionally to begin writing and published a Wampanoag-language bible as early as 1663--a text that has been useful in contemporary language revival efforts. Wampanoag people have also been devoted writers of their own history, as evidenced by the detailed timelines that appear even on the official tribal websites. Resources <a href="http://mashpeewampanoagtribe.com/" target="_blank">Mashpee</a> Wampanoag Tribe <a href="http://www.wampanoagtribe.net/Pages/index" target="_blank">Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head</a> (Aquinnah) <a href="http://www.wlrp.org/" target="_blank">Wopanaak Language Reclamation Project</a> Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Joan Tavares Avant Description An account of the resource Joan Tavares Avant is a Mashpee Wampanoag elder, historian, and writer who works to promote an accurate representation of her Mashpee Wampanoag culture and heritage. <h4>Family</h4> From the day of her birth on April 14, 1940 until today, Joan Tavares Avant has lived in Mashpee, Massachusetts. As she puts it: “I was born in Mashpee as a Mashpee Wampanoag, Why would I want to leave?” She is the granddaughter of revered Mashpee Wampanoag Elder Mabel Pocknett Avant, in whose ancestral home now resides the Mashpee Wampanoag Historical Museum, of which Avant has been the past director of. She is mother to four children, grandmother to five grand-children, great grandmother to 3 great grandchildren, and has two un-adopted adult children, all which she loves dearly. She is also one of seven clan mothers, the Deer clan mother of her tribe. <h4>Granny Squannit</h4> Granny Squannit is one of the oldest Wampanoag legends. An old medicine woman with long black hair covering the single eye in her forehead, she snatches away children who misbehave, taking them away in her canoe to her cave in Cummaquid to scare them into being good. However, Granny Squannit also has a benevolent side, giving presents to good children and guiding sailors who leave her gifts. Every Halloween, Avant dresses up as Granny and greets (often scaring them in the process) Mashpee children as they walk through the woods. After playing Granny Squannit for adults, children and organizations and keeping her alive through writings for 20 years, Avant was given “Granny Squannit” as her native name from their tribal medicine man. She continues to write articles on Granny Squannit, even having her own column titled “Tales from Granny Squannit” in the Mashpee Enterprise in recent years. She also has a black and white tattoo of Granny Squannit on her right arm <h4 style="text-align:left;">Education</h4> Unlike some of her author peers, Avant did not enter college immediately after high school, finding it hard to be accepted to a university because of her Native status, as well as financial difficulties. She finally received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Human Services from the University of Massachusetts Boston in 1993, at the age of 53. Two years later, she earned her Master’s degree in Education from Cambridge College, and presently is working on a Doctoral Degree in Education at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. Avant believes that “it is never too late to learn, age is but a number.” For 26 years, she was the Director of Indian Education for the Mashpee Public School district. She worked to provide guidance and promote cultural awareness to local Wampanoag students and teachers, as well as to provide school day-care and tutoring services. Finding the Mative history taught to schoolchildren biased and inaccurate, she also worked with both Native and non-Native educators to create a curriculum that highlighted local Wampanoag elders, culture, history, legends, and values. In 1993, the Falmouth Affirmative Action Committee recognized her for this work. <h4 style="text-align:left;">Community Involvement</h4> Avant has been tribal president for three terms, as well as tribal historian for four. She is currently a member of the Mashpee Historical Commission, as well as a member of the Mittark Committee, which publishes the Nashauonk Mittark (the monthly Mashpee Wampanoag newsletter). She is also a member of Wampanoag Language Reclamation Project, which since 1993 has worked to teach Native children the Wampanoag language, which has had no known native speakers for six generations. In November 2012, CBS News <a href="http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=50135817n" target="_blank">interviewed her</a> about the project. <h4 style="text-align:left;">Writing</h4> Avant is also a writer for the Mashpee Enterprise, writing about Mashpee Wampanoag affairs and contributing her own column, "Tales from Granny Squannit." Her journalistic style often shows up in her book, People of the First Light. She begins each section of her book with the sentence “Let’s be Frank about this,” a line in remembrance of her son, but also a good euphemism for her writing. She uses a straightforward, blunt manner to presents her facts, and unapologetically expresses her opinion: <blockquote>There are people who still believe only that the Wampanoag met the Pilgrims and helped them through the first winter…and later fell off the face of Mother Earth. Rarely is it mentioned that we were here 12,000 years before any newcomers arrived. The entire realm of opinion has been that we have been here since the celebration of Thanksgiving in 1620…These are facts and not myths; they were challenging for our people then and continue to challenge us even today. Also, my view is this: just because leaders of this country such as Henry Laurens (President of the Continental Congress), George Washington, Abraham Lincoln and others who set certain dates for Thanksgiving does not mean that they were the first to think of such a celebration.</blockquote> People of the First Light took two years for Avant to finish. She self- published it in 2010. She was inspired to write after finding the Native perspective lacking in her own tribal history; decribing non-Native writing about her people, she remarks that it's “insulting and it hurts,” though it makes “millions of [dollars] off the backs of our ancestors and all our tribal people.” Having lived in Mashpee all her life, and having done tribal interviews and research, there was never any difficulty in finding things to include; in fact, she often found herself with more than she could incorporate. Avant says that the most difficult part was writing the proposal for funding; the rest, such as structure and selection of works, came naturally via cultural experience and indigenous insight. She wants to remind people, through her book and other works, that “We are still here.” <h4>Works Cited</h4> P. Stone, R. MacKenzie (1990). The Excluded Past: Archaeology in Education. Google Books: Unwin Hyman Ltd. p. 123 Avant, Joan Tavares. “Now, And Always, Wampanoag.” Cultural Survival. N.p., 26 05 2010. Web. 23 Mar 2013. Avant, Joan Tavares. People of the First Light: Wisdoms of a Mashpee Wampanoag Elder. Mashpee: 2010. Print <a href="http://mwtribe.exstream.tv/content/pages/72/DecemberMittark_2009.pdf">"Special Election Candidates."</a> Nashauonk Mittark. 12 2009: 4. Web. 9 May. 2013. Tavares-Avant , Joan. E-mail Interview. Apr 2013. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Shelby McGuigan, UNH '13 Type The nature or genre of the resource Still Image Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource n.d. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource jpeg Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context DV-294 https://dawnlandvoices.org/collections/files/original/4a83ddfa95004d3722815c7e6c31af99.jpg e1f444e7bdda571031ec54ffed2e842d Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Wampanoag Description An account of the resource Traditional Wampanoag territory encompasses a wide swath of southern New England--much of what is now southeastern Massachusetts, including Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket. Today, there are two federally recognized communities: one at Mashpee, Cape Cod; the other at Aquinnah (Gay Head), Martha's Vineyard. Wampanoag people were among the first indigenous people regionally to begin writing and published a Wampanoag-language bible as early as 1663--a text that has been useful in contemporary language revival efforts. Wampanoag people have also been devoted writers of their own history, as evidenced by the detailed timelines that appear even on the official tribal websites. Resources <a href="http://mashpeewampanoagtribe.com/" target="_blank">Mashpee</a> Wampanoag Tribe <a href="http://www.wampanoagtribe.net/Pages/index" target="_blank">Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head</a> (Aquinnah) <a href="http://www.wlrp.org/" target="_blank">Wopanaak Language Reclamation Project</a> Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Linda Coombs Description An account of the resource Linda Coombs* is program director of the Aquinnah Cultural Center. She is an author and historian from the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah). <h4>Life & Career</h4> Born and raised in Martha's Vineyard, Coombs lives with her family in the Wampanoag Community in Mashpee on Cape Cod. After she graduated from University of Massachusetts at Lowell in 1971 with a degree in music education, Coombs began a museum career in 1974, interning at the Boston Children's Museum as part of its Native American Program. She and her peers, including Narragansett elder Paulla Dove Jennings, wrote children's books for the museum, illustrating Native American culture from a Native American perspective. Coombs later worked for nearly three decades with the Wampanoag Indigenous Program at Plimoth Plantation, including 15 years as the program's associate director. <h4>Writing </h4> Her children's book, Powwow, was published in 1992 by Modern Curriculum Press under their Multicultural Celebrations series; it chronicles the experiences of a Native American girl at her first powwow. The book is 23 pages long and is illustrated by Carson Waterman. Additionally, through her work at Plimoth Plantation, Coombs wrote a number of essays documenting colonial history from a Native American perspective. For example, at a conference on Thanksgiving, she stated, <blockquote>The actual and factual history of Thanksgiving in this country will be discussed: the European origins, views and practices, and how it evolved into the holiday it has become today. Many people don’t realize that thanksgiving was not a new concept to Native people. … Native people have held thanksgiving ceremonies since the time of Creation. The energy of lifeways of acknowledgement and thankfulness is what sustained Native culture for millennia.</blockquote> Coombs strives to promote truth, authenticity and cultural sensitivity. In 2008, she received some media attention when she asked a nine-year-old girl to remove her indian costume before entering the Wampanoag site at Plimoth. When the child cried, Coombs gave her a necklace from the gift shop as a token of reconciliation. “Costumes are offensive because of what has happened in history,” Coombs explained; “we’re trying to educate people about our culture and to correct stereotypes and wrong information, we’re here to make a bridge between people, not to just send them packing." Coombs is passionate about educating the public about myths concerning not only Wampanoag culture and traditions, but those of all Native People. Her goal is set on continuing to educate the public about Wampanoag history, culture, and other contributions and to present their nearly-forgotten traditional skills and technologies of her 17th century ancestors as authentically as possible. The material history of her research includes traditional wetu (house) construction, mat weaving, pottery, deerskin clothing, twined woven baskets, gardening, and foodways. Community is the Wampanoag way. According to archeological records, the Wampanoag have been around for at least 12,000 years. They did not maintain their culture that long without work. But the Wampanoag have undergone a difficult history through colonization, and are now divided into separate tribal communities. Re-linking those communities together is a way of preserving the ancestral homelands and Wampanoag culture. As Coombs puts it in "A Wampanoag Perspective," <blockquote>For many people in this country, the word “colonization” often seems to slide glibly off the tongue; and when it is used, the full aspects of its meaning are not recognized. … The deeper, dark meanings of the word have been “bred” out of American history. However, people still carry associated attitudes and behaviors that go unrecognized for what they actually are.</blockquote> Coombs understands the importance of preserving her culture and making certain that the lives of her ancestors are not forgotten; she has dedicated her career to this cause and wants to share it with the world. "The people today are the windows to the past if one knows how to navigate." -Linda Coombs *This article began as a biographical profile for <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linda_Coombs" target="_blank">Wikipedia</a>. Thanks to Linda Coombs for her input and feedback on that article as well as this one. <h4>Writings by Linda Coombs </h4> “A Wampanoag Perspective on Colonial House.”Plimoth Life, v.3 no. 1, 2004: 24-28. “Hobbamock’s Homesite.” Thanks, But No Thanks: Mirroring the Myth: Native Perspectives on Thanksgiving. Plymouth, MA: Wampanoag Indian Program. September 9, 2000: 2-3. "Holistic History." Plimoth Life 1(2) 2002:12-15. “New Woodland Path Makes Inroads at Wampanoag Homesite.” Plimoth Life, v. 5 no. 1, 2006: 20. "Mayflower: A Story of Courage, Community, and War." Cultural Survival Quarterly, Spring 2007. Powwow. Modern Curriculum Press, 1992. “Wampanoag Foodways in the 17th Century." Plimoth Life 2005: 13-19 <h4>Other Works Cited</h4> “Artists and Craftspeople Sought for Directory of Native American Artists Living in New England.” Akwesasne Notes. January 31, 1992. Dresser, Tom. The Wampanoag Tribe of Martha’s Vineyard: Colonization to Recognition. The History Press, 2011. Fifis, Fran. “Native Americans Still Fighting Ignorance at Plimoth.” <a href="http://edition.cnn.com/2008/TRAVEL/11/28/plimoth.native.americans/" target="_blank">CNN Travel</a>. November 28, 2008. Accessed May 5, 2013. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FCTnaQU9X2g" target="_blank">First Thanksgiving </a>- Boston City Hall Linda Coombs 4/4, 2010. “Kids Told Not to Dress as ‘Indians’ at Plimoth Plantation | <a href="http://cnsnews.com/news/article/kids-told-not-dress-indians-plimoth-plantation" target="_blank">CNS News</a>.” November 26, 2008. Accessed April 23, 2013. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Crystal Gosnell, UNH '14 Type The nature or genre of the resource Still Image Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource n.d. Language A language of the resource English Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource jpeg Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context DV-295 https://dawnlandvoices.org/collections/files/original/baf4dcd809b2af084bdba0fdb3907cae.pdf 2b93f415de9d1a21d5c7c50872e93951 PDF Text Text MASHPEE’S IDENTITY Why there should be speculation about Mashpee’s identity, with the emphasis on its traditional char acter being on the way out, is particularly agrivating to those of us Wampanoags who are Mashpee's Native Community. Development, architectural design, new comers, one center or five centers, do not change the history and identity of Mashpee. "Mashpee was once a close-knit community - all that has changed," stated our Town Planner. the right to make this statement? What gives him We haven’t seen him at one of our inter-tribal socials, tribal meetings, youth gatherings, or any number of other Indian activities which we have perpetuated down through the years as started by our ancestors long before Columbus discovered us* We are still a very close knit community, following our traditional culture, and despite adversities, we move forward. In 1870, Mashpee was incorporated into a Town. It was an Indian town then and it is an Indian town now, as the "Land of the Wampanoags" signs indicated. We recog nize that Mashpee Commons is there. We do not recognize that Mashpee has been reinvented. Why is the word "re invented" being used at all? Is it because there are those who wish to wipe out Mashpee’s Indian identity as permanently as when Columbus "discovered" us? The fact is that we have a very unique identity. Why can’ we go forward and be proud of that identity t "The Land of the Wampanoag." By the way, after all these changes are made, what is the Town of Mashpee being faced with? Not Identity...Environmental Strangulation is