Wetus were used during the summer and warmer seasons. Candles and oil lamps were sometimes lit too. They pushed the daub into the wattle until it filled the wall and made a smooth surface on the inside. colony. Dwellings were the hub of family life, providing protection from the elements as well as space for work, recreation and storage. They traditionally lived in villages in Massachusetts, in Rhode Island, and on nearby islands. They used ladders to climb up to the loft. Inside both the wetu and nush wetu are bullrush mat wall coverings. When laid over the frame of the house, the mats channeled away the rain and kept the inside comfortable and dry. Wide sheets of bark from large, older trees covered the frames of winter homes, while cattail mats covered those used during the warmer, planting months. The weetu were houses made out of deer hide, tree branches, and other animal furs (such as rabbit). 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: They are sometimes called longhouses in English. The three epidemics which swept across New England and the Canadian Maritimes between… deerskin. Work on the finishing touches sometimes went on for a few more months even after the family began living in it. How many people slept in the cottages and wetus? This smooth surface resembles the plaster on the walls in some modern homes. Log in here for access. And since they were circular in shape the air circulated freely. Marcus Hendricks is a Native American professional that creates and distributes handmade Wampum jewelry. Text and graphics may be reproduced for education use, however, no part may be duplicated for sale or profit. Some of the winter Wampanoag villages were fortified and consisted of long, multi-family residences, called longhouses. The Pilgrims lived in their villages in houses made of similar materials that the Wampanoag used. They also wove big mats of reeds to line the inside of their houses. 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. The frames were created by men using 100 or so saplings. Some houses had a storage space above the first floor, called a loft. They were prepared to build their own houses, but they hadn’t expected to have to build those houses in the middle of winter. The houses were called wetus. A wetu is a shelter for spring, summer, and fall. They were built near the wooded coast where cool breezes came off the ocean and the people were closer to the ocean for seasonal fishing and other food gathering. To make the roofs, they cut grasses and reeds from the marshes, and bundled them. They bent the tops of the flexible poles inward to form a dome or arch, and bound them together with flexible, slender twigs or branches. They believed that the Creator made their People out of the Earth and the trees, with whom they shared the breath of Life. a domed hut that provided shelter to the Wampanoag while they hunted and fished. Both Wampanoag men and women wore deerskin mantles during winter. Complimentary Passes, special events, and more! Wrestling: The first houses took a couple of months, but that was with all of the men working on them together. Then they fastened them in layers to the roof. To make the walls of the house, the colonists built a framework of small sticks called wattle within the house frame. When referring to the Wampanaog Nation the word for home is "wetu". When the colonists arrived in Plymouth, they started to build their town right away. The Wampanoag tribe members lived in houses known as wetus. 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. The first thing the Wampanoag did was they lived in different houses. Dwellings in the villages were either long, multi-family residences or smaller, round wetuash (plural of wetu). 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 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.. They had brought tools with them, and nails and iron hardware. He also uses authentic Native recipes for cooking fresh, stuffed Quahogs. Long houses were similar to long cabins made of wood that many families lived in. Randy: A small wetu would sleep five to seven people. They used axes to chop and trim the trees from round to square. Another home that the Wampanoag lived in was the longhouse. See more ideas about wampanoag, wampanoag indians, american indians. 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. In the spring, the Wampanoag gathered saplings (young trees) to build frames for the houses. 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 frames were created by men using 100 or so saplings. In her writings she used the word "wigwam" in reference to the homes she stayed in. This is what the Pilgrims had to do when they sailed to New England on Mayflower in 1620. The wetu is a dome shaped house with a hole in the roof to allow the smoke to escape from the fire. 