[A] Observation by writers of the period tend to be heavily biased by their own intense interest in Christianity, making them less useful for ethnographic purposes than most of the contemporary comment. Therefore this section can be little more than a listing of a few of the traits that comprised Wampanoag religious beliefs.
[B] D. S. Davidson, “Snowshoes,” MEMOIR OF THE AMERICAN PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY, #6 (Philadelphia, 1937), pp. 31-2. “As the name implies, rectangular weaving consists of a series of warp and woof strands interwoven at right angles, in most cases in an over one under one fashion. Since embellishments in the forms of double strands, twists, and half hitches are often found, the term ‘rectangular’ has been selected as better suited than ‘plaiting’. This type of weaving is almost limited to North America. It is concentrated in Alaska and the Mackenzie region.... Elsewhere in North America it occurs sporadically.”
NOTES
[1] Alden T. Vaughan, NEW ENGLAND FRONTIER: PURITANS AND INDIANS 1620-1675, p. 54.
[2] “And though there be difference in a hundred miles’ distance of place, both in language and manners, yet not so much but that they very well understand each other. And thus much of their lives and manners.”; Edward Winslow, “Winslow’s Relation” in CHRONICLES OF THE PILGRIM FATHERS OF THE COLONY OF PLYMOUTH FROM 1602 TO 1625, Alexander Young, ed. pp. 366-67; also Roger Williams, A KEY INTO THE LANGUAGE OF AMERICA: OR AN HELP TO THE LANGUAGE OF THE NATIVES IN THAT PART OF AMERICA, CALLED NEW-ENGLAND, p. 20; Daniel Gookin, HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS OF THE INDIANS IN NEW ENGLAND, p. 149. Willoughby states that the Massachusetts, Wampanoags, Narragansetts, and Nipmucs, together with the Nontauks of Long Island formed a dialect group by themselves; Charles C. Willoughby, ANTIQUITIES OF THE NEW ENGLAND INDIANS, p. 276.
[3] Vaughan, p. 54.
[4] Gookin, p. 158.
[5] James Mooney, “The Aboriginal Population of America North of Mexico,” SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS LXXX (February 6, 1928), p. 3.
[6] Douglas Edward Leach, FLINTLOCK AND TOMAHAWK: NEW ENGLAND IN KING PHILIP’S WAR (New York, 1959), p. 1.
[7] Professor Demitri Shimkin, personal communication.