the answer ??? Joan Avant Tavares; President, Mashpee Wampanoag Indian Tribal Council, Inc. Director, H a sheee/Falmouth*Indian Education Program. � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Wampanoag Description An account of the resource Traditional Wampanoag territory encompasses a wide swath of southern New England--much of what is now southeastern Massachusetts, including Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket. Today, there are two federally recognized communities: one at Mashpee, Cape Cod; the other at Aquinnah (Gay Head), Martha's Vineyard. Wampanoag people were among the first indigenous people regionally to begin writing and published a Wampanoag-language bible as early as 1663--a text that has been useful in contemporary language revival efforts. Wampanoag people have also been devoted writers of their own history, as evidenced by the detailed timelines that appear even on the official tribal websites. Resources <a href="http://mashpeewampanoagtribe.com/" target="_blank">Mashpee</a> Wampanoag Tribe <a href="http://www.wampanoagtribe.net/Pages/index" target="_blank">Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head</a> (Aquinnah) <a href="http://www.wlrp.org/" target="_blank">Wopanaak Language Reclamation Project</a> Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource "Mashpee's Identity" by Joan Tavares Avant Description An account of the resource Avant wrote this piece during her tenure as President of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribal Council and Director of Mashpee's Indian Education Program. The piece appeared in the Mashpee powwow flyer, an important source of Wampanoag writing and self-representation. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Avant, Joan Tavares Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Indigenous Resources Collaborative Siobhan Senier Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Joan Tavares Avant. Used with permission. Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Document Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Mashpee Wampanoag People of the First Light Annual Powwow flyer Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource Unknown Date Created Date of creation of the resource. June 2016 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource pdf Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context DV-348 https://dawnlandvoices.org/collections/files/original/0a1b71698c46fe8e8f3cf71f92c87002.pdf c1a19b7c2299e237de79e94267b146b5 PDF Text Text An Indian Side of the Christopher Columbus Story X By J oa n Avant Tavares M ashpee W ampanocig There are two aides to every story. The story of proclaimed hero Christopher Co lumbus. who historians say discovered Amer ica. Is no exception. Here I dwell not on his glorified voyages but on the atrocities Inflicted upon Native Americans during his voyages and conquests throughout the New World. How many people are familiar with the story of Anacaona? What happened to her and her people, the Arawak Indians, when they resisted the Invasion and conquest of their Island (Hlspafllola) by Columbus would shock Americans. Anacaona. her family and friends, had welcomed Columbus. His brutal war of extermination was suppressed and de leted from the literature by official Spanish censors. All of the First People were soon enslaved, tortured, or persecuted. "The great est extermination of a people In the history of the world, and few people know about tt,“ says Professor Walter Fox Tree, whose play about her Is dedicated to 100 million Native Nations people. the Sky": and the second was, “ Heaven-sent allies against our enemies." The tribes had no defensive posture because they saw no need for one. _ The whites did not have to divide and con quer because so many native leaders a s sumed that the strangers spoke the truth. Europeans had only to overcome the tribes one by one and they found plenty of native assistance for the task. A lack of Iron, gun powder. ships, and horses was not nearly as Im portant a handicap for Indians as was their own willingness to welcome Columbus and his followers as friends and benefactors rather than uniting against this horde erf Invaders, bent upon conquest, and driving them from the lands. Columbus by Jim mie Durham, Cherokee ... Greenrock Woman was the name Of that old lady who walked right up And spat In Columbus' face. We Must remember that, and remember Laughing Otter the Talno who tried to stop Columbus and was taken away as a slave. We never saw him again. In school I learned of heroic discoveries Made by liars and crooks. The courage Of millions of sweet and true people Was not commemorated. Let us then declare a holiday For ourselves, and make a parade that begins With Columbus' victims and continues Even to our grandchildren who will be named In their h on or. . .* The first Europeans were welcomed by natives with gilts ol food and tokens of honor until the moment came when these same gifts, and more, were demanded as perpetual hom age. Europeans brought nothing that would benefit those who already occupied the lands. Moreover, the Ideas and Institutions which motivated them were never designed to help native peoples. The philosophy and economics of colonization were designed to benefit only the conquerors. It was no more than Interna tional plundering. On a thousand frontiers the Europeans used the technology of superior ships and superior guns to gain territorial beachheads. They then Imposed on the Indige nous societies a brutal form o f servitude understood by the conquerors but totally alien to most natives. The two American continents contained many separate and distinct groups of Native people In 1492. In North America alone, at least 600 different tribes coexisted, speaking 200 different languages and following ways of life that were as richly diverse as the many geographic regions they occupied. Isolated from the Eastern Hemisphere. Native America was unprepared for the massive Invasion that Columbus began. No Indian nation was even remotely aware of the vastness of the two continents. A few hundred miles away would have been a very long Journey for even the m ost well-traveled. There was nothing approaching a sentiment of racial solidarity. Almost every Indian tribe called Itself'We the People." Wherever Europe ans appeared for a century or more after 1492, the first thought of the Indians was "Men from 1. Beverly Slapln and Doris Seale. B ooks With out Bias: Through Indian E yes (Berkeley. Calif.: Ovate Press. 1987). Christopher Columbus was a Catholic who felt he must convert Aslan heathens to Christi anity. but In the end the "heathens" he met. Native American people, were much more likely to be killed or enslaved than to be truly con verted In the Christian sense. In 1492, a loan of over $7,000 enabled him to obtain three caravels (small ships) and a royal letter of passport from King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain. In return for bringing back gold and spices, they promised Columbus 10 percent of the profits, a personal governorship over new-found lands, and the fame that would go with the title Admiral of the Ocean Sea. When he finally approached land. Colum bus was met by the Arawaks who swam out to greet him. The Arawaks lived In village communes and had long before developed keen agricultural skills. They cultivated com, yams, and cassava. They had no Iron, but they wore tiny gold ornaments In their ears. This led Colum bus to take some of them aboard ship as prisoners. He Insisted that they guide him to the source of their gold. He then sailed to Cuba and later to Hlspafllola. Columbus built the first military base tn the Western Hemisphere. He left thirty-nine crew members with Instructions to find and store gold. He took more Indian prisoners and put them aboard two remaining ships (the Santa Marla was shipwrecked). Even though Columbus had time and again asserted that the Arawaks were the most kindly, peaceful and generous people In the world, during his second trip he and his brother collected 1500 o f them for shipment back to Spain as slaves. His four available ships, however, could only carry 500. Colum bus allowed Spanish settlers and officers to help themselves to those that remained. After this selection process, those few Indians left were told to flee. Mothers were forced to aban don infants In their desperate fear. Many of those