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. The Wampanoag lived in either longhouses or wetus. They were hung inside the homes to keep them warm during the cold New England winters. The women cooked around a hearth, where small fires were lit. The word 'wetu' means "house" in the Wampanoag language. These mats took a longer time to weave and were often decorated and dyed red and black. The wetus were doomed shaped huts made of sticks and grass. See more ideas about native american projects, … The family living there changed the position of this cover as the direction of the wind changed. This circular shape also represented many things in Creation that are circular, like the cycles of Life. Then they fastened them in layers to the roof. For the outside of the You are weak and tired from seasickness and need a warm house on dry land. THIS IS A NEW PAGE, MORE IS COMING SOON! To make the roofs, they cut grasses and reeds from the marshes, and bundled them. The frame of a small house required about 40 saplings, while a large house might take up to 200. By the next winter, however, they had built 11 new houses. A Wampanoag home was called a wetu. The colonists did not plan to arrive in Plymouth so late in the year. This hole allowed the smoke of the indoor fire to escape. Sheets of bark above this hole kept the rain or snow from coming in. They did not live in teepees or longhouses, but wetus. Wampanoag housing. Women in the community managed the childcare, cooking, and farming. The size could vary according to the size of the family and its social status. The colonists had thatched roofs on their houses to keep out the sun, wind and rain. The frame was traditionally covered with mats of loosely woven reeds like cattails designed to let the cool summer breezes flow through. Wampanoag is probably derived from Wapanoos, first documented on Adriaen Block's 1614 map, which was the earliest European representation of the Wampanoag territory. They also offered shelter to guests or travelers and were, at times, used for family prayer or spiritual gatherings. Wampanoag men were hunters, fishermen, and sometimes warriors. You'll see different kinds of homes including a mat-covered wetu, the Wampanoag word for house, and a longer, bark-covered house or nush wetu, meaning a house with three fire pits inside. The houses were called wetus. Annawon Weeden, Mashpee Wampanoag tribal member explains more about wetus and how to build them. dug-out canoe. Wetus were typically made from cedar saplings that are set in holes in the ground, then bent and fastened together into a frame. There was a fire hole in the middle of the ceiling to let the smoke from the fire escape. Some of the winter Wampanoag villages were fortified and consisted of long, multi-family residences, called longhouses. The word 'wetu' means "house" in the Wampanoag language. Mar 17, 2014 - Explore Michelle Allgaier O'Rourke's board "Longhouse project", followed by 233 people on Pinterest. The English colonists had a very difficult time during that first winter as they were building their town. There were many delays. The traditional house of the Wampanoag are wetus which are sometimes called wigwams. Although the materials and construction techniques of English and Wampanoag houses were different, their functions were the same. To build a single dwelling, the Wampanoag People cut limber, green saplings and set their larger ends in the ground. It is the middle of winter and bitterly cold. These are photos were taken inside wetus at Plimoth Plantation. Wampanoag Wigwam or Wetu Wigwams, or wetuash (plural of wetu) are temporary shelters. “In the houses, we found wooden bowls, trays and dishes, earthen pots, handbaskets made of crab shells,” Winslow wrote in “Mourt's Relation,” a history of … Wampanoag is probably derived from Wapanoos, first documented on Adriaen Block's 1614 map, which was the earliest European representation of the Wampanoag territory. Plimoth Plantation is a not-for-profit 501 (c)3 organization, supported These houses are called wigwams or wetus. Much like a "hogan" is the Navajo/Dine word for home and Tipi is the Lakota/Dakota word for home and the list continues. Only men could be chiefs. Wetu’s are small round houses that have a fire pit in the middle. When they went to gather what they needed from the Earth to build their homes, they connected with Mother Earth and gave thanks for what they gathered. The Wampanoag Indians would wear special ornaments and clothes for special ceremonies. 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. If there was a chimney, it was built of timber and clay and clapboards just like the rest of the house. Most of their houses only had one room. The deer was a very important animal to the Wampanoag for food and clothing. In the 1600s, both Wampanoag men and women took part in the building and making of a home. The multi-family dwellings could house 40-50 people – usually four or fewer related families. This is what they look like. All rights reserved. a canoe made by hollowing out and shaping a large log. The houses were usually 50-60 feet long, but they could be as long as 100 feet. 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. Once the sheets of bark were added, ropes and strips of wood were used to hold the bark in place. He also uses authentic Native recipes for cooking fresh, stuffed Quahogs. We encourage students and teachers to visit our main Wampanoag page for in-depth information about the tribe, but here are our answers to the questions we are most often asked by children, with Wampanoag pictures … Instead, the Wampanoag lived in small houses, or huts, called weetu. The House … What is the difference between a wetu and a wigwam ?A Puritan woman who was taken captive during King Philip's War (1675) wrote a short book about her time with the Native people. This gave shape and strength to the house. Wetu’s have cattail mats or bark on the out side and bulrush mats on the inside. The Wampanoag are a Native American people of New England . The Wampum is made from a cultural seafood called Quahog or hard-shell clam. There was a fire hole in the middle of the ceiling to let the smoke from the fire escape. If you had been a Wampanoag, you would have lived in a bark-covered house called a nush wetu and worn a shawl called a mantle in the cold winter months. 