Thanksgiving is commonly associated with the pilgrims. In the tapestry of history, woven with threads of triumph and tragedy, the story of the Wampanoag Nation emerges as a vibrant testament to resilience and cultural richness. Beyond the familiar narrative of the first Thanksgiving lies a tapestry of traditions, celebrations, and challenges that have shaped the lives of the Wampanoag people. Journey with us through time as we unravel their history, exploring a heritage that predates the pilgrims' arrival. They were the Native Americans that were there when the pilgrims first arrived on the Mayflower. They lived in the land that the pilgrims settled in and were sold as slaves. Squanto (Tisquantum) may be familiar to those who've heard of the first Thanksgiving. Squanto was a Patuxet, a band of the Wampanoag tribe confederation. The diseases brought by the Europeans wiped out the Patuxet, and Squanto was the last of the tribe.

There is little known about Squanto’s Early life, but around 1605 he was captured and taken to England. He lived with the Plymouth Company owner and was taught English to be hired as an interpreter and guide. He later returned to his homeland with John Smith in 1614 but was soon taken to be sold as a slave in Spain along with 20 others from the Patuxet Tribe. Squanto is the only one known to have returned home. When he found his way back to his village, he discovered the entire Patuxet Tribe had died. He then moved in with a neighboring Wampanoag tribe and became an interpreter between them and the pilgrims.

The Wampanoag Nation is still here, and they have a rich and beautiful culture. There were 69 existing tribes in the Wampanoag Nation. Three of them survived til today, and two are federally recognized. These are the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe and the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah). There are around 4,000-5,000 Wampanoag living in New England today.

Due to changes in North America since the arrival of Europeans, the Wampanoag people can no longer live as their ancestors did. Yet, they have a thriving culture with traditions and keeps the spirit alive. Wampanoag means people of the first light. A big part of the Wampanoag culture is their wampum. Wampum is jewelry created with quahog shells that are purple and white. It requires lots of hard work to create intricate belts that tell stories of their people. Many continue to work with wampum to this day, using traditional methods. They used them in many ways such as decoration, accessories, or as money.

Thanksgiving is commonly associated with the pilgrims and Native Americans celebrating together. Yet the Wampanoag celebrated various versions of Thanksgiving long before colonists arrived on their land. Such as Strawberry Thanksgiving and Green Corn Thanksgiving. For the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head, their most significant tribal holiday is Cranberry Day, which consists of celebrating the cranberry harvest. Today, they continue the tradition and keep the spirit of their ancestors alive. They celebrate it with children excused from school to attend. It consists of Elders harvesting with the youth and then sharing stories of the past celebrations. It ends with a potluck, then singing, dancing, and thanking the Creator for another harvest. They held past celebrations in Lobsterville, where cranberry bogs were found. Elders would also tell stories in those times, and they would ride ox carts. They'd sing and have tents filled with food and dancing.

A big part of Wampanoag culture is their oral traditions. Such as chanting, singing, and telling stories. They share many similar traditions with other Native American tribes such as basket making, hunting, and fishing which are very important to them. I encourage anyone reading this to support those who occupied the land first, whether it be by donation, or educating yourself on their history and culture. While their culture still thrives today despite their depleted numbers, their history is important to be aware of. There are many Tribes in every state that deserve recognition, and we should all learn about those who stood in the land we now occupy. They all have a rich history and unique culture, and they are still here. For those that no longer exist today, such as the Patuxet Tribe, they continue to live on in our memory.

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Sources :

https://youtu.be/90vyScbrXyQ?si=Y5jioGOSxPwIu0yQ

https://youtu.be/95PojatWRdc?si=GFbsoyHW-bziIDRm

https://wampanoagtribe-nsn.gov/ancientways

https://www.biography.com/history-culture/squanto

https://www.mayflower400uk.org/education/native-america/2020/june/four-hundred-years-of-wampanoag-history/

https://mashpeewampanoagtribe-nsn.gov/

Photo taken from Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe