In the 1600s, both Wampanoag men and women took part in the building and making of a home. About half of the men, women and children who sailed on Mayflower died of sicknesses brought on by the cold and wet weather and by not having warm houses. Although the materials and construction techniques of English and Wampanoag houses were different, their functions were the same. How long did it take to make your houses? The Native Americans lived in Wetu’s in the summer and long houses in the winter. Wetus were typically made from cedar saplings that are set in holes in the ground, then bent and fastened … Members of the Algonquian language family, the Massachuset cultivated corn (maize) and other vegetables, gathered wild plants, and hunted and fished. Today, the Wampanoag community of Gay Head (Aquinnah) and Mashpee Wampanoag group are the two federally recognized nations. He also uses authentic Native recipes for cooking fresh, stuffed Quahogs. Wampanoag housing. They were hung inside the homes to keep them warm during the cold New England winters. To make the roofs, they cut grasses and reeds from the marshes, and bundled them. They are sometimes called longhouses in English. Dwellings in the villages were either long, multi-family residences or smaller, round wetuash (plural of wetu). The houses were usually 50-60 feet long, but they could be as long as 100 feet. colony. Then they fastened them in layers to the roof. Log in here for access. They could sleep several families and wou… They were prepared to build their own houses, but they hadn’t expected to have to build those houses in the middle of winter. A wetu is a domed hut, used by some north-eastern Native American tribes such as the Wampanoag. They also offered shelter to guests or travelers and were, at times, used for family prayer or spiritual gatherings. The men went to the woods and cut down trees. Work on the finishing touches sometimes went on for a few more months even after the family began living in it. By working together, they knew the houses they built would be sturdy. 4. How many people slept in the cottages and wetus? Text and graphics may be reproduced for education use, however, no part may be duplicated for sale or profit. Because of the popularity and notoriety of her book, the word wigwam became the generic term for any "Indian house" regardless of the Nation or Tribe being referred to. Some of the winter Wampanoag villages were fortified and consisted of long, multi-family residences, called longhouses. A winter home took about two weeks. Wampanoag houses were built in a round shape because that is best to heat or cool a house evenly. Thanksgiving and 17th-Century Themed Dining, Virtual Field Trip to Plimoth & Historic Patuxet, You are the Historian: Digital Experience for Students, The Center for 17th-Century Studies at Plimoth, Plimoth After Dark: Pretzel & Mustard Making. Then they fit these pieces together so that they became a frame. The land provided everything else they needed. Most of the time, the houses were very dark. The House … The three epidemics which swept across New England and the Canadian Maritimes between… The multi-family dwellings could house 40-50 people – usually four or fewer related families. For the outside of the The women cooked around a hearth, where small fires were lit. Wampanoag is probably derived from Wapanoos, first documented on Adriaen Block's 1614 map, which was the earliest European representation of the Wampanoag territory. The houses were called wetus. With prayers of thanksgiving, the women gathered cattails from the swamps and marshes in late summer. The houses were called wetus. The Wampanoag lived with a close spiritual connection to the land. All rights reserved. The floors were hard-packed earth. References They had only a few small windows that closed with a wooden shutter. They provided shelter, sometimes seasonal or temporary, for families near the wooded coast for hunting and fishing. You are weak and tired from seasickness and need a warm house on dry land. It usually took about two or three months to make a house, from framing it, to covering it with clapboards, to making the wattle and daub, and finally thatching the roof. Families erected these dwellings at their coastal planting grounds and lived in them throughout the growing season. This is what they look like. Shop local at our Plimoth Patuxet Museum Shop (137 Warren Avenue) seven days a week, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. through December 23 and until noon on December 24 -  or online at www.plimoth.com! Each Nation and Tribe has their own language just as the French, English, Spanish, or German of Europe. The fire from the hearth provided heat during the winter months and light at night. 4. "In 1600 the Wampanoag probably were as many as 12,000 with 40 villages divided roughly between 8,000 on the mainland and another 4,000 on the off-shore islands of Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket. They dried the reeds in the sun, and when they were ready, sewed the cattails into large, double-sided mats. When the colonists arrived in Plymouth, they started to build their town right away. Food is cooked over an open fire using only the ingredients that were available in the 1600s. A Wampanoag home was called a wetu. Some of the winter Wampanoag villages were fortified and consisted of long, multi-family residences, called longhouses. others make slighter doores of {Burch} or {Chesnut} barke, which they make fast with a cord in the night time, or when they go out of town, and then the last (that makes fast) goes out at the Chimney, which is a large opening in the míddle of their house, called: The word is a Lenape term for "Easterners" or literally "People of the Dawn", and based on information provided by the people whom Block encountered in the lower Hudson Valley.. Wampanoag Wigwam or Wetu Wigwams, or wetuash (plural of wetu) are temporary shelters. The frame was traditionally