Wampanoag Homesite

At Plimoth Plantation they have a Wampanoag Homesite.  Unlike the Plimoth village, the people in the homesite DO NOT roleplay…..They are dressed in historically accurate clothing, but they talk to you from a modern perspective.  You are encouraged to ask lots of questions…Before you get to the homesite, there is a sign posting what not to do, such as greet them by saying, “How?” or war whooping….I wonder how many people stop to read this sign?

I learned that the Native people are the only fulltime, year round employees.  During the winter months, they work in one of the buildings on the exhibit, as they make everything in the Homesite.

He was burning out the canoe, just as they did historically..

She was weaving…

She was cooking and answered lots and lots of questions…Her two boys were with her…

Jade tried her hand at grinding with some help

Inside the wetu:

The mats were woven with reeds and dyed with berries and just beautiful!

I loved the ceiling:

We didn’t ask, but assumed this was a fishing net, it seemed to be made by tying knots…

It is “fashionable” now to have Native blood.  The family history is that we have some Mayan ancestry.  My great-great grandmother was born in Mexico, so there is that possibility…but there is no proof.  When I was younger we used to go every year to a local powwow.   We used to camp all weekend, dance and be involved in that culture.  I had a doeskin dress(which has sadly been lost through the years). Sadly, I have not been to one in years.  I went to a few as an adult, but it’s probably been 10 years. 

I have always tried to teach about the Native people, because there are so many misconceptions, and I once had a student tell me there were no more “Indians,” they were only in the past..and I refuse to teach the unit in November….

In honesty, it is the ONLY culture that I identify with, because of those memories from childhood.  I do not call myself Native, but am proud to think that I may have that heritage…