slaves shipped to Spain died en route. In the province of Clcao. on Hispafllola. Columbus and his officers ordered all Arawaks fourteen years or older to collect a certain quantity of gold every three months. When they succeeded they were given copper tokens to hang around their necks. Indians who had not reached their quota of gold and were found without these copper tokens often had their hands cut off. Many bled to death as a result. When It became clear that there was no gold left, the Indians were used as slave labor and died by the thousands. By 1515, there were no more than 50,000 Arawak Indians left. A report In 1650 showed that none of the original Arawaks or their descendants were left on the Island. Columbus had promised "mountains of gold" to his backers and his effort to squeeze this wealth out of the simple native society of the Island caused death to half of Its population between 1492 and 1500—estimates vary from 125.000 to 500,000. Within two generations the entire Indian society was wiped out. None of Its people were converted to Christianity. There Is not one recorded moment of Joy, of love, or a smile. The Indian” an idea invented by la the white man to distinguish him from the Eu ropean. He is depicted as the person on the shore, outside o f the boat. In actuality, the Americas are filled with groups of people as different from each other as they are different from the Chinese people. There are hundreds o f religions, cultures, languages, and ways of life among the Native peoples of the Americas. The land was a model of diversity long before the arrival of Columbus. Europeans did not choose to see this diversity. They created the concept of one Indian nation to make what they saw as an entity with which they could deal From that time until now. the white man has. tn fact, molded the Indian In an image which has always been m ost expeditious and most profitable for the white man himself. There came a new force, and it was this force which decided what was going to happen to America's original Inhabitants. If others didn't agree, this force used the sword, chopped off heads, and asked If there was anyone else who disagreed. For American Indians, this force has always appeared as a single Individual. "One man. one sword, one vote."1 From the time of Columbus to the 2 present the white society has done little to change that view. 2. Joh n Mohawk. "Looking for Columbus," Native N ations 1:2 (February 1991). Afterwards they came swimming to the ships’ boats . . . and brought us parrots and cotton thread in balls, and spears and many other things, and we exchanged for them other things, such as small glass beads and hawks' bells, which we gave to them.... They were very well built, with very handsome bodies and very good faces.... They do not bear arms or know them, for I showed to them swords and they took them by the blade and cut themselves through ig n o r a n c e . T h e y are all generally fairly tall, good look ing, and well proportioned--- They should be good servants and o f quick intelligence, since I see they very soon say all that is said to them, and I believe that they would easily be made Chris tians. The people also are very gentle.... All that they do possess, they give for anything which is given to them. — Excerpts from entries in Christo pher Colum bus'journal fo r the month o f O ctober 1492 � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Wampanoag Description An account of the resource Traditional Wampanoag territory encompasses a wide swath of southern New England--much of what is now southeastern Massachusetts, including Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket. Today, there are two federally recognized communities: one at Mashpee, Cape Cod; the other at Aquinnah (Gay Head), Martha's Vineyard. Wampanoag people were among the first indigenous people regionally to begin writing and published a Wampanoag-language bible as early as 1663--a text that has been useful in contemporary language revival efforts. Wampanoag people have also been devoted writers of their own history, as evidenced by the detailed timelines that appear even on the official tribal websites. Resources <a href="http://mashpeewampanoagtribe.com/" target="_blank">Mashpee</a> Wampanoag Tribe <a href="http://www.wampanoagtribe.net/Pages/index" target="_blank">Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head</a> (Aquinnah) <a href="http://www.wlrp.org/" target="_blank">Wopanaak Language Reclamation Project</a> Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource "An Indian Side of the Christopher Columbus Story" by Joan Tavares Avant Description An account of the resource Avant has had a long career as a columnist for area newspapers. This article survives in her personal collections as a clipping; it may have appeared in The Mashpee Enterprise, to which she was a frequent contributor. The year is unknown. The article exemplifies the continuing efforts of Avant and other Wampanoag writers to tell history from their tribal perspectives. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Avant, Joan Tavares Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Indigenous Resources Collaborative Siobhan Senier Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Joan Tavares Avant. Used with permission. Type The nature or genre of the resource Document Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource n.d. Language A language of the resource English Date Created Date of creation of the resource. June 2016 Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context DV-349 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource pdf https://dawnlandvoices.org/collections/files/original/bd5bf5ade357691ead5bd81488230790.pdf d578a0bcad4a71893b157df2dc0653c0 PDF Text Text "THE ORIGIN OF THE FIREBALL GAME” Wampanoags, especially Mashpee Wampanoags have traditionally! played fireball for years upon years. The origin of this "game" came from an ancient medicine person who diagnosed the need for courageous energy, which the patient lacked. This Pow Wow or medicine person burned tobacco and prayed for healers' instructions. The answer came through a ball of fire. The instructions were to gather the bravest men and women of the community. Once gathered they were told of their ability to create a marvelous medicine. Each were to paint themselves as if to war on a deadly enemy. The enemy being the disease within a beloved member of their tribe. The Pow Wow made a leather ball and soaked it in whale oil. When the warriors returned painted, bringing with them their families all were divided into two teams. A chant was taught for the spectators. The chant called the diseased spirit ordering it to leave the village forever. The warriors were told to kick and throw the fireball as they would our Indian football, this time playing for a life. Once the ball was lit the Pow Wow blessed the warriors and warned them that any show of fear or cowardice could kill the patient. Each player then dedicated their courage and strength to the patient. A signal was called out and the ceremony began. While today this "game" is often played for sport, it is a ceremony of powerful medicine. Any person on the field can dedicate his or her fearlessness and energy to someone ill. The fireball game is always exciting to watch. We can be proud of our warriors who are brave enough to face the fireball. If you know someone who is seriously ill, you can ask a player to dedicate their energy. It is considered proper to offer a gift when asking for medicine of any kind. I give my greetings and thanks to those generations of special people who have continued our fireball ceremony. NOSAPOCKET....... R a m o n a L. Peters � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Wampanoag Description An account of the resource Traditional Wampanoag territory encompasses a wide swath of southern New England--much of what is now southeastern Massachusetts, including Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket. Today, there are two federally recognized communities: one at Mashpee, Cape Cod; the other at Aquinnah (Gay Head), Martha's Vineyard. Wampanoag people were among the first indigenous people regionally to begin writing and published a Wampanoag-language bible as early as 1663--a text that has been useful in contemporary language revival efforts. Wampanoag people have also been devoted writers of their own history, as