Tribal basic Information This is Bruce "Two Dogs" Bozsum, the tribal leader of the Mohegan Indians. The Mohegan Indians are a tribe of Native Americans with a rich history, and culture, spread through Connecticut mostly in the Central and Eastern parts around the Thames River. The word Mohegan means "wolf" in their native language. They own a casino called "Mohegan Sun". Mohegans traditionally wear animal skin, and leather to ceremonies.
History Native American people trace their past in more than years. Scientific evidence shows Native American presence in the area for 10,000 years, but oral history begins with the begining, when the Great Spirit created the earth. The earliest clans of the Delaware Tribe included the Wolf clan, or Mohegans, who settled in upstate New York. After migrating to Connecticut this group became todays Mohegan tribe. Pressure from rapidly expanding European settlements created competition for land and resources, while disease was decimating Indian populations at an alarming rate. When they were first starting to claim land, they turned to the Thames River, and claimed both sides of the river and the land surrounding it, for at least 8-10 miles. As they settled, and gained more land (now all the way to Guilford), they sold most of it to the British. These deals helped the Mohegan’s survive, by now becoming allies with the British. The British helped the Mohegan’s in many wars against neighboring tribes. After that, most of their history just includes them dying off from diseases that the British carried over. The year 1904 was when the last speaking Mohegan person died. Thanks to language books, the language was resurected, with a new youth excited to learn it. Fidelia Hoscott Fielding is considered the last speaker and preserver of the Mohegan Pequot language. She and her grandmother, Martha Uncas, talked in their native language. Four diaries she left are now preserved and used in the reconstruction of the Mohegan and other related Indian languages.In the past, Mohegan men were hunters and sometimes went to war to protect their families. Mohegan women were farmers and also did most of the child care and cooking. Both genders took part in storytelling, artwork and music, and traditional medicine.Today, most Mohegans work at the casino, or have a different job.The Mohegan tribes were also known for their beadwork and basketry. Mohegans also crafted wampum out of white and purple shell beads. Wampum beads were traded as a kind of currency, but they were more culturally important as an art material. The designs and pictures on wampum belts often told a story or represented a person's family. Mohegan’s have a very different kind of culture, and recently, they have lost most of their culture, such as traditional songs, dances, and language. In recent years the Connecticut Pequot and Mohegan tribes have become some of the wealthiest Native American bands due to successful management of tribal casinos. Thanks to previous tribe leader's conservative style of life and concern for the future, there are also funds to support children’s education. Mohegan Indian tribes have their own reservations. That means each tribe has its own government, laws, police, and services, just
like a small country.The Mohegans are also US citizens and must obey American law. Life of any Mohegan tribe member is very nice. Food is provided along with the advantages of being Native American. They can make money by working at their casinos or provide diversity for other companies trying to be more diverse. The new tribal leader even met the queen. The Mohegan’s that once lived in huts, called wigwams, but now live in condos, houses, and apartments just like us. When it would get cold, Mohegan’s used to build "Longhouses" which were extended hay and stick huts that would house up to 12 families at a time. The families would share food, go hunting, and tell stories together through the cold winter. Mohegan’s believe that you can only tell stories in the winter because the plants would be too busy listening to you to grow in the summer. I guess in their culture, plants were big eavesdroppers. There have been 13 generations of chiefs leading the tribe to a good future. In the past, Mohegan chiefs were always men, but today a Mohegan Indian woman could be chief too. Today there are about 5000 Mohegan Indians in southern New England, counting the Pequots, Montauks, and Narragansetts together, and another 3000 Mahicans.
Food The Mohegans were farming people. Mohegan women harvested corn, squash and beans and also gathered nuts and fruit to eat. Mohegan men did most of the hunting.
They shot deer, turkeys, and small game, and went fishing on the coast. Mohegan
Indian recipes included soup, cornbread, and stews.Today, most plants that grow wild in New England are thought of as weeds, but thousands of years ago people here actually encouraged some of these plants to grow, because the leaves, seeds, stalks, and underground stems were
edible. Between 4,000 and 3,000 years ago, people in eastern North America learned to
plant and tend a variety of plants—goosefoot, marsh elder, sunflower, and
squash. Goosefoot, also known as chenopodium, is a common plant that is found
along the banks of rivers and in other disturbed habitats. People gathered the
stalks in August and September, dried them, and then shook them to collect the
seeds, which are rich in protein.
Clothes The standard item of attire for men and teenage boys was a cloth, while women and girls of all ages wore a wraparound skirt. Both the cloth and skirt were ornamented, sometimes elaborately, with painted designs in a variety of colors. For much of the year, these two articles of clothing were all that was needed. Additional pieces of clothing were added for warmth or protection. A mantle was a loose-fitting robe worn over the shoulder, typically made of a single piece of deer or bear skin, or of numerous small animal pelts sewn together. During the winter, the mantle may have been turned over so that the fur faced the body and shifted to protect the arm that was most exposed to the wind. Leggings of moose or deerskin were worn by both sexes, and moccasins of the same material protected the feet when necessary.
Hunting tools The main hunting weapon was the spear, which could be thrust or thrown at the prey with sharp projectile points.Making and using hunting tools was men’s work. 5,000 years ago people had added smaller spearpoints to their tool kits for hunting small game animals and migratory birds. For hunting large animals, the hunter sometimes used an atlatl, or spear-thrower, to gain distance and accuracy in throwing. It is possible that people created snowshoes to aid in hunting in deep snow.The white-tailed deer is perhaps the animal most commonly hunted by the people of southern New England 5,000 years ago.
