Wampanoag 1600-1700 Maushop Brings His People Home Dugout Canoe trip to Martha's Vineyard

Wampanoag

“Maushop Brings His People Home
Dugout Canoe trip to Martha's Vineyard”. Maushop was a Wampanoag man of the earliest ancient times. Some people in Wampanoag believed that he was a giant who created the Elizabeth Islands. He brought his people to Aquinnah on the island of Noepe to live. It was a very peaceful place. To feed his family he caught whales with his bare hands and dashed them against the clay cliffs of Aquinnah. Some of the stains still remain on the clay today. It was easy for Maushop to travel from island to island because of his size. The rest of the people were excellent navigators and used dugout canoes. Canoeing and travel by foot were the main forms of transportation. Wampanoag territory includes Martha’s Vineyard, Nantucket, and the Elizabeth Islands.”) To prepare for the big trip, practices were held, rain or shine. Practicing in different conditions helped to prepare the people for a lot of different kinds of weather like wind, rain, waves or currents.