The last great North American glacier began its evacuation around 10,000 years ago, leaving behind boulders, sand, and clay that is now known as Martha's Vineyard. The ancestors of Wampanoag people have lived for at least 10,000 years at Aquinnah and throughout the island of Noepe (Martha's Vineyard), maintaining a traditional economy found on fishing and agriculture.
About 400 years ago, Europeans reached Noepe to take over part of the land and by the 1700's, there were English settlements over most of the island. The Wampanoag people felt suppressed and constricted. By the 1800's there were three native communities that thrived on Martha's Vineyard, including Aquinnah, which was the most populated and organized. Despite powerful efforts by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to end their existence, Aquinnah was able to hold onto control over their land.
In 1972, the "Wampanoag Tribal Council of Gay Head, Inc." was formed to "promote self-determination, to ensure preservation and continuation of Wampanoag history and culture, to achieve federal recognition for the tribe, and to seek the return of tribal lands to the Wampanoag people." The Aquinnah tribe became a federally recognized tribe on April 10, 1987 through the Bureau of Indian Affairs.
Wampanoag Land Today
The Wampanoag lands are located in the southwest portion of Martha's Vineyard Island located in the town of Gay Head. In coherence with the 1987 Settlement Act with the federal government, there are about 485 acres of Tribal Lands purchased. Some important establishments and landmarks to the Aquinnah people include the Aquinnah Cliffs, Herring Creek, and Lobsterville.
Aquinnah Cliffs
Made up of one hundred and fifty feet of sediment from six glaciers - including red and white clays, green sands, white quartz, black organic soil, and lignite. They express the story of the past hundred million years and are sacred to the Wampanoag people. Before there was even a paved road, the Aquinnah cliffs were a tourist destination. The Aquinnah light is the oldest lighthouse on Noepe and is located on the cliffs.
Clay from the cliffs used to be taken for bricks, pottery, and paint. As colors of the cliffs have eroded way, now they are protected as a National Historic Landmark and climbing and the removal of the clay are both restricted by law.
ND"Wampanoag Tribe - History & Culture." Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah). Accessed March 24, 2015. http://www.wampanoagtribe.net/Pages/Wampanoag_WebDocs/history_culture.
Under the Same Sky
ReplyDeleteIt is fascinating to me how we all live under the same sky yet under that same sky, there are many different places to live. Our lands are so important to us as humans. Where we are born is a representation of who we are. Everyone is constantly asking people where they are from or where they have lived. Where we want to live some day are thoughts that many of us think about consistently and where we want to travel to. Earth and its land are a part of who we are. Where we come from specifically is who we are. In the video we watched in class on the Yanomami woman named Yarima, she was not able to be cope after being taken out of her homeland into America. This would be the same for me if I was forced into living in the Amazonian jungle after living the complete opposite way for the past twenty years.
The Aquinnah people have many important landmarks such as those I mentioned above. There are many important landmarks to Americans as well. Our version of the "Aquinnah Cliffs" would be the Grand Canyon. There are other important landmarks to Americans such as the Statue of Liberty, Mount Rushmore, the Washington Monument, and more. Just as the Aquinnah tribe feels connected to their land, we also do. Landmarks are a part of culture.
Besides famous landmarks that are well-known, individuals may have certain places that are special to them. For example, I am from Massachusetts and although I live in Florida now, I still consider "home" to be Massachusetts. I definitely feel more at home when I am back in Boston with my family rather than here in Florida. Other people may be like me and are connected to their birth towns in general or people may be connected with where they met their spouse, previous houses they've lived in, their old elementary school, and so forth. Landmarks are representative of all cultures and this is shown in the Aquinnah tribe and in my own civilization.
Awesome!!! Thank you for the responsible work in class this semester Gabbie. I just have one comment, like I did with Grace, do go over the AAA Style Guide, page 14, so you write your references using the AAA formatting, and consistent with your other group members. You, Grace, and Serena, are kind of getting there, but make sure you all, all five of you write them the same way. Thanks again :-)
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