Pokanoket Nation

The Pokanoket tribe, also known as the Wampanoag, were a Native American people who lived in the area that is now known as Massachusetts and Rhode Island. They have a long and rich history, dating back thousands of years.

The Pokanoket people were skilled farmers and hunters, and they had a complex social and political structure. They also had a strong spiritual tradition, which included the worship of multiple gods and the use of sacred ceremonies.

In the early 17th century, the Pokanoket people came into contact with European settlers. The most famous of these was the leader, Massasoit, who formed a treaty of friendship and mutual aid with the Pilgrims in 1621.

However, this friendship would not last forever. In the years that followed, the Pokanoket people were devastated by diseases brought by the Europeans and by the loss of their land. They also struggled with conflicts with the colonists over land and resources.

In 1675, the Pokanoket leader Metacom, also known as King Philip, led a rebellion against the colonists, known as King Philip’s War. The war was ultimately a failure for the Pokanoket people and resulted in the deaths of thousands of Native Americans, including Metacom himself.

After the war, the surviving Pokanoket people were forced to move to reservations or to join other tribes. Despite this, they have continued to maintain their culture and traditions, and today there are several Pokanoket communities in Massachusetts and Rhode Island.

It’s important to note that the Pokanoket people are still around and the Wampanoag tribe is federally recognized.