covered with mats of loosely woven reeds like cattails designed to let the cool summer breezes flow through. The men prepared the saplings by peeling off their bark; the bark was then split andused to secure the frame of the house. Great framed prints available in our shops. Described in a moment of humor Mashpee Wampanoag Tribal member, Annawon Weeden said, "They were the ultimate beachfront condos!". In the Wampanoag Homesite at Plimoth Plantation, Native staff members build homes in the traditional way. There was a fire hole in the middle of the ceiling to let the smoke from the fire escape. The town began to grow, and the colonists finally had the shelter they needed. It is the middle of winter and bitterly cold. What is the difference between a wetu and a wigwam . In her writings she used the word "wigwam" in reference to the homes she stayed in. The traditional house of the Wampanoag are wetus which are sometimes called wigwams. They did not live in teepees or longhouses, but wetus. The Wampanoag spoke a language sometimes called Massachusett or Natick. Once built, the houses belonged to the women. Nov 15, 2017 - Explore Anna Pigg's board "Wampanoag Unit" on Pinterest. These houses are called wigwams or wetus. Instead, the Wampanoag lived in small houses, or huts, called weetu. The skin was made into clothing and shoes. They lived in small, round houses called wetus or wigwams. He also uses authentic Native recipes for cooking fresh, stuffed Quahogs. The wetus were doomed shaped huts made of sticks and grass. They pushed the daub into the wattle until it filled the wall and made a smooth surface on the inside. This gave shape and strength to the house. You can have that house – if you build it first! Working together also made the people in the village a strong community. To make the roofs, they cut grasses and reeds from the marshes, and bundled them. Copyright 2013, Paula Bidwell and Lea Gerlach. The mission of the Mashpee Wampanoag Housing Department is to provide safe affordable housing to eligible tribal members, and other Native Americans who reside in the Tribe's service area. The first thing the Wampanoag did was they lived in different houses. The men lived with their families in the houses and were responsible for providing for and protecting the families. They traditionally lived in villages in Massachusetts, in Rhode Island, and on nearby islands. The frame of a small house required about 40 saplings, while a large house might take up to 200. Plymouth, MA 02360 This smooth surface resembles the plaster on the walls in some modern homes. Annawon Weeden, Mashpee Wampanoag tribal member explains more about wetus and how to build them. You can swap out the meat for turkey, goose, duck, fish, or even shellfish. Wampanoag is probably derived from Wapanoos, first documented on Adriaen Block's 1614 map, which was the earliest European representation of the Wampanoag territory. Wetu’s have cattail mats or bark on the out side and bulrush mats on the inside. When referring to the Wampanaog Nation the word for home is "wetu". Wetu’s are small round houses that have a fire pit in the middle. Variations of this dish are still made in Wampanoag households in New England today. dug-out canoe. Described in a moment of humor Mashpee Wampanoag Tribal member, Annawon Weeden said, "They were the ultimate beachfront condos!" The family living there changed the position of this cover as the direction of the wind changed. © 2003-2021 Plimoth Plantation. See more ideas about wampanoag, wampanoag indians, american indians. Not sure what college you want to attend yet? Along the Atlantic coast, the native people made houses by covering frames made of branches with dried reeds which were thatched or sewn together. There were many delays. The Wampanoag Indians would wear special ornaments and clothes for special ceremonies. The wetus were small homes made of wooden frames made from saplings and then covered with sheets of elm bark. Inside both the wetu and nush wetu are bullrush mat wall coverings. The word 'wetu' means "house" in the Wampanoag language. The colonists knew there were no English towns where they were going. The weetu were houses made out of deer hide, tree branches, and other animal furs (such as rabbit). The walls were made of cattail mats and bulrushes as well as bark. a canoe made by hollowing out and shaping a large log. Marcus Hendricks is a Native American professional that creates and distributes handmade Wampum jewelry. In the Wampanoag way, this is because they give birth to the children, who are the future of the People and must be protected and nurtured. Within these houses, each nuclear family had its own fire. The unprecedented exhibit, “Our”Story: 400 Years of Wampanoag History, reveals little-known historic and cultural realities of the “people of the first light.” The Wampanoag have lived in southeastern Massachusetts for more than 12,000 years. The colonists had thatched roofs on their houses to keep out the sun, wind and rain. The wetu is a dome shaped house with a hole in the roof to allow the smoke to escape from the fire. THANKSGIVING by Wampanoag and other Native people, What was served at the first Thanksgiving, Squanto Coloring Book - Baha'i Children's Classes, OTHER PRAYERS and meditations for Thanksgiving, MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS - Wampanoag and Pilgrim. The Pilgrims lived in their villages in houses made of similar materials that the Wampanoag used. This circular shape also represented many things in Creation that are circular, like the cycles of Life. Randy: A small wetu would sleep five to seven people. And since they were circular in shape the air circulated freely. Because the Pilgrims hoped to own their own land and build better houses in the future, the houses in Plymouth Colony in the 1620s were not as comfortable as the ones the Pilgrims left behind in England and Holland. 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