The Wampanoag Way

Meet Tashima and Storm. They're sisters. They're members of the Wampanoag tribe. The girls live typical lives in Massachusetts. They go to school. They ride bikes. They hang out and have fun. But sometimes they get to do something very special. They show others what life was like for their people 400 years ago. That's what some members of the tribe do at the Wampanoag home site. Let's go for a visit. We'll step back in time as the girls show us what life was like for the Wampanoag people in the 1620s. The Wampanoag have been living in the northeast for thousands of years. They were the group of people that the pilgrims met when they first arrived in America in 1620. Here we are at the home site. The sun rises. It's time to wake up. The family is cozy in their witu. A witu is a Wampanoag home made of branches and tree bark. It's a warm, clear day. The girls go outside and have some breakfast. Their sister cooks it over an open fire. They eat nasamp, which is hot corn porridge. They sweeten their nasamp with berries. They're a little thirsty. Time to get a drink. A spring runs through the home site. The girls dip hollowed out gourds into the water and fill them up. The water is cool and fresh. Parents encourage kids to run around, play, and have fun. The girls love to play a game called double ball. Nice catch. Kids also help the adults out with chores. The Wampanoag grow corn. Big flocks of blackbirds want to eat the corn. The girls climb up high and yell and shout at the blackbirds. They're like human scarecrows. They scare those hungry birds away. Time for a break. The girls pick some sumac berries with their dad. Then they brew them into a delicious hot tea. One more cup, please. The Wampanoag live by a river. The girls take a ride on a machoon to visit friends up the river. Machoon is the Wampanoag word for boat. It's made from a tree trunk. Back at the home site, the girls grind some corn for stew. Each girl gets a turn. It's a chore, but it's also pretty fun. Their mom cooks quail over the fire. She'll put it into the stew. Looks scrumptious. The girls relax by making some beads out of clay. They'll make them into necklaces. Storm shapes one of her beads into a spiral. It's been a long, busy day. The girls are getting tired and the sun is going down. They play with dolls before bedtime. And then they cuddle up and go to sleep. Their bare fur blankets are so warm and soft. Good night, girls. Tashima and Storm love showing what life was like for the Wampanoag long ago. But they also love being typical modern day kids.