evidenced by the detailed timelines that appear even on the official tribal websites. Resources <a href="http://mashpeewampanoagtribe.com/" target="_blank">Mashpee</a> Wampanoag Tribe <a href="http://www.wampanoagtribe.net/Pages/index" target="_blank">Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head</a> (Aquinnah) <a href="http://www.wlrp.org/" target="_blank">Wopanaak Language Reclamation Project</a> Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource "The Origin of the Fireball Game" (1988/89) by Ramona Peters Description An account of the resource Wampanoag artist Ramona Peters wrote this piece for a flyer distributed at the Mashpee powwow in 1988 and 1989. Powwow flyers have been an important source of Mashpee Wampanoag writing and self-representation. This piece, signed "Nosapocket," speaks to the antiquity of the fireball game and to its continued existence. Peters addresses a dual audience of Mashpee Wampanoag people and non-Native visitors to the powwow. Fireball is a healing ceremony, intensely beautiful and spiritual as it is performed and observed. The fireball itself was once made of deerskin; in modern times it is made of cotton sheeting inside of chicken wire soaked in clean motor oil for one year. When the players enter the field they have already done a prayer, for example for a sick community member. The fireball ceremony is not supposed to be photographed. Ramona Peters is an artist, a community leader, spiritual leader and current Tribal Historic Preservation Officer. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Peters, Ramona Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Indigenous Resources Collaborative Siobhan Senier Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Ramona Peters. Used with permission. Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Document Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Mashpee Wampanoag People of the First Light Annual Pow-Wow, July 1-3, 1989 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1988-89 Date Created Date of creation of the resource. June 2016 Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context DV-350 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource pdf https://dawnlandvoices.org/collections/files/original/dac62a04d209404d4387336b51114388.pdf 490a9ca92bf147445285c2f09ed69409 PDF Text Text D ugout Canoe Trip to Martha's Vineyard Linda Coombs, Associate Director, Wampanoag Indian Program ushop was a Wampanoag man of the earliest ancient tijjies. Our history tells us he was a giant who created Elizabeth Islands, Marthas Vineyard and Nantucket, among other areas. At a point too far back to fathom, he brought his people to Aquinnah on the island of Noepe (Marthas Vineyard) to live. It was a peaceful place and very abundant. To feed his family, he caught whales with his bare hands, dashed them against the clay cliffs of Aquinnah, forever staining some of the clay red. At times when heavy fogs engulf the Cape and Islands, Maushop is known to be smok ing his pipe. While Maushop, being a giant, could easily step from the Cape to island to island, the rest of the People of our size used dugout canoes. These boats were made of the logs of white pine, oak, or chestnut and were hol lowed out with fire, and then the charred wood scraped away. The Wampanoag people were excellent naviga tors and regularly traveled from many points on the mainland to the Cape and all the islands in what is now Vineyard Sound. Traveling the rivers and lakes as well as the ocean in the dugouts had been done for many thousands of years. Canoeing and travel by foot were the main forms of transportation and had always been. We don’t know when the making and use of dugout canoes began to decline, but like many other indigenous ways, it was a gradual decline. When it finally stopped, we don’t real 6 ly know. One educated guess might be by the 18th cen tury as Wampanoag men became prominent as whalers. It could be that for 200 years, Wampanoag people did not make or use dugout canoes until well into the 20th century. Around 1980, two Mashpee Wampanoag women paddled a dugout of their making down the Nemasket River, which is known as the “Wampanoag Canoe Trail.” That is also about the time that the Wampanoag Indian Program (WIP) began making canoes. For more than 20 years, canoes have been back on the Eel River in Plymouth. Every spring and every fall a canoe has been created on and launched from the banks of the river. They have been plied back and forth to the delight of the visitors and enjoyment of staff (some times far more than the allotted 10 minutes off site). They have been raced during Strawberry Thanksgiving, where some have won, some have sunk (those non-staff novices), and some have just gone around in circles. Some have even participated in a cross-cultural endeavor performed by the local gradu ating class in their apparently annual ritual of releasing one of the boats to the freedom of the river currents. So the dugouts live once again. To paddle on the Eel River Pond, however, is one thing. To do what our ancestors did and travel from the mainland out to the islands is another thing completely. To do what has not been done in 200 years is an awesome and pro found undertaking. �For more than 2 0 years, canoes have been back on the Eel River in Plymouth. Every spring and every fa ll a The trip to Marthas Vineyard is something that WIP staff had been hoping to do for five years before it actu ally came to happen, and we had several reasons for wanting to undertake this crossing. Traditional Wampanoag territory includes Marthas Vineyard, Nantucket, and the Elizabeth Islands, with part of the western border being at Narragansett Bay Prior to European contact and for many years after, people trav eled all these waters on well-known routes. They were completely familiar with the tides and currents, rips and shoals, seasons and weather patterns. The trip last August was to acknowledge the navigational prowess of our ancestors; to celebrate our traditional way of life which we understand to be viable and sustainable; and to remind us of our connection to our ancestors, the earth and waters, and our responsibility to them. Homesite. The larger is 28 feet long and made of tulip poplar, and the other 20 feet and of white pine. The trip is something we feel was meant to happen when it did. It was not something that was in our budget, so we got the go-ahead to fundraise for it. This process, however, did not begin until March. That was very late considering our time frame: for the trip in August we wanted to begin weekly canoe practices in April. A very generous contribution from our friend and long-time supporter, Mrs. Susan Jackson, Trustee and Chair of the Wampanoag Advisory Committee, enabled us to begin. The Mohegan Tribe of Connecticut also granted us a donation, and to them both we are extremely grateful. Participation in this project was voluntary, but we wanted to reciprocate everyone’s interest and dedication. As practices were It was a trip of very historic import as it happened with usually from 5:30 - 7:30, we provided a healthy snack in the ancestral Wampanoag homeland, and with beforehand so people wouldn’ have to ply the waters t Wampanoag people from several tribes: Aquinnah, on an empty stomach. Everyone also received a dinner Mashpee, and Manomet (Herring Pond). Other staff and mileage allowance. Most people traveled long dis and community members of other nations joined us as tances to attend practices, coming from the Cape, New well, including Micmac, Narragansett, and Pequot. The Bedford, and southern Rhode Island. trip was made with two canoes made at Hobbamock’ s canoe has been created on and launched from the banks o f the river. 