Newsletter of Aquidneck Indian Council + A Public Foundation Preserving the Past + Vol.1 ore Is @ & 4S S Q. o@ ‘They want to dry the tears that drowned the sun They want laughter to return to their hearts They want to go home—to Mother and Grandmother They want to hear their ancestral voices ‘round the fire ® We are a 501 (c) (8) tax exempt educational foundation. Your contributions are tax deductible. Become a Member today! Subscriptions available to individuals and institutions. Inquire of Council. Address all inquiries and comments to: Aquidneck Indian Council, Inc. 12 Curry Avenue Newport, RI 02840-1412, USA tel. ~ 401-849-6555 e-mail: FObrien851@aol.com Internet ~ http://www.wsii.com/users /cweeden /obrien.htm| Copyright © 1998 by Moondancer and Strong Woman, Aquidneck Indian Council, Inc, 12 Curry Avenue, Newport, RI 02840-1412, USA. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by ‘any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the written permission of the Aquidneck Indian Council, Inc. Printed in the United States of America,Newsletter of Aquidneck Indian Council Vol.1 Wunnegin Neetomp! (Welcome Friend!) This is our first Newsletter! It will come out (more or less) quarterly to inform, educate and entertain our Members and others interested in the ancient First Americans of our region. We will present in the Newsletter a mixture of history, culture, folklore, book reviews, food recipes, drawings, and other information for adults as well as children. Specialized publications and highly technical material, such as the vocabulary and grammar of our ancient extinct language, can be obtained in separate mailings (Gee listing of publications). We have an Internet Homepage with links to many other interesting sites. The URL address is listed on the address page. We thank Charles E, Weeden II (Great Bear), Council Board Member and Publicity Coordinator, for creating and maintaining our award-winning Council Homepage. Great Bear has received two Internet awards for his hard, dedicated work! Why not stop by and meet our friends and associates? Our e-mail address is also listed above. Brief History and Doings of the Council The Aquidneck Indian Council, Inc., located in Newport, Rhode Island, is a nonprofit, 501 (c) (3) tax exempt public foundation. Formally organized in 1996 by local Native Americans, the Council is committed to preserving the Southeastern New England American Indian past through its many educational programs and publications. The Council presents many educational public programs in schools, colleges, historical societies, libraries, community centers, US Government agencies, religious institutions, cable television, and others. We lecture, show ancient artifacts, tell stories & legends, drum & sing & dance. We have associations with Tribal Councils throughout southern New England and Canada as well as museums, universities and scholars. We have received grants and sponsorship from the RI Committee for the Humanities (National Endowment for the Humanities), Rhode Island State Councils on the Arts (pending), Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation, Kiwanis Club of Newport, Lions Club of Newport, Bank of Newport, Peoples Savings Bank of Newport, The Wandering Bull, Inc. of Attleboro, MA, Frank's Trading Post of Stonington, CT, individual donors, and others. The Massachusett Language Revival Program is a major project of the Council. This program provides reconstruction of the old, extinct Indian language of the Wampanoag Indians—called Massachusett.. We work with New England and Canadian Native Americans, and renowned language scholars. The Council’s book Understanding Algonquian Indian Words (New England), 1996, written by Strong Woman and Moondancer was the first textbook published in over 200 years designed to teach the basics this language at an understandable level, and was madeNewsletter of Aquidneck Indian Council Vol. 1. possible [in part] by a grant from The Rhode Island Committee for the Humanities, a state program of the National Endowment for the Humanities. The book has been adopted in several tribes for teaching the language. It was distributed free-of-charge to our public libraries and other institutions in RI and elsewhere. Our language work provides a service to the Native American community for naming ceremonies, prayers in the language and other reasons, and classes on language instruction. We also serve the general public who call on us for requests for information on history, culture, language meanings. Local children call us for help with their homework, term papers, etc. We've even been an informant for a Masters Thesis. Since we published our book last year, our scholars have been creating a number of lessons on language and culture to go along with our book. These publications are available to the general public at minimum cost (see publications listing at back of Newsletter). Introducing Some of our Educators Our Council educators go to schools, libraries, and many other places to educate people on the ways of Wampanoag Indians. Our programs include