The
Patuxet are an extinct
subtribe of the
Wampanoag
Indian tribal
confederation.
They lived
primarily in and around the area of what has since been settled as
Plymouth,
Massachusetts
.
Devastation
The
Patuxet were wiped out by a series of plagues that decimated the indigenous peoples of
southeastern New
England
in the second decade of the 17th century.
The epidemics which swept across New England and the
Canadian Maritimes between 1614 and 1620
were especially devastating to the Wampanoag and neighboring
Massachuset, with
mortality reaching 100% in many mainland
villages. When the
Pilgrims landed in 1620,
all the Patuxet had died. The plagues have been attributed to
smallpox.
Historical Native American Tribal
Territories of Southern New England
The last Patuxet
Some
European expedition captains were known
to increase profits by capturing natives to sell as
slave.
Such was the case when Thomas Hunt kidnapped several Wampanoag in 1614
and later sold them in Spain
. One
of his captives, a Patuxet named
Tisquantum, anglicized as
Squanto, was purchased by Spanish
monks who attempted to "civilize" him.
Eventually gaining his
freedom, Squanto was able to work his way to England
and signed
on as an interpreter for a British
expedition to Newfoundland
. From there Squanto went back to his home,
only to discover that, in his absence, the epidemics had killed
everyone in his village.
Squanto succumbed to smallpox himself in November 1622. With his
death, the Patuxet people passed into history.
The Pilgrims
Before he died, Squanto was to become instrumental in the
foundation of the colony of English settlers at
Plymouth.
Samoset, a Pemaquid (Abenaki)
sachem from Maine
introduced
himself to the Pilgrims upon their arrival in 1620. Shortly
thereafter, he introduced Squanto (presumably because Squanto spoke
better English) to the Pilgrims, who were now living at the site of
Squanto's old village. From that point onward, Squanto devoted
himself to helping the Pilgrims. Whatever his motivations, with
great kindness and patience, he taught the English the skills they
needed to survive.
Although Samoset appears to have been important in establishing
initial relations with the Pilgrims, Squanto was undoubtedly the
main benefactor towards the Pilgrim's survival. In addition, he
also served as an
intermediary between
the Pilgrims and
Massasoit, the
Grand Sachem of the Wampanoag (original name
Ousamequin or "Yellow Feather"). As such, he was
instrumental in the friendship treaty that the two signed, allowing
the settlers to occupy the area around the old Patuxet village.
Massasoit would honor this treaty until his death in 1661.
Thanksgiving
In the fall of 1621, the Plymouth colonists and Wampanoag Indians
shared an autumn harvest feast which is acknowledged today as one
of the first
Thanksgiving celebrations
in the colonies. This harvest meal has become a symbol of
cooperation and interaction between English colonists and Native
Americans.Not only did the event take place on the historic site of
the Patuxet villages, but Squanto's involvement as an intermediary
during the friendship treaty with Massasoit led to the joint feast
between the Pilgrims and Wampanoags. This harvest feast was a
celebration of the first successful harvest together.
See also
Further reading
- Moondancer and Strong Woman. A Cultural History of the
Native Peoples of Southern New England: Voices from Past and
Present. (Boulder, CO: Bauu Press), 2007.
- Rowlandson, Mary. The Sovereignty and Goodness of God.
(Boston, MA: Bedford Books), 1997.
- Salisbury, Neal. Manitou and Providence. (Oxford:
Oxford University Press), 1982.
- Salisbury, Neal and Colin G. Calloway, eds. Reinterpreting
New England Indians and the Colonial Experience. Vol. 71 of
Publications of the Colonial Society of Massachusetts. (Boston, MA:
University of Virginia Press), 1993.
- Salisbury, Neal. Introduction to The Sovereignty and
Goodness of God by Mary Rowlandson. (Boston, MA: Bedford
Books), 1997.
References
- http://www.mahalo.com/Wampanoag_Tribe Mahalo.com
External links
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