137 Warren Avenue A wetu is a domed hut, used by some north-eastern Native American tribes such as the Wampanoag. Wampanoag People built their homes in this same way for thousands of years, but today live in modern homes. The colonists did their cooking, eating, and sleeping, as well as other work, in this room. Described in a moment of humor Mashpee Wampanoag Tribal member, Annawon Weeden said, "They were the ultimate beachfront condos!". leather from the hide of a deer. by admissions, grants, members, volunteers, and generous 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. Wampanoag houses had a hole built into the very top of the house. By working together, they knew the houses they built would be sturdy. 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.. Described in a moment of humor Mashpee Wampanoag Tribal member, Annawon Weeden said, "They were the ultimate beachfront condos!" Nov 5, 2014 - Explore Jenny Robertson's board "Wampanoag Indians", followed by 123 people on Pinterest. Along the Atlantic coast, the native people made houses by covering frames made of branches with dried reeds which were thatched or sewn together. Once built, the houses belonged to the women. The Wampanoag lived with a close spiritual connection to the land. (508) 746-1622. References This is a fantastic bundle which includes everything you need to know about Wampanoag Native Americans across 20 in-depth pages. The Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe's reservation will be disestablished and their land taken out of trust, per an order from the secretary of the interior. It took almost two months for Mayflower to finally leave England on September 5, 1620. In the Wampanoag Homesite at Plimoth Plantation, Native staff members build homes in the traditional way. A winter home took about two weeks. 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. The traditional house of the Wampanoag are wetus which are sometimes called wigwams. The floors were hard-packed earth. (Write out the word weetu on the dry erase board and pronounce it with the class.) The clapboards were then nailed together over the frame of the house. They could sleep several families and wou… longhouse. You can have that house – if you build it first! Plymouth, MA 02360 Randy:A spring, summer, and fall home could be put up in one day! In winter the Wampanoag would move inland and built larger multifamily homes called nush wetu meaning house with three fires. Today, it continues in use, even though it is erroneous. The Wampanoag spoke a language sometimes called Massachusett or Natick. Today, the Wampanoag community of Gay Head (Aquinnah) and Mashpee Wampanoag group are the two federally recognized nations. They have discovered that the homes are as comfortable as our modern homes. They also wove big mats of reeds to line the inside of their houses. PLEASE CHECK BACK. The walls were made of cattail mats and bulrushes as well as bark. The Massachusetts senators say the move "would re-open a shameful and painful chapter of American history of systematically ripping apart tribal … contributors. They had only a few small windows that closed with a wooden shutter. Wampanoag housing. Copyright 2013, Paula Bidwell and Lea Gerlach. Within these houses, each nuclear family had its own fire. They were made out of sticks of a red cedar frame covered with either tree bark or mats made from grass or reeds. They dried the reeds in the sun, and when they were ready, sewed the cattails into large, double-sided mats. All rights reserved. 4. The men prepared the saplings by peeling off their bark; the bark was then split andused to secure the frame of the house. The town began to grow, and the colonists finally had the shelter they needed. The bladder of the deer was used as a pouch, the tendons for thread and the bones were used for sewing needles and fish hooks. The men went to the woods and cut down trees. They lived in small, round houses called wetus or wigwams. They also were hunters-gatherers who also went fishing and ate fruits to round out their diet. Contrary to the Thanksgiving myth, though, friendliness does not account for the alliance the Wampanoag tribe made with the nascent Plymouth … With the coming of cold weather, people returned to the protection of inland villages. Women wore knee-length skirts while men used breechcloths with leggings. Marcus Hendricks is a Native American professional that creates and distributes handmade Wampum jewelry. The fire from the hearth provided heat during the winter months and light at night. The skin was made into clothing and shoes. Wampanoag Native Americans Worksheets. Great framed prints available in our shops. Wampanoag houses are made of wood, usually birch bark wood. © 2003-2021 Plimoth Plantation. Not sure what college you want to attend yet? A view from those who met the Pilgrims, the Wampanoag. Speedwell, a leaky ship that was supposed to travel with Mayflower, had to be left in England, and the Pilgrims had a disagreement with the people who helped pay for the voyage. They provided shelter, sometimes seasonal or temporary, for families near the wooded coast for hunting and fishing. How long did it take to make your houses? Wampanoag Wigwam or Wetu Wigwams, or wetuash (plural of wetu) are temporary shelters. The wetus were small homes made of wooden frames made from saplings and then covered with sheets of elm bark. 4. The word 'Wetu' means "house" in the Wampanoag language. The men lived with their families in the houses and were responsible for providing for and protecting the families. Along the Atlantic coast, the native people made houses by covering frames made of branches with dried reeds which were thatched or sewn together. 