Stockbridge-Munsee Community Band of Mohican Indians
History
Geography The prehistoric Mohican lands extended from what is now Lake Champlain south nearly to Manhattan Island and on both sides of the Mahicannituck (Hudson River), west to Scoharie Creek and east into Massachusetts, Vermont and Connecticut.. The Mohicans' lives were rooted in the woodlands in which they lived. These were covered with red spruce, elm, pine, oak, birch and maple trees. Black bear, deer, moose, beaver, otter, bobcat, mink and other animals thrived in the woods, as well as wild turkeys and pheasants. The sparkling rivers teemed with herring, shad, trout and other fish. Oyster beds were found beneath the river's overhanging banks for some distance up the Mahicannituck. Berries, cherries and nuts were abundant. It was a rich life. Reaching the eastern edge of the country, some of these people, called the Lenni Lenape, chose to settle on the river later renamed the Delaware. Others moved north and settled in the valley of a river where the waters, like those in their original homeland, were never still. They named this river the Mahicannituck and called themselves the Muh-he-con-neok, the “People of the Waters That are Never Still”. The name evolved through several spelling, including Mahikan. Today, however, they are known as the Mohicans. Because the Mohican people chose to build their homes near the rivers where they would be close to food, water and transportation, they were sometimes called River Indians. Their homes, called wik-wams, (wigwams), were circular and made of bent sapling covered with hides or bark. They also lived in long-houses which were often very large, sometimes as long as a hundred feet. The roofs were curved and covered with bark, except for smoke homes which allowed the smoke from fire pits to escape. Several families from the same clan might live in a longhouse, each family having its own section. http://www.mohican-nsn.gov/Departments/Library-Museum/Mohican_History/origin-and-early.htm
Language ● Stockbridge spoke the Stockbridge dialect of Mahican, which is currently considered a sleeping language since there are no native or fluent speakers left ● Munsee spoke the Munsee dialect of Lenape, which still has some native speakers in Canada ● There have been a language revitalization efforts within the tribe, and materials, youth language camp, etc. have been done with Lenape.
Tribal Government / Sovereignty ● Federally recognized tribe with power to: ○ form its own government ○ adjudicate legal cases within its borders ○ levy taxes within its borders ○ establish its membership ○ decide its own future fate ● Governed by an elected tribal council ○ One tribal president ○ One vice president ○ One treasurer ○ Four regular members
Culture Daily Life: Prior to European contact, the Stockbridge-Munsee were farming, hunting, and fishing people and their ways of life were adapted to the area's environments: forests and park-like woods, rivers, streams, and lakes. Algonkian people worked out consensual agreements in village and inter-village councils. People relied on agriculture. Women raised corn, beans, squash, and sunflowers, while men hunted deer, moose, and smaller animals with bow and arrow, and fished on land and from dugout and bark canoes using nets, hooks, and fish traps. Men collected freshwater shellfish and women also collected wild foods. In the late summer, green corn ceremonies were held, followed by large fall deer hunts. Winters were spent dispersed in the deep forests for intensive hunting. Celebrations and Traditions: Harvests of wild food resources-such as nuts, berries, and roots-were celebrated with first fruits ceremonies, and in late summer, the people held a green corn ceremony to offer thanks for their harvests. O ral traditions-often told around the fire during winter-included stories of the Creator, various culture heroes, giants, little people, and particular places. These oral traditions helped shape young people's ideas about the order of the world and proper behavior.
Shelter & Homes: The Mahican built hilltop palisaded villages of three to sixteen extended-family longhouses. The longhouses, built of saplings covered with bark or woven mats, were furnished with sleeping mats and furs, pottery cooking vessels, wooden spoons and bowls, baskets and bags, and other tools and equipment. Chiefs' houses were larger and more decorated, and served for meetings and ceremonial gatherings. Leather and fur clothing provided opportunities for painted and other decorations, including designs symbolized plants and animals. Corn was pounded in large wooden mortars and cooked in large ceramic pots over the fire. Leadership: The Mahican were originally matrilineal, that is they traced their family descent through their mother's family. There were three matrilineal clans-groups of people who considered themselves related through their mother's families and were identified by mythic descent from a totemic animal: Bear, Wolf, and Turtle. Leadership positions were usually held by men but also tended to follow through the female line. Tribal leaders-called sachems-were often chosen from leading families. Sachems were seen as having authority over particular territories and guided the people in decision-making. Between different villages, trading and other cooperative relationships existed, and furs, shell beads, food stuffs, and other resources could be spread over wider areas. Trading also existed across wider areas to adjacent tribes. Besides the sachems, each group also had a shaman who was known for his more intimate contacts with the spirit world. Shamans oversaw seasonal rituals including the green corn and other ceremonies, naming ceremonies, and could also provide cures for illnesses caused by supernatural forces. They also maintained significant knowledge of the use of medicinal plants, as did a number of elder women in the group. Source: http://www.mpm.edu/wirp/icw-53.html
Economics Past Economy: After the Dutch built a trading post nearby the Hudson River in 1614, the Mohican people exchanged furs and agricultural surplus for metal tools, beads, and other trade goods. In particular, part of this trade focussed on wampum: small beads made of white or purple shell which both served as ornaments and were later adopted by Whites as a medium of exchange with Indian people. Wampum beads were made by coastal tribes and were traded with both inland tribes and with Whites. The Mahican were prime middlemen in the wampum trade, working between the coastal tribes in New England and New Jersey and the inland Iroquois, especially the Mohawk. Present Day: Today, the North Star Mohican Casino can be credited with much of the Mohican Nation's economic progress. The casino is the largest employer in Shawano County. Over half of the 600 employees are non- Mohicans. The casino also contributes to the economy of the county. Numerous busses arrive at the casino daily; deliveries of casino and bingo supplies, foods and beverages, fuel, paper products, cleaning supplies and other necessities attest to the economic contributions of the casino in the area. The recently opened Little Star Gas Station and Convenience Store provides employment and services.
Sources http://www.mpm.edu/wirp/ICW-158.html http://www.mohican-nsn.gov/
Recommend
More recommend
