Massachusett

This article is about the Native American tribe. For the U.S. state, see Massachusetts.

Massachusett tribe

The Massachusett were a tribe of Native Americans who lived in areas surrounding Massachusetts Bay in what is now the State of Massachusetts.

Alternate forms are Moswetuset, as in the Moswetuset Hummock where Myles Standish and Squanto first met Chief Chickatawbut in 1621,^[1] and Massachusit, as in the Massachusit Fields where Captain Richard Wollaston brought the first settlers of Quincy Massachusetts in 1624.^[2] "Massachusett" translates from Algonquian as "The people who live near the great hill", while "Moswetuset" translates to "The hill shaped like an arrowhead". The former is thought to refer to the Blue Hills located south of Boston, while the latter most definitely refers to the Moswetuset Hummock.

One of the first groups of indigenous American peoples to encounter English colonists, their numbers were quickly depleted, although descendants continue to inhabit the Greater Boston area. The Massachusett belong to the Algonquian family of peoples.

Roots in pre-history

The Massachuset people are most likely descendants of early people who arrived in eastern North America at the end of the last glaciation 10-12,000 years before present (BP). Archeological evidence (spear points, midden mounds) uncovered in Boston indicate habitation in that area between 6,500 and 8,000 years PB. Fishing structures, the Boylston Street Fishweir, dating to 5,200 years PB have been discovered in what is now Boston's Back Bay neighborhood. These early people lived a seasonally migratory existence, alternating between inland hunting grounds in the fall and winter, to coastal fishing and foraging sites in the late spring and summer.

Historical period, contact with European Colonists

The Massachuset and other Algonquian tribal groups were almost totally wiped out by a European-introduced plague between 1616 and 1619, ^[3] and the remaining population was scattered in the wake of a massacre of Massachusett military leaders led by Captain Miles Standish of Plymouth Colony in 1623. ^[4] A period known as the Great Migration between 1630-1640 introduced over 20,000 English settlers to formerly Massachusett territory.^[5] Though much diminished in size and strength from their numbers before the arrival of English colonists, the Massachusett Indians were documented to have participated in King Philip's War of 1675-1676. ^[6]

Colonial records show that during the early 1600's the Massachuset fished the shores, and farmed the lands, migrating from longhouses on the coast to wigwam settlements inland for farming. The tribes were introduced to John Eliot, who converted them to Christianity, created a written alphabet and also published the Bible in the native language. The tribe was confined to praying villages and later suffered at the hands of colonists, who mistrusted the Indians after King Philip's War, despite the fact that Massachusett Indians had served as guides and scouts. Many perished in the islands in Boston Harbor, where they were confined. Crispus Attucks, the first casualty during the Boston Massacre was of Massachusett descent through his mother.^[7]

In 1869 Massachusetts passed an act making the Massachusett United States citizens and "terminating" their nationhood. However two communities still survive:

• One community of the Massachusett are residents of Natick. See Praying Indians.
• One community of the Massachusett are residents of Brockton. They are Ponkapoag. ^[8]
• Another community of the Ponkapoag were residents of Canton. The last member of this community died in 1852 at age 101. ^[9]

References

See also

• Wetu

External links

• Massachusett tribe
• Encyclopedia of North American Indians: Massachusett
• The Menotomy Journal Massachuset page

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