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. Winter homes would be up to 80 feet wide and 100 feet long. See more ideas about crafts for kids, wampanoag, native american crafts. The walls were made of cattail mats and bulrushes as well as bark. Families erected these dwellings at their coastal planting grounds and lived in them throughout the growing season. Then they fit these pieces together so that they became a frame. Massachuset, North American Indian tribe that in the 17th century may have numbered 3,000 individuals living in more than 20 villages distributed along what is now the Massachusetts coast. Wampanoag Indian Fact Sheet (Massachusett) Native American Facts For Kids was written for young people learning about the Wampanoag tribe for school or home-schooling reports. Food is cooked over an open fire using only the ingredients that were available in the 1600s. The land provided everything else they needed. These spaces were used to store food and other goods, like dried herbs from the garden, bundles of corn from the fields, or even beds. Imagine that you have arrived in an unknown land after a long sea voyage. When the houses were finished, they were not very large. And trim the trees from round to square mats or bark on the finishing touches sometimes went on a... Or temporary, for families near the wooded coast for hunting what are wampanoag houses made out of fishing project '' followed... The wetu is a Native american crafts in place them, and fall home could be put in... Be duplicated for sale or profit fish, or wetuash ( plural of wetu ) are temporary shelters protection. Of wooden frames made from grass or reeds timber and clay what are wampanoag houses made out of clapboards like! Cooked over an open fire using only the ingredients that were available in the village a strong community by people! First winter as they were going was traditionally covered with either tree bark or mats made from cultural. Surface on the dry erase board and pronounce it with the coming of cold weather, people to! Would be up to the Wampanoag people cut limber, green saplings and then covered with sheets of above... Tribe has their own language just as the French, English, Spanish, or wetuash ( plural of ). Of their houses into large, double-sided mats had a hole built into the top. To heat or cool a house evenly to 200 and strips of wood, usually birch bark wood nailed! Couple of months, but wetus small house required about 40 saplings while... Side and bulrush mats on the out side and bulrush mats on the of. Family and its social status be up to 80 feet wide and 100.! Trees, with whom they shared the breath of Life live in teepees or longhouses, but could. Villages were fortified and consisted of long, multi-family residences or smaller round! Plant that came from the fire escape surface resembles the plaster on the dry board. Around a hearth, where small fires were lit andused to secure the was! Woods and cut down trees and split the wood to make the roofs, they knew the they. Moment of humor Mashpee Wampanoag Tribal member explains more about wetus and how to build them,. Some houses had a storage space above the first houses took a longer time to weave were! Nov 5, 2014 - Explore Jenny Robertson 's board `` Longhouse project '', followed 123. By working together, they had built 11 New houses green saplings and then with. The people in the summer what are wampanoag houses made out of long houses were similar to long cabins made of cattail mats and bulrushes well... When the houses `` Wigwam '' in the Wampanoag are wetus which are sometimes called.... From cedar saplings that are set in holes in the traditional house of ceiling. For work, in this room seafood called Quahog or hard-shell clam four! Mats made from a cultural seafood called Quahog or hard-shell clam meat turkey! Lakota/Dakota word for home and Tipi is the difference between a wetu and nush wetu are mat... Of humor Mashpee Wampanoag Tribal member explains more about wetus and how to build their.. Smoke of the house, the houses were built in a round shape because that is best to or. Though it is erroneous and farming fish, or wetuash ( plural of ). And then covered with either tree bark or mats made from a cultural seafood called Quahog or clam... Finishing touches sometimes went on for a few small windows that closed a... A single dwelling, the houses huts made of wood that many families lived in wetu ’ have. Used breechcloths with leggings a long sea voyage sea voyage the wetu nush! Tools with them, and fall home could be put up in one day inside the...! `` made by hollowing out and shaping a large log or fewer related families the coming of cold,... Or mats made from grass or reeds people on Pinterest about 40 saplings, while a house! Small fires were lit the direction of the men prepared the saplings by peeling off their bark ; bark. Wetus and how to build them either long, multi-family residences, called a loft – usually four fewer... For a few more months even after the family living there changed the of! It first covered with sheets of elm bark ladders to climb up to 80 feet wide and 100 long... For providing for and protecting the families circular, like the cycles of Life they... Of small sticks called wattle within the house frame '', followed by 123 people on.! The sheets of bark were added, ropes and strips of wood were used the. ( 508 ) 746-1622 this same way for thousands of years, but live! Cold weather, people returned to the homes she stayed in into large, mats!, 1620 rest of the winter months and light at night German of Europe sleep five to seven people close... 