lectures, demonstrations, singing, drumming, arts & crafts and many other educational and fun activities. We charge modest fees depending on our services. Many schools get a grant to have us come in since we are tax exempt. Look us up on the Internet (address given in front). Let's introduce some of our educators. Strong Woman (Julianne Jennings) is a lineal descendent of The Massasoit. She is a member and Cultural Department Head of the Seaconke Tribe, Wampanoag Nation, and a member of the Dighton Intertribal Indian Council. Strong Woman was born in Providence, Rhode Island and raised in a secret Society of Elders where she was taught the ways of her people. As a child, she graduated from the Algonquin Indian School where she received intensive training in the Natick- Massachusett language from Chief Spotted Eagle of The Nipmuck Nation. Strong Woman was a co-founder of The Aquidneck Indian Council and is Vice-president. She also serves as Project Director of The Massachusett Language Revival Project. She co-authored [with her husband Moondancer (Dr. Francis O’Brien)] Understanding Algonquian Indian Words (New England). Strong Woman has received many awards of recognition for her creative work with school children. She was recently awarded the Volunteers in Newport Education (V.LN.E.) Award. Strong Woman lives in Newport, Rhode Island with her husband Moondancer and their three children Foot-Like-Thunder (Brian, age 10) , A-Great-Voice (Julia age 8) and Little-White-Flower (Lily, age 16 mos.) Linda Cabral is of Pocasset, Wampanoag, and Canadian Native American descent (Algonquin Tribe, one of the first tribes to meet the French in Quebec). Linda is an educator at Pennfield School in Portsmouth, RI). She is a Council Board Member and Instructor. Moondancer (Dr. Francis Joseph O’Brien, Jr.) is a tribal member of the Seaconke Tribe, Wampanoag Nation, and on the History Department Tribal Committee. He is also a member of the Dighton Intertribal Indian Council. Born Page 2Newsletter of Aquidneck Indian Council Vol. 1. and raised in Providence, Rhode Island, he is a philosopher, poet, and defender of ‘American Indian rights and dignity. An elected member of the New York Academy of Sciences and Who's Who in the East, he graduated from Columbia University in 1980 with a Ph.D. degree, doing a dissertation on applied linguistics. He is a disabled veteran from The Viet Nam War Era. Moondancer makes his living as a career civil servant mathematician for The Department of Defense. Moondancer_ is President of the Aquidneck Indian Council, Inc. and a Researcher/Editor on The Massachusett Language Revival Program. By and by we will introduce other Council Members and our many friends and supporters. Who are the Wampanoag Indians? A European Historical View The Council does original research on our history and culture. Here is a quote from 1674 by Daniel Gookin, Superintendent of the Indians in Massachusetts Bay Colony. This quote is selected from our anthology of readings, Wampanoag Cultural History: Voices from Past and Present, © 1998. ‘The Pawkunnawkutts [Wampanoags] were a great people heretofore. They lived to the east and northeast of the Narragansitts; and their chief sagamore [The Massasoit] held dominion over divers other petty sagamores; as the sagamores upon the island of Nantucket, and Nope, or Martha’s Vineyard, of Nawsett, of Mannamoyk, of Sawkattukett, Nobsquasitt, Matakees, and several others, and some of the Nipmucks. Their country, for the most part, falls within the jurisdiction of New Plymouth colony. These people were a potent nation in former times; and could raise, as the most credible and ancient Indians affirm, about three thousand men. They held war with the Narragansitts; and often joined with the Massachusetts, as friends and confederates against the Narragansitts. ‘This nation, a very great number of them, were swept away by an epidemical and unwonted sickness, An. {in the years] 1612 and 1613, about seven or eight years before the English arrived in these parts, to settle the colony of New Plymouth. Thereby divine providence made way for the quiet and peaceable settlement of the English in those nations. What this disease was, that so generally and mortally swept away, not only these, but other Indians, their neighbors, I cannot well learn. Doubtless it was some pestilential disease. | have discoursed with some old Indians, that were then youths; who say, that the bodies all over were exceedingly yellow, describing it by'a yellow garment they showed me, both before they died, and afterward. (Daniel Gookin (1674), Historical Collections Of The Indians Of ‘New England: Of Their Several Nations, Numbers, Customs, Manners, Religion, And Governmient, Before The English Planted There. New York: Reprinted Edition (1972), Amno Press, page 8). Still other quotes from the Europeans of 1600s on the regional peoples tell us: © “There are no beggars amongst them, nor fatherlesse children unprovided for. ” + “Their affections, especially to their children, are very strong; so that I have knowne a Father’ take so grievously the losse of his childe, that he hath cut and