The totem pole and shelter

My group- The Northeastern Woodlands- made a totem pole and named ourselves the Frozen Bear Clan. We also had to construct a longhouse. Here are some pictures!

The outside of our longhouse

The Frozen Bear Clan's totem pole

How Niagara Falls Came To Be

An eagle

      Once upon a time, in the South Pole, Father Earth was tending to some of the penguins. His son, Brother Land was at the North Pole. His friend, Wabsacuck (Eagle) had given him the wind feather. It has the power to take you anywhere, but only once. He had a love, a pain in his heart when he left her. Her name was Daughter Meda, which means princess. When she twirled around, jewels fell to her feet, and she glistened with sparkles. When she looked at you with her gleaming green eyes, you would feel a sense of warmth and comfort. He went to see her,with the wind feather. They stayed together for a month, feasting and dancing. And then he had to leave. Father Earth had needed him to build a glacier for the penguins.
     The Creators of the Earth were so large, it only took 2 steps to get to the South Pole to the North Pole and the other way around. The problem was, if Brother Land stepped in the water, he would create a tsunami or a hurricane, but if he stepped on land, his weight would crush the earth into a canyon or ditch, and probably cause an earthquake of mass destruction . Sister Water remembered when Brother Land had made a wall of stone to stop a hurricane that she made on accident. She had never showed her brother any gratitude for the great deed he had done, so she decided to help him. She agreed that if Brother Land stepped on the land, she would fill the crevice with water. He took a week, a day, a hour, and a minute to figure out where to step. He finally chose the spot, right by where his friend Wabsacuck lived. As soon as he stepped, the canyon filled with water. He got back to his father and tended to the penguins, and every time he went to see Daughter Meda, he stepped in what is now Niagara Falls. When he stepped, the water fell into the crevice and created a beautiful waterfall.




Eagle Photo
belgainchocolate's photo via Getty Images

Women's Rights

A deer's silhouette 

      Today, I am going to the first thanksgiving with Chief Massasoit. I am his daughter, Ottucke, which means deer in Wampanoag. My father says I am swift, and I would be a good warrior. The counselors do not think a girl should risk her life to hunt and to fight  because she would be useful in the homes. I sometimes do target practice with Nammos, fish. She would also like to be a warrior, so we both go hunting with the men to skin the deer and other animals. I sometime bring my bow and arrow, that my father gave me. I want to find other girls that are skilled enough to be warriors so we can stand up to the counselors. I have a plan to be respected, a plan for women to be more than housekeepers and mothers.

     We are inside the English Settlement. I found another girl that is also brave and strong. Her name is Ontoquas, which means wolf. We went to the settlement with my father, who brought along 90 warriors. The pilgrims were surprised at the number of people and the scarce amount of food they had. Ontoquas, Nammos, and I ran off as soon as we saw the surprised look on the pilgrim's white faces. My plan is to bring back deer before the warriors, so we could be noticed and praised as good hunters. The woods were near by, so we got five deer quickly. Each of us took one or two deer, and we headed back. It didn't seem like anybody left yet, and my father saw us immediately. When he looked at us, the others swiveled their heads and bodies. One of the counselors, Wewes, which means owl, started clapping as we made our way to Massasoit. Others caught on and soon there was applause, something I was not expecting. The word got back to the mothers and children in the longhouses, and our mothers-Shannucke, squirrel,Wawpatucke which means goose , and my mother, Motuckquas, which means rabbit- came rushing over. They started to cry joyful tears, and I asked them if they wanted to skin the deer, and they happily obliged. After the deed we had done, Massasoit gave us all bows and arrows from other great warriors that had passed. The warriors invited us to eat with the pilgrims, and we definitely said yes. I had always wanted to taste the food of the settlers, and so did my friends. We are warriors now, and showed that women can do anything men can, if they are given a chance.



Deer photo
TheAlieness GiselaGiardino's photos via Getty Images

The Wampanoag Tribe Information

This blog will have information on the Wampanoag Tribe, the tribe at the first thanksgiving. Once you read about this tribe, you will feel different about the Native Americans and the first thanksgiving. There were almost 300 members, but only about 90 warriors went with Massasoit, the chief, to the first thanksgiving.


Food

Corn

Beans

Probably one of the most important things in their diet was corn, beans, and squash. These foods are called The Three Sisters. The Indians planted the corn and then the beans so the   beans would have something to grow on and then they would plant the squash and the leaves would spread out and so there would be fewer weeds. Some tribes near the Great Lakes harvested wild rice and/or berries. All year round, they hunted wolf, deer, beaver, skunk, and rabbit. They fished for bass, cod, and eel. At the first thanksgiving, the Wampanoag warriors brought most of the food; corn, beans, squash, and 4 deer.They used every single part of the animal for something.


Religion


Though they worshiped many spirits, the one called the "Great Spirit" was Kehtannit. This spirit has no form at all. There is no gender so I cannot say he or she. This spirit along with many others, is worshiped every night. Other spirits, such as The Spirits of the Sisters were corn, beans, and squash.  The Corn Spirit was tallest and the Bean Spirit sat at her feet. The Squash Spirit spread out and laid around the Corn and Bean Spirits.


Climate  


The heavy rainfall of the Northeast supported the many trees in the area. Almost everything was made out of wood. The snowshoes that the Indians made were crafted from birch, which was very easy to bend. The mild summers were sucked into the long, harsh winters. There was only little time when the leaves would fall and a blast of color would seep into the Native American's hearts, and that was beauty to them. The winters were hard for farming and the Indians would save food before the winter even turned the corner.


Entertainment 


The children did many things to entertain themselves, but so did the adults. The girls would make corn husk dolls and painted their dresses with the paint of fruits and berries. The boys would make hoops and practice their targeting with spears, probably to practice for when they were asked to hunt or fight. The building of a shelter or home was often celebrated after the building by the grown-ups and the children would go play with their friends and family.




Corn photo
Lola_TC's photostream


Beans photo 
ellenm1's photos via Getty Images

My Name is Ontoquas

My name is Ontoquas which means wolf in Wampanoag. I am a Wampanoag Indian and I live in Massachusetts. Tomorrow, the chief and his ninety warriors are going to the English settlement. I might be able to go along and taste the food of the settlers. I have heard many stories the warriors and scouts have told to Massasoit, the chief, at their campfires at twilight when I am supposed to be asleep. My mother (her name is Shannucke which means squirrel) has told me I am very curious, and I  suppose I am. My father's name is Wabsacuck which means eagle, and he agrees with my mother.We are having venison stew for dinner with corn, beans, and squash which we call the 'three sisters". We plant the corn and then plant the beans so the beans have something to grow on, and the squash grows and spreads out so there are few weeds. I must go now, to grind corn even though  I would like to be a boy and ride horses and shoot arrows. The deer skin that covers my diary was shot by my friend, Ausupp, raccoon. I would like to shoot a deer and bring it to Massasoit to show gratitude and respect, but I may never be able to because I am a girl. 

Ontoquas