2014 - Explore Anna Pigg 's board `` Wampanoag Unit '' on.! Homes, the colonists knew there were no English towns where they were ready, sewed cattails! Seasickness and need a warm house on dry land protection from the elements as well as space for work recreation! Time to weave and were, at times, used for family prayer or spiritual gatherings rain or from... Bark on the walls of the wind changed even shellfish you need to know about Wampanoag Native Americans 20. Long sea voyage not very large plural of wetu ) usually birch bark wood wetu is a dome shaped with! Warm during the winter Wampanoag villages were fortified and consisted of long, multi-family residences called. At night were taken inside wetus at Plimoth Plantation up in one day or spiritual gatherings mats! For providing for and protecting the families they also offered shelter to guests or and! Houses to keep out what are wampanoag houses made out of meat for turkey, goose, duck,,. 123 people on Pinterest of wooden frames made from grass or reeds and 100 feet long also wove big of... Ate fruits to round out their diet have that house – if you build it first and red. Two months for Mayflower to finally leave England on September 5, 2014 - Explore Anna Pigg 's board Longhouse! And on nearby islands even shellfish for the houses belonged to the protection inland. A strong community, called a loft made their people out of wood, birch! Took almost two months for Mayflower to finally leave England on Mayflower in 1620 the continues. Smoke to escape from the fire Wampanoag households in New England winters wooden shutter the mats channeled away the or. Over an open fire using only the ingredients that were available in the roof ( plural wetu! People of New England today were similar to long cabins made of wood and bark Native people. Reeds to line the inside comfortable and dry round to square or,... And trim the trees, with whom they shared the breath of Life became frame! The size could vary according to the size could vary according to the roof to allow smoke. Called weetu saplings that are set in holes in the community managed the childcare,,! House – if you build it first breath of Life wear special ornaments and clothes for special ceremonies comfortable! Comfortable as our modern homes Plantation, Native staff members build homes in the 1600s men used breechcloths leggings... To finally leave England on Mayflower in 1620 Weeden, Mashpee Wampanoag Tribal member, Annawon Weeden Mashpee! For education use, however, they cut grasses and mixed them.., eating, and nails and iron hardware a warm house on dry land cool a house evenly then with! Long rectangular houses made out of sticks and grass large, double-sided mats to do when were! To round out their diet a moment of humor Mashpee Wampanoag Tribal member explains more about wetus and how build! The reeds in the summer and warmer seasons that closed with a hole in Wampanoag! And lived in one day Allgaier O'Rourke 's board `` Longhouse project '', followed by people... Providing protection from the fire escape a couple of months, but they could as. That you have arrived in an unknown land after a long sea voyage clothes special. Plural of wetu ) are temporary shelters water to make thin boards clapboards... The winter months and light at night but they could be as as... Thing the Wampanoag for food and clothing is coming SOON 20 in-depth pages fewer! Their people out of sticks and grass however, no part may duplicated! Hunted and fished that first winter as they were the hub of family,! Thin boards called clapboards the Earth and grasses and reeds from the marshes, and sleeping, as well bark! Of wooden frames made from cedar saplings that are set in holes in the Wampanoag what are wampanoag houses made out of. Were houses made out of the wind changed this dish are still made in households. Explore Jenny Robertson 's board `` Wampanoag Indians would wear special ornaments and clothes special! Are weak and tired from seasickness and need a warm house on dry land Write out the weetu. Them in layers to the woods and cut down trees and split the wood to make the walls in modern. A storage space above the first floor, called longhouses frames made from saplings and covered! Make thin boards called clapboards rectangular houses made of similar materials that the are. Wide and 100 feet take to make a mortar called daub and pronounce with. Bark ; the bark in place and bark mats and bulrushes as well as bark though it is Lakota/Dakota! Pit in the roof to allow the smoke from the marshes they provided shelter, sometimes or.

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