7 �The mishoons arrive at Tashmoo on M artha’ s Vineyard after only one hour a n d 4 5 minutes. Those participating had to be ready to handle any number o f conditions: wind, rain, waves, currents. In organizing the trip, WIP staff worked with a team of consultants. An Aquinnah tribal member, Brian “Chip” Vanderhoop, assisted in locating the departure and landing points. Chip owns a charter fishing boat service, Conomo Charters, and was also one of our guide boats during the crossing. Earl Mills, Jr., Mashpee Wampanoag, assisted in training staff in han dling a boat in open waters. He is an experienced ocean-canoer, having canoed over the Bay of Fundy and down the coast to Boston. The Maritime Artisans of Plimoth Plantation assisted us with the transporta tion of the dugouts to and from the points of depar ture, and with navigational aspects as well. August 17 was fast approaching, and excitement was very high. That particular date was chosen to coordi nate with the annual presentation by the Aquinnah Wampanoag of the “Legends of Maushop,” which is also referred to as the Pageant. The history portrayed in the Pageant is that of the Aquinnah Wampanoag, and is acted out in pantomime to the narration of the sto ries. The plan for the day was as follows: meet guide boats or be at beach in Falmouth (depending on which boat one was traveling in) at 6:00 am; make the cross ing to Tashmoo, which was estimated to take 4 to 5 hours; get transported by guide boat or van up to Lobsterville Beach in Aquinnah for a traditional clam bake; attend or participate in the Pageant that evening. As it always does, 6:00 am rolled around pretty fast. We awoke to a very overcast morning, but no rain and no wind. Those going on the guide boats waited for them We very graciously were offered a second guide boat at the docks in Falmouth Harbor, and watched them owned by Vernon Welch of Aquinnah, husband of materialize out of pea soup fog. From that point we Aquinnah tribal member Berta Welch, Overseer and went over to the beach where the dugouts were to leave member of the Wampanoag Committee. Both guide from. They were already in the water, and participants, boats served to carry staff, a nurse, photographers, and dressed in traditional deerskin clothing, were making their own preparations. Quite a sizeable crowd had videographers from PAC-TV. gathered on the beach to see boats make their historic The weekly practices did begin in April, rain or shine. launch. They watched until guide boats and canoes We only cancelled a couple of times because of weather. both disappeared into the fog, six men and one woman Those participating had to be ready to handle any in the larger canoe and three men in the smaller. number of conditions: wind, rain, waves, currents. The two canoes were moored down by Mayflower II, and at At first we were concerned about the fog because it was first, practices took place around the harbor. Soon the so thick. However, it turned out to be a blessing boats were headed out toward Clarks Island, which is because it provided a cover against the sun beating five miles offshore. Going out there and back became down, which it was trying very hard to do in the mid dle of the ocean. The water could not have been calmer, the usual destination of the practices. save for the wakes of a few other boats we passed. It was It was finally decided that the dugouts would leave from a mystical scene to see canoes and paddlers silhouetted Falmouth just below the lighthouse and go across to in the fog now glowing with a golden hue from the rays Tashmoo, below Tisbury on the Island. This is a five of the morning sun. The Woods Hole — Marthas mile straight shot, and the shortest distance between Vineyard ferry went by somewhat closely, providing two points. Mrs. Jackson came through for us once the challenge of a large wake and a mystical experience again, as it happens that relatives of hers live on the of a different kind. But then the fog lifted and before beach near the lighthouse. They graciously offered to let long we could see the beach at Tashmoo. You should us leave from the beach in front of their house, as well have seen the faces of the people whose homes are right as to come there for some practices. As it turned out, there when canoes and swimmers pulled up on the only one practice the week before the crossing took beach, everyone in breechcloths and all manner of 17th-century dress. I think they had a mystical experiplace in Falmouth, although more had been wanted. �Those of us who arrived by canoe and guide boat actu As dusk drops into night, “Maushop” gathers his people ally beat the rest of the WIP staff who had come over over by a path through the woods that leads to the stage. on the ferry and were coming up-island by van. The The singers walk down the hill amidst a great feeling of canoe crossing had only taken 1 hour and 45 minutes. anticipation and go up on the stage behind a large As stated earlier, conditions were absolutely perfect. It painted mural of the clay cliffs. The only light is from was a trip meant to happen. A circle completed. By the fire burning brightly in front of the wetu, and the now the sun was fully out and the fog completely gone, moon and stars shining from above. The only sound is and it was very hot, so everyone went swimming while from the surf and the summer night crickets. There is waiting for the van with the rest of our folks. always a feeling of peacefulness out there. There is a feeling of softness and balminess and timelessness. It feels as Some went by van and some stayed right on the guide if couldnt have been much different way back when boats to ride over to Aquinnah, which was 45 minutes Maushop actually was there. As the narrator begins to away by water. Upon arrival in Lobsterville many speak, Maushop’ people come through a path in the s pitched in with preparations for the clambake, went woods, carrying torches to light their way. It is quite a swimming, went to check out their hotel accommoda stunning sight to see them moving through the trees in tions, or just rested. And finally the chowder was ready! the dark under the clear starlit sky. And then finally the bake itself was done and ready to be served! If no one felt like moving after paddling over The Pageant is such that it holds the audience mes there, they really didn’t after that meal! Talk about merized, if only for its short hour. It marked the end of working up an appetite. a long but extremely rewarding day. It was indeed a day ' f . 9: m J• . M . 4 I ? $ By then it was getting close to sunset, and we all head ed up to the Aquinnah Tribal Building. It was time to get ready for the Pageant. Many of the Aquinnah peo ple were already there getting dressed. When everyone was ready - regalia on, hair combed and braided, lost moccasins found or quickly replaced, props all set to go - we ran through the songs and dances to be done in the Pageant to get everyone warmed up. Behind the building is a natural amphitheatre with a stage built of earth and held in front by small boulders. There is a small wetu built on the stage. The stage is surrounded by the woods, and the audience sits on the hill that comes down from of mending the hoop. As a matter of fact, almost as soon as the dugouts landed, people were already saying “What are we going to do next year?” Someone else said “Next time we should do a womens trip!” And I’ ve heard that more than once now. Well, folks, it won’t be this year for a trip. Once again, it was not able to go into the budget; and fundraising last minute on top of other responsibilities is more than a bit overwhelming. But we can plan for a little farther in the future. And we can always start practicing now anyway, get those biceps in shape. Well, Wamp ladies, what do you say? - meet you at the harbor? left: Paddling was still hard work even though there was no w in d a n d the water was calm. right: The mishoons prepare to launch fror the beach below the Falmouth lighthouse. The only sound is from the su rf and the summer night crickets. There is always a feeling o f peacefulness out there. � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Wampanoag Description An account of the resource Traditional Wampanoag territory encompasses a wide swath of southern New England--much of what is now southeastern Massachusetts, including Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket. Today, there are two federally recognized communities: one at Mashpee, Cape Cod; the other at Aquinnah (Gay Head), Martha's Vineyard. Wampanoag people were among the first indigenous people regionally to begin writing and published a Wampanoag-language bible as early as 1663--a text that has been useful in contemporary language revival efforts. Wampanoag people have also been devoted writers of their own history, as evidenced by the detailed timelines that appear even on the official tribal websites. Resources <a href="http://mashpeewampanoagtribe.com/" target="_blank">Mashpee</a> Wampanoag Tribe <a href="http://www.wampanoagtribe.net/Pages/index" target="_blank">Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head</a> (Aquinnah) <a href="http://www.wlrp.org/" target="_blank">Wopanaak Language Reclamation Project</a> Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource "Maushop Brings His People Home" (2003) by Linda Coombs Description An account of the resource An account of a dugout canoe trip from the mainland to Aquinnah, launched by Plimoth Plantation's Wampanoag Indian Program. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Coombs, Linda Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Plimoth Life 2.1 (2003): 6-9 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2003 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Indigenous Resources Collaborative Siobhan Senier Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Plimoth Plantation and Linda Coombs. Used with permission. Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Document Date Created Date of creation of the resource. June 2016 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource pdf Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context DV-351 https://dawnlandvoices.org/collections/files/original/082e65c5285f46bfc363bbd4d0768f57.pdf 4d0733b0e30e459219f3e7191f8d6dc0 PDF Text Text WELCOME TO MASHPEE - LAND OP THE WAMPANOAGS Once again we gather here on Wampanoag land to cele brate the coming together and sharing of our heritage with our sisters and brothers from neighboring tribes and from tribes throughout the land. MASHPEE WAMPANOAG INDIANS For the "People of the First Light," the Annual Powwow is a time for meeting old and new friends, strengthening the ties of our Native American heritage, passing on knowledge from our elders to our youth, and a time to thank the Great Spirit for letting us come together. The Powwow gives Native Americans a chance to show unity and to share traditional and contemporary talents with those who join us on this occasion. This is also an occasion for remembering events that have come to pass over the past 300 years. Our ancestors welcomed the Europeans to these shores, taught them to survive, and suffered for their kindness. We, their descendants, are still fighting for recognition of what is rightfully ours. Not only is this a time for remembering, but it is also a time for giving thanks to the many people who have supported Wampanoag concerns over the past years. We thank those who want to learn more about Native Americans and who support our customs and traditions that we strive to keep alive. We thank all who are celebrating with the People of the First Light at this Annual Powwow. Ho! Peace, President, Mashpee Wampanoag Indian Tribal Council, Inc. Director, Title IV, Part A, Mashpee Public School, Indian Education Program. � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Wampanoag Description An account of the resource Traditional Wampanoag territory encompasses a wide swath of southern New England--much of what is now southeastern Massachusetts, including Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket. Today, there are two federally recognized communities: one at Mashpee, Cape Cod; the other at Aquinnah (Gay Head), Martha's Vineyard. Wampanoag people were among the first indigenous people regionally to begin writing and published a Wampanoag-language bible as early as 1663--a text that has been useful in contemporary language revival efforts. Wampanoag people have also been devoted writers of their own history, as evidenced by the detailed timelines that appear even on the official tribal websites. Resources <a href="http://mashpeewampanoagtribe.com/" target="_blank">Mashpee</a> Wampanoag Tribe <a href="http://www.wampanoagtribe.net/Pages/index" target="_blank">Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head</a> (Aquinnah) <a href="http://www.wlrp.org/" target="_blank">Wopanaak Language Reclamation Project</a> Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource "Welcome to Mashpee" by Joan Tavares Avant Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Avant, Joan Tavares Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Indigenous Resources Collaborative Siobhan Senier Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Joan Tavares Avant. Used with permission. Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Document Description An account of the resource Avant wrote this piece while she was President of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribal Council and Director of Mashpee's Indian Education Program, and published it in the tribe's annual powwow flyer. The Mashpee powwow flyers have been an important source of Wampanoag writing and self-representation, as they address both Wampanoag people and non-Native visitors to the powwow. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Mashpee Wampanoag People of the First Light Annual Powwow flyer. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource Unknown Date Created Date of creation of the resource. June 2016 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource pdf Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context DV-352 https://dawnlandvoices.org/collections/files/original/57293c20803bc70dfefdea1b7c4d582b.jpg eeed049c257fdf3c29c45aa263573dd3 https://dawnlandvoices.org/collections/files/original/219db91176b29f5405f5b883baa68f33.pdf afc0d6f5ba750c0b3cb7fce753b52009 PDF Text Text � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Wampanoag Description An account of the resource Traditional Wampanoag territory encompasses a wide swath of southern New England--much of what is now southeastern Massachusetts, including Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket. Today, there are two federally recognized communities: one at Mashpee, Cape Cod; the other at Aquinnah (Gay Head), Martha's Vineyard. Wampanoag people were among the first indigenous people regionally to begin writing and published a Wampanoag-language bible as early as 1663--a text that has been useful in contemporary language revival efforts. Wampanoag people have also been devoted writers of their own history, as evidenced by the detailed timelines that appear even on the official tribal websites. Resources <a href="http://mashpeewampanoagtribe.com/" target="_blank">Mashpee</a> Wampanoag Tribe <a href="http://www.wampanoagtribe.net/Pages/index" target="_blank">Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head</a> (Aquinnah) <a href="http://www.wlrp.org/" target="_blank">Wopanaak Language Reclamation Project</a> Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource "The Eagles and the Crows" (c. 1972) by Wamsutta (Frank James) Description An account of the resource This card comes from an educational kit called "Indians Who Met the Pilgrims," produced by the Boston Children's Museum (BCM) in the early 1970s in collaboration with regional Native educators and activists. Frank James was an Aquinnah Wampanoag tribal leader, founder of the <a href="http://www.uaine.org/suppressed_speech.htm" target="_blank">National Day of Mourning</a>, and an activist committed to educating non-Native people about issues affecting indigenous people. He was a member of the BCM's first Native Advisory Board in 1972, and was instrumental in encouraging museum staff to start dismantling stereotypes. Following his lead, the BCM produced an early exhibit explicitly devoted to challenging stereotypes of Native Americans. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Wamsutta (James, Frank) Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Boston Children's Museum Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1972 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Indigenous Resources Collaborative Siobhan Senier Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Moonamum James. Used with permission. Language A language of the resource English Date Created Date of creation of the resource. July 2016 Type The nature or genre of the resource still image, document Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource pdf, jpeg Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context DV-383 https://dawnlandvoices.org/collections/files/original/9dcd576bcee408748fbb2910ae0753cb.pdf 4f2eb11fa3384fcf5dba722027a902b5 PDF Text Text A lesser-‐known Atlantic crossing: Six years before Mayflower landed in Plymouth in 1620 quite a different kind of trans-‐Atlantic voyage landed 27 Wampanoag men in Malaga, Spain. Those men taken against their will from Patuxet and Nauset in the summer of 1614 were not on a pilgrimage but their journey would foreshadow the Pilgrim landing and settlement of Plymouth Colony by virtue of who was taken, where they were taken from and the one who returned. The story of Tisquantum, also known as Squanto, who remarkably welcomed the Pilgrims in their own language is often re-‐told. It begins in the spring of 1621 almost as if the “friendly Indian” dropped out of the sky to become an invaluable emissary between the settlers and the Wampanoag. The lesser known albeit well documented truths are: • That Squanto was among 20 men taken from Patuxet in 1614. • That another seven men were taken from Nauset. • That Squanto was the only one known to return. • That after a near brush with slavery he learned to speak English while living as a captive exotic servant in London. • That when he finally made his way home in1619 he found his family and village wiped out by a plague. • That his home, Patuxet, was no longer of use to him. • That the graveyard of his people became Plymouth Colony. While it was by far not the first occasion of human trafficking conducted by European explorers to the new world, the capture of Squanto and his fellow tribesmen would forever alter the course of history for people on two continents. Instances of taking Native people against their will were logged in graphic detail by mariners like James Rosier who explored what is now the coast of Maine with Capt. George Weymouth in 1605. In his diary Rosier explained the means and motivation for such acts and justified the capture of Native men as a rescue from the wilderness for the purpose of conversion to Christianity. Rosier shamelessly described the enticing of two Native men with a box of peas. “ . . . we used little delay, but suddenly laid hands upon them. And it was as much as five or six of us could do to get them . . . For they were strong and so naked as our best hold was by their long hair on their heads . . . “ A century earlier in 1502 an English company of merchant explorers from Bristol returned to London from Newfoundland with three Native men clothed in “beasty skins” and speaking in a strange language. The report published in The Great Chronicle of London indicates that at least two of the men survived assimilation and �were seen two years later in Westminster dressed in the attire of Englishmen however unable to utter one word. By the summer of 1614 the Wampanoag certainly knew to be wary of English vessels. However it is possible that a visit from the culturally sensitive and tolerant Captain John Smith just prior to the kidnappings may have given the Wampanoag a false sense of security. Smith led the 1614 exploration of New England with a primary mission to discover locations suitable to host a colony similar to the one he helped establish in Jamestown. When Smith departed to return to England he left Hunt with instruction to trade fish for furs with the Wampanoag. Instead Hunt traded Smith’s good will for personal profit capturing the men from Patuxet and Nauset. Hunt then set sail for Malaga, Spain where he attempted to sell them as slaves at an auction interrupted by an order of religious monks. It is assumed Squanto was among those spared by the monks. If the Jamestown experience with the Powhatan, and having his life spared by Pocahontas, taught Smith anything he certainly understood offenses against the indigenous people to be counter productive to colonization. But by the time Smith learned of Hunt’s devious act the Wampanoag were left devastated and Smith’s cross-‐cultural diplomacy squandered. In his account of the New England voyage published in 1616, Smith made clear his disappointment in Hunt. “Notwithstanding after my departure, he abused the Savages where he came, and betrayed twenty and seven of these poore innocent soules, which he sold in Spaine for slaves, to move their hate against our Nation, as well as to cause my proceedings to be so much more difficult.” Smith characterized his relationship with Hunt as a test of wills. Ultimately he acknowledged the appointment of Hunt to his fleet was deeply regrettable. The primary reason Smith cited for being unable to return to New England in 1615 as planned was deception. “ . . . chiefly by one Hunt, who was Master of the ship, with whom oft arguing these projects, for a plantation, however he seemed well in words to like it, yet he practiced to have robbed me of my plots . . .” Works cited: James Rosier, A True relation of the most prosperous voyage made this present yeere 1605, by Captaine George Waymouth, in the discovery of the land of Virginia: Where �he discovered 60 miles up a most excellent River; together with a most fertile land. London, (1605) The Great Chronicle of London, A.H. Thomas and I.D. Thornley editors, (1939) John Smith, The General History of New England, (1624) � https://dawnlandvoices.org/collections/files/original/9204aee0c7ddc95e6010fde5a6ee5cae.jpg 070a328925ce615d83524c854a3d73a7 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Wampanoag Description An account of the resource Traditional Wampanoag territory encompasses a wide swath of southern New England--much of what is now southeastern Massachusetts, including Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket. Today, there are two federally recognized communities: one at Mashpee, Cape Cod; the other at Aquinnah (Gay Head), Martha's Vineyard. Wampanoag people were among the first indigenous people regionally to begin writing and published a Wampanoag-language bible as early as 1663--a text that has been useful in contemporary language revival efforts. Wampanoag people have also been devoted writers of their own history, as evidenced by the detailed timelines that appear even on the official tribal websites. Resources <a href="http://mashpeewampanoagtribe.com/" target="_blank">Mashpee</a> Wampanoag Tribe <a href="http://www.wampanoagtribe.net/Pages/index" target="_blank">Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head</a> (Aquinnah) <a href="http://www.wlrp.org/" target="_blank">Wopanaak Language Reclamation Project</a> Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Introduction to Captured: 1614 by Paula Peters (2014) Description An account of the resource Paula Peters is a Native American journalist and educator from Mashpee, Massachusetts. She worked for the Cape Cod Times from 1992-2002 and has worked to educate the public about Native history as part of the Indian Program at Plimoth Plantation (first as an interpreter in the 1970s and 1980s, and returning in 2005 as Director of Marketing and Public Relations). Peters attended Bridgewater State University from 1984-1986. She was actively involved in the Mashpee federal recognition effort, with her father, Russell Peters (d. 2002), and many other tribal members. In an interview with NPR in 2006, Peters recalls a time when "nobody in Washington cared much about which tribes were recognized." Like her father, Peters has served on the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribal Council. With her husband, Mark Harding, who serves as the council's treasurer, she co-founded the marketing company SmokeSygnals. As executive producer of Captured: 1614, Peters continues her longstanding efforts to tell history from the Wampanoag perspective. The exhibit was first unveiled in November 2014 at the Plymouth Public Library in Plymouth, Massachusetts, marking the 400th anniversary of the kidnapping of Squanto and 19 other Wampanoag tribe members by English settlers. The essays included here comprised some of Peters's contributions to that exhibit. Captured will travel and continue to grow until 2020, the 400th anniversary of the landing of the Mayflower. Peters serves on the committee of Plymouth 400, the non-profit organization planning that event. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Peters, Paula Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="http://www.plymouth400inc.org/events/captured-1614" target="_blank">Captured: 1614</a> Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2014 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Victoria Leigh Gibson, UNH 2016 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Paula Peters Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Document Date Created Date of creation of the resource. July 2016 Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context DV-384