CELEBRATIONS

Some of the celebrations the Wampanoag celebrated were Thanksgiving, powwows, Fire on the water and appanaugs. They also celebrated the green corn festival, births and weddings.

BELIEFS

The Wampanoag had many beliefs about the world. Some beliefs were the Creator or the Great Spirit who they thought made the world and Moshup Noepe who they believed made Martha's Vineyard.

LEADERS

Leaders are important to all Native tribes. Leaders are called sachems. Did you know that anyone can be a leader as long as they do good deeds for the tribe and they are respectful? Some of the leaders are Samoset, Massasoit, Squanto, and Metacomet. Did you know Squanto was a slave?

DAILY LIFE AND THE SEASONS

In the summer the Wampanoag lived in houses called wetus. Wetus are single family which means only one family at a time.

In the winter they lived in a house called a nush wetu. A nush wetu holds 2 families at a time but the families have to be related. In the winter the Wampanoag wore mantle. A special treat to eat in the winter was quahog. Some quahog they caught to eat and some to make wampum. Wampum was used for jewelry, religious ceremonies and money.

The Wampanoag speak many languages like Massachusett or Natick, Wampanoag language and Algonquian. The Wampanoag had no written form. The Wampanoag used sign language to talk with the Pilgrims. Now they speak English. In Wampanoag, Wuneekeesuq is good day.

The Wampanoag earned 485 acres of land from the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) in 1987. They bought 325 common lands and 160 private lands. The common lands they purchased included Gay Head Cliffs, Herring Creek and Lobsterville.