One specially appointed person, “commonly some wise, grave, and well-descented man” had the job of preparing the corpse for burial and committing it to the earth.[516] Woven mats were used to line the grave. Boards might be placed in as lining for the grave of an important person, likewise a greater wealth of possessions and richer covering of mats indicated a person of higher station.[517] The body was placed into the grave in a sitting position—arms were drawn across the chest and knees were bent up; it was covered with a mat.[518] To mark an important grave a skin mantle might be hung nearby and left there until it rotted.[519] It was also reported that monuments were raised over the graves of great men, but there is no indication of what these might have been.[520]
There was considerable mourning and display of grief for the dead. Both men and women painted their faces black to signify grief.[521] Women would paint their faces as soon as an illness appeared to be serious, but men did not do so until death had occurred.[522] At the moment of death the assembled spectators would begin wailing and lamenting, men and women alike.[523]
Adults were buried in or near the house, after which all the mats were taken down from the house, leaving only the frame remaining, and it was abandoned forever.[524] The company of friends and relatives would gather around the corpse as it lay at the grave’s edge and lament copiously.[525] They would continue to mourn thus for many days; the length of mourning increased with the importance of the deceased. In the case of a very important person, such as a sachem, the period of mourning might last for a year.[526] The black face paint was worn throughout the period of mourning, and it was often seen to be caked by tears.[527] Upon the death of a child, the father might cut off his proud long hair and inflict wounds upon his body.[528] The anniversary of the death was kept by a brief period of renewed mourning, the face again being blackened.[529] The name of a deceased person was not to be mentioned again. If anyone living had a similar name, he would change it.[530]
Concern was also shown for the family of the deceased. Friends would often visit offering words of consolation “... which they express by stroking the cheeke and head of the father or mother, husband or wife of the dead”.[531] Widows or widowers, left then without a house, would take up residence with a related family or perhaps move about among the homes of their relatives for a time, where they were comforted.[532]
RELIGIOUS BELIEFS[A]
The world of the Wampanoags was well-populated with supernatural beings and forces. Of these, one was a sort of generalized power, called Manitou.[533] Many early observers of the Indians of northeastern North America, where this concept is widespread, developed the mistaken idea that “Manitou” referred to an anthropomorphic supreme being. Actually, Manitou is a force rather than a person. It could perhaps best be likened to that force for good luck that many Europeans think can be found in horse shoes, four-leaf clovers, etc. thus, when a Wampanoag performed an exceptional feat he was said to have Manitou, or supernatural power. Likewise, certain objects, animals, and physical features on the landscape were thought to have Manitou in them, because someone had had good luck right after seeing or touching them. This could have happened so far in the past that it was remembered only in mythology. Or, perhaps the whole incident was a vision in a dream.[534]
A related concept is something that can be called animal spirits.[535] These were supernaturals in animal form, who could interfere in the lives and fates of human beings. Whether the power of these animals was identical to Manitou is not known, and it is quite possible that the relationship was not too clearly worked out in the minds of the Indians either.
A great deal of emphasis was placed upon dreams.[536] A Wampanoag who wanted supernatural help could seek a dream in which one of the animal spirits would appear to him and agree to help him, often by becoming his guardian spirit.[537] He would then call upon this supernatural helper throughout his life for whatever aid its power enabled it to give. Crows and rabbits in particular represented animal spirits, and they were not supposed to be killed.[538]
Powows also had animal spirits that they obtained through dreams. Either the animal itself or the kind of supernatural power that the animal had (it is not possible to tell which from existing data) came to dwell within the powow. He could then send this spirit out to do his bidding.[539] Usually there were several such animal spirits dwelling within one powow.[540]