Tachquoak - Fall
Thanksgiving
Tidbits -The ABCs of Native American Heritage Month
(More links at the bottom of the page).
Pilgrims actually used the term "turkey"
for all wild birds, so turkey as we know it today could have in fact
been any wild fowl -- even an eagle.
In 1621, many of the foods that have become
centerpieces of the modern Thanksgiving celebration were absent from the
table of the Wampanoag people and pilgrims.
Some surprising omissions from the authentic
Thanksgiving menu are ham, sweet potatoes, corn on the cob, cranberry
sauce and pumpkin pie.
While meats were a major part of the Thanksgiving
feast, pilgrims did not have pigs from which to cure ham. They did
however, have an abundance of fish, seafood, birds and venison (deer),
which Native Americans provided for the meal.
Sweet treats such as candied yams, sweet potato or
pumpkin pie were also absent from the menu. Sweet potatoes had not yet
been introduced to New England in the 17th century and although pumpkins
were plentiful, they were eaten boiled. The pilgrims' supply of flour
had been used by the time of the feast, so there were no pies or
pastries of any kind.
Cranberry sauce, an extremely popular Thanksgiving
staple today, also would not have been part of the fare. Cranberries
were available to the colonists at this time, but they had no sugar.
Also absent were milk, cider, potatoes and butter.
Cows were not available to produce milk and the potato, just discovered
at the time, was thought by many to be poisonous.
Corn, unknown to the pilgrims before they met the
Wampanoag tribe, was a very important crop. Yet contrary to popular
folklore, there was no popcorn at the meal. The corn available to them
at that time was maize and flint or flour corn, which was most often
used to prepare hominy, and would not have expanded as popped corn.
A more realistic menu for the 1621 feast would have included: fish, berries, watercress, lobster, dried fruit, clams, maize, venison and vegetables such as peas, beans and squash.
Image Source: Photodisc.com
Hats & Feathers
Most commercial photos present the inaccurate image
of all pilgrims in black and white coats, hats and dresses adorned with
oversized buckles. "Indians" are typically shown in huge feathery
headdresses with little other clothing, and little or no variation
between the culture and dress of the different tribes that existed. Many
people believe that pilgrims wore only dark clothing. This is
inaccurate. Those who were well-to-do wore red, purple, or gold. The
pilgrims that were not as wealthy wore brown, yellow, and other bright
colors. Servants often dressed in blue. The Pilgrim men and boys wore
long-sleeved shirts, woolen jackets called doublets, and pants called
breeches. Women wore bonnets, collars, and jacket or vests over their
dresses which were usually red, dark green, blue, violet or gray. During
cold weather, most pilgrims wore red or purple capes. The pilgrims
only wore black and white for church or formal occasions.
Contrary to what is shown in most photos of
today, pilgrims did not have buckles on their clothing, hats or shoes.
It was much later in the 17th century when buckles became fashionable.
The Wampanoag tribe
did not commonly wear large, feathery headdresses (or war bonnets) as
commonly shown in commercial photos. Instead, women and
men of the tribe might have worn a single feather in their hair.
Wampanoag women were responsible for making the
clothing for their family. Wampanoag tribe members wore clothing made
from the skins of deer and rabbit. The women and girls usually wore long
dresses and sometimes leggings. In warm weather, and when hunting or
fighting, men wore only a strip of leather, called a breechcloth, and a
pair of moccasins. Boys did not wear this type of clothing in warm
weather until they were eight years old. In cooler weather, such as
during the Thanksgiving feast, the Wampanoags wore robes made mainly
from deer, but also occasionally from other mammals, including black
bear, raccoon, beaver, elk, fox or moose.
The Wampanoag tribe used beads to decorate buckskin
clothing. They used beads to string and weave necklaces, collars,
medallions, and other accessories. The Wampanoags also weaved blankets
of sheep's wool to wrap around them for warmth. The sheep's wool was
also dyed using plant materials and used to make rugs and clothing.
Image Source: Photodisc.com
Fact Sources: Calloway, C. (1991). Indians of the Northeast. New York:
Facts on File. Weinstein-Farson, L. (1989). The Wampanoag. New York:
Chelsea. History Channel online. Plymoth Plantation: The Living History
Museum of 17th-Century Plymouth