The Wampanoag Native Americans by Alex

            The Wampanoag tribe was the one of the gentlest tribes. Unlike the Blackfeet, they were very uneasy about war. They were best known for their food, way of life, games and traditions, and how they waged war. It is time to take a journey back in time to see how the Wampanoag lived.

            Food was the most important thing. They had many types of food like fish, pumpkins, corn, nuts, berries, deer, moose, and small game like birds and other things. The women and children prepared the food while the men hunted or gathered the food. A famous food is New England clam chowder made by the Wampanoag.

Clam Chowder

            Their way of life was different from ours because they lived in a dome house called a wetu or wigwam. They lived at a place in Massachusetts called Martha’s Vineyard. They also live on the coast of Massachusetts and Rhode Island.

            Their games and traditions were quite odd but understandable.  A game that was played was where a person threw the ball and the person who gets the ball tries to tag someone. Their traditions were the men had to wear a bottom set of clothes, and the women did not have to wear clothes at all.

             The most intense thing the Wampanoag did was wage war. The weapons that they used were wood knives called shanks, bow and arrows, and big clubs with rocks at the end. Their enemies were the Iroquois, Mohawks, and in later years the Europeans.

            They were a very interesting tribe, but now most of the Wampanoag people and traditions are gone. Once again they were best known for their food, way of life, games and traditions, and how they waged war.

Kanatiiosh, Barbra. Native Americans . Wampanoag . United States. ABDO PUB . Co 2004

Levy, Janey. The Native American Library for Children

Last Updated Dec. 16, 2008