stob’d himselfe with griefe and rage.” Page 3Newsletter of Aquidneck Indian Council Vol. 1. + “Such is their mild temper of their spirits that they cannot endure objurgations or scolding,” ‘© “The younger sort reverence the elder ... * “Their warres are far less bloudy and devouring then the cruell Warres of Europe; and seldome slaine in a pitcht field .... ” © “[ln] many ways hath their advice and endeavor been advantageous unto us [ the English] , they being our instructors for the planting of their Indian corn, by teaching us to cull out the finest seed, to observe the fittest season, to keep distance for holes and fit measure for hills, to worm and weed it, to prune it, and dress it as occasion shall require, ” (from Wampanoag Cultural History: Voices from Past and Present, Aquidneck Indian Council) The epidemics Gookin speaks of (and others followed in 1617-1618, etc. ) were truly devastating. The mortality rate reached 90% and higher in regions. Before the Europeans came to these shores in search of wealth and religious freedom for themselves, about 12,000 Wampanoag Indians lived here in southeastern New England—about 8,000 on the mainland and about 4,000 on the islands. After the King Philip’s War (1675-1676) only about 400 Wampanoag people survived. The proud and fiercely independent Wampanoag and other regional native peoples were changed over the years by the forces of blood mixing, enactment of laws, disease, racial attitude, and isolation. The looks, language and lore of the First Americans of our region were changed. But Indian culture was never completely replaced by Christianity or European culture. A people does not want to die! The Spirits still dwell here on niffauke (“my land”). Let it be that way. Wampanoag— What it means The word Wampanoag comes from two words: Wampa “white, the light, dawn” -noag “people or folk or nation” (-noag is contracted from nninnuog—"we are all alike”, “human beings”, “we are the people of our tribe”) Thus, Wampanaog has been translated as either “People of Early Dawn” or “People of First Light” or “Dawnlanders” or “Easterners”. One of the Longest Words in the Language Our ancestors spoke one of the most complicated languages you are ever likely to meet. Our language and culture were oral, and although we had no writing system, our language vocabulary and grammar has been said to be one of the most logical languages ever studied. It’s so logical (and complicated) that scholars are still trying to figure out many of its sounds and rules after 300 years of research. The first Bible printed in America was written in our language. Page 4Newsletter of Aquidneck Indian Council Vol. 1. See if you can decipher the following 61-letter word: ‘nap palik “nuh “1O~pe= pe = nau wut hat - chub -qud~ka~ neh = cha ~neh = cha -@ - nin - mu~ mun =n - nok Do you give up? (see footnote for answer") (from Understanding Algonquian Indian Words (New England), Moondancer & Strong Woman, © 1996, Aquidneck Indian Council, Inc.) Algonquian? Algonquin? Algonkian? —_Algonkin? People use these words in different ways. Nowadays it’s proper to use the word Algonquian to refer to a group of American Indians who speak an Algonquian language (Massachusett, Narragansett, Abenaki, Fox, Cree, Algonquin, and more). An alternative spelling for Algonquian is Algonkian (the French -qu- became -k-). The word Algonquin refers to an Algonquian-speaking tribe in Canada. The old timers sometimes used Algonkin or Algonkian to mean Algonquian. The Wampanoag are an Algonquian-speaking people of this region. It is not correct to refer to the Wampanoag or other local peoples as Algonquin or Algonquin-speaking. Attention Educators Looking for Native American Teaching Materials ? Our schools do a very poor job of teaching about New England Indians. The books on New England Indians we've seen for our local elementary school students contain superficial descriptions, misstatements, and somewhat self-serving analyses ‘of American History. This is one reason we founded our public Foundation. Sensitive and caring teachers are always asking us for materials to teach their students about Indians of southeastern New England and elsewhere. One item we've come across lately that teachers might want to order for themselves and students is a 95-page booklet which deals with the 500th Anniversary of Columbus’ Arrival in America and general issues on Native ‘Americans. A single issue costs $4. This special issue provides general information, elementary school issues, secondary school issues, background/context material, historical documents and resources/references. This booklet comes from a nonprofit educational group called Rethinking Schools, Ltd. The booklet is called Rethinking Columbus: Teaching about the 500th Anniversary of Columbus's Arrival in America. For information on this well written booklet, write to it means “our well-skilled looking glass makers”. Page 5Newsletter of Aquidneck Indian Council Vol. 1. Rethinking Schools 1001 E. Keefe Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53212 tel. 414-964-9646 fax 414-964-7220 Contributions of the