Mohegans now today are bringing back cultue, traditions, style of life, and are just like you and I.
History Native American people trace their past in more than years. Scientific evidence shows Native American presence in the area for 10,000 years, but oral history begins with the begining, when the Great Spirit created the earth. The earliest clans of the Delaware Tribe included the Wolf clan, or Mohegans, who settled in upstate New York. After migrating to Connecticut this group became todays Mohegan tribe. Pressure from rapidly expanding European settlements created competition for land and resources, while disease was decimating Indian populations at an alarming rate. When they were first starting to claim land, they turned to the Thames River, and claimed both sides of the river and the land surrounding it, for at least 8-10 miles. As they settled, and gained more land (now all the way to Guilford), they sold most of it to the British. These deals helped the Mohegan’s survive, by now becoming allies with the British. The British helped the Mohegan’s in many wars against neighboring tribes. After that, most of their history just includes them dying off from diseases that the British carried over. The year 1904 was when the last speaking Mohegan person died. Thanks to language books, the language was resurected, with a new youth excited to learn it. Fidelia Hoscott Fielding is considered the last speaker and preserver of the Mohegan Pequot language. She and her grandmother, Martha Uncas, talked in their native language. Four diaries she left are now preserved and used in the reconstruction of the Mohegan and other related Indian languages.In the past, Mohegan men were hunters and sometimes went to war to protect their families. Mohegan women were farmers and also did most of the child care and cooking. Both genders took part in storytelling, artwork and music, and traditional medicine.Today, most Mohegans work at the casino, or have a different job.The Mohegan tribes were also known for their beadwork and basketry. Mohegans also crafted wampum out of white and purple shell beads. Wampum beads were traded as a kind of currency, but they were more culturally important as an art material. The designs and pictures on wampum belts often told a story or represented a person's family. Mohegan’s have a very different kind of culture, and recently, they have lost most of their culture, such as traditional songs, dances, and language. In recent years the Connecticut Pequot and Mohegan tribes have become some of the wealthiest Native American bands due to successful management of tribal casinos. Thanks to previous tribe leader's conservative style of life and concern for the future, there are also funds to support children’s education. Mohegan Indian tribes have their own reservations. That means each tribe has its own government, laws, police, and services, just
like a small country.The Mohegans are also US citizens and must obey American law. Life of any Mohegan tribe member is very nice. Food is provided along with the advantages of being Native American. They can make money by working at their casinos or provide diversity for other companies trying to be more diverse. The new tribal leader even met the queen. The Mohegan’s that once lived in huts, called wigwams, but now live in condos, houses, and apartments just like us. When it would get cold, Mohegan’s used to build "Longhouses" which were extended hay and stick huts that would house up to 12 families at a time. The families would share food, go hunting, and tell stories together through the cold winter. Mohegan’s believe that you can only tell stories in the winter because the plants would be too busy listening to you to grow in the summer. I guess in their culture, plants were big eavesdroppers. There have been 13 generations of chiefs leading the tribe to a good future. In the past, Mohegan chiefs were always men, but today a Mohegan Indian woman could be chief too. Today there are about 5000 Mohegan Indians in southern New England, counting the Pequots, Montauks, and Narragansetts together, and another 3000 Mahicans.
Food The Mohegans were farming people. Mohegan women harvested corn, squash and beans and also gathered nuts and fruit to eat. Mohegan men did most of the hunting.
They shot deer, turkeys, and small game, and went fishing on the coast. Mohegan
Indian recipes included soup, cornbread, and stews.Today, most plants that grow wild in New England are thought of as weeds, but thousands of years ago people here actually encouraged some of these plants to grow, because the leaves, seeds, stalks, and underground stems were
edible. Between 4,000 and 3,000 years ago, people in eastern North America learned to
plant and tend a variety of plants—goosefoot, marsh elder, sunflower, and
squash. Goosefoot, also known as chenopodium, is a common plant that is found
along the banks of rivers and in other disturbed habitats. People gathered the
stalks in August and September, dried them, and then shook them to collect the
seeds, which are rich in protein.
Clothes The standard item of attire for men and teenage boys was a cloth, while women and girls of all ages wore a wraparound skirt. Both the cloth and skirt were ornamented, sometimes elaborately, with painted designs in a variety of colors. For much of the year, these two articles of clothing were all that was needed. Additional pieces of clothing were added for warmth or protection. A mantle was a loose-fitting robe worn over the shoulder, typically made of a single piece of deer or bear skin, or of numerous small animal pelts sewn together. During the winter, the mantle may have been turned over so that the fur faced the body and shifted to protect the arm that was most exposed to the wind. Leggings of moose or deerskin were worn by both sexes, and moccasins of the same material protected the feet when necessary.
Hunting tools The main hunting weapon was the spear, which could be thrust or thrown at the prey with sharp projectile points.Making and using hunting tools was men’s work. 5,000 years ago people had added smaller spearpoints to their tool kits for hunting small game animals and migratory birds. For hunting large animals, the hunter sometimes used an atlatl, or spear-thrower, to gain distance and accuracy in throwing. It is possible that people created snowshoes to aid in hunting in deep snow.The white-tailed deer is perhaps the animal most commonly hunted by the people of southern New England 5,000 years ago.
Mohegans now today are bringing back cultue, traditions, style of life, and are just like you and I.