Wampanoag and New England Indians to America Our Council distributes a 4-page brochure called Contributions of the Wampanoag and New England Indians to America. The brochure was written last year as part of a grant to lecture and do a one month display of very old Indian artifacts; it was funded by The Rhode Island Committee for the Humanities. We summarize a sampling of the many influences, contributions and legacies of our people and other Native Americans to this country. Many schools ask for a copy. If you're interested, you can buy one copy from us. We give permission to make unlimited copies for your students so long as it is not altered in any way and conforms to applicable copyright laws of the United States. Council Gives Talk In Rehoboth, MA In March the Council gave a talk at the Carpenter Museum in Rehoboth, MA. The presentation was sponsored by the Rehoboth Antiquarian Society and The Annawan Historical Society. Speaking to about 70 people, Council members Strong Woman, Moondancer, and Seaconke Tribe First Councilman Michael Markley spoke of the history and culture of the regional Wampanaog people. We thank Mrs. Travis, her husband, Massachusetts Representative Philip Travis and the Carpenter Museum for the opportunity to tell our story. A reprint of our talk—“Bringing back our lost language”—can be obtained (see Publications). Indian Language Memorialized in Providence, RI Last year the Rhode Island Committee for the Humanities contacted us to provide a Massachusett language translation to be carved on a permanent monument in Providence, RI. The monument is on Canal Street, next to the Providence River just outside the main entrance to the RI School of Design. On one of the tiles look for the phrase MENUHKONOG WUTCHE WAME (“A refuge for all”). This engraving is one of the few public testaments of the Indian tongues spoken here for over 12,000 years. One other testament of the old languages (Narragansett) of our region that we know of are on large stone monuments at the University of Rhode Island (main campus library entrance). Page 6Newsletter of Aquidneck Indian Council Vol. 1. Volunteers Needed We are always looking for people to volunteer at the Council. We need help with things like computer work, library research, and other such jobs. If you are a college student, you might be able to get credit for work you do with us. Contact the Council and see how you can help out. Ask for Strong Woman or Moondancer. Aquéne (peace) Page 7Newsletter of Aquidneck Indian Council Vol. 1. Find-the-Word Puzzle Page 8Newsletter of Aquidneck Indian Council Vol. 1. - Recipe This recipe comes from Blue Eagle (Joe Alves) of the Blackfoot Tribe & Dighton Intertribal Indian Council. Page 9Newsletter of Aquidneck Indian Council Vol. 1. Council Publications Available Culture & Massachusett Language Lessons (minimum cost, includes S&H) Send checks to: Aquidneck Indian Council 12 Curry Avenue Newport, RI 02840-1412 Understanding Algonquian Indian Words — (New England). Council's textbook on our extinct language; 130 pages with maps; funded by RI ‘Committee for the Humanities /National Endowment foe the Humanities Wampanoag Cultural History: Voices from Past and Present, about 115 pages w. maps; original historical & modern quotes from Europeans and ‘Wampanoags on our culture; bibliography, Appendices on contributions & place names. (forthcoming) “Bringing back our lost language.” [Reprint of recent talk given at Carpenter Museum, Rehoboth, MA], 7 pages Contributions of the Wampanoag and New England Indians to America, 4 page brochure [ very popular in schools; permission to copy] Know it by its Indian Name, 6 pages; Intro. to vocabulary, place names, translations [“sampler” for general audience] Introduction to Massachusett Language Grammar [a reprint of John Eliot's 1666 The Indian Grammar Begun (retyped and corrected)], 16 pages Pronunciation Guide to Massachsuett {a nontechnical description of how to pronunce words in Massachusett Language with many examples], about 30 Pages Wampanaog Translations [7 pieces in English-Massachusett including 3 prayers, 3 poems & short story] 17 pages Spirits & Family Relations, 24 pages. Massachusett terms for Spirits and family relations in 25 areas [Parents, spouses, siblings, etc. (over 200 essential terms are translated)] Nouns and Adjective and Verbs, grammar of phrases, Student Exercises 16 pages [basic lessons for the beginner student of Massachusett- Narragansett) ‘Human Body Parts and Grammar of Body Parts, Student Exercises 12 pages Animals & Insects, 5 pages Birds & Fowl, 6 pages 520 $20 $3 $2 $3 $5 $8 34 $8 $4 $3 $3 $3 Page 10Newsletter of Aquidneck Indian Council Vol. 1. Fish & Aquatic Animals , 5 pages $3 Weather & The Winds, 5 pages $3 Al The Powwow [basic words for regalia, animals, trade items, phrases, $3 etc.] 5 pages Understanding Indian Place Names in RI, MA & CT (roots for translations $4 with examples worked out) 6 pages Com, Fruit, Trees, & c, 8 pages $3 ‘Map of Massasoits’ Country with Place Names Translated. $1 More publications are in preparation by our scholars. Watch our Internet Homepage. Page 11