The Wampanoag people lived in southeastern Massachusetts and eastern Rhode Island. Not surprisingly, this eastern tribe’s name means “People of the East” or “People of the Dawn” in the Algonquian language. The Wampanoag shared the first Thanksgiving feast with the Pilgrims in 1621. They introduced the English settlers to new foods such as Indian corn, squash, and beans and taught them survival techniques for the new climate. Well-known Native Americans like Squanto, Massasoit, and Metacom (King Philip) belonged to the Wampanoag tribe. The Wampanoag people have a traditional powwow (a ceremony involving feasting, singing, and dancing) called Appanaug, which means “seafood cooking” or “clambake,” which honors someone in the tribe or celebrates the change in seasons. The tradition of the clambake is rooted in an ancient story.
According to the legend, before the Wampanoag people came to live in their lands a great giant named Maushop existed there. This great hero made the islands of Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket when he took off his moccasin and dumped the sand from it. The Wampanoag befriended Maushop, and he did all he could to help them in their daily tasks by carrying wood for their fires and driving whales to shore so they did not have to hunt. While Maushop enjoyed this work, it made the people lazy. Kehtannit, the Great Spirit, spoke to Maushop. “The work you do is good. You care for your little brothers. But they are not growing. They must learn to take care of themselves, or how will they be able to care for the rest of the creation? They must make their circle strong.”
Maushop agreed with Kehtannit, and he swam away in Popponesset Bay. As he swam, he was transformed into a white whale. The Wampanoag watched their helper leave and wondered how they would survive without him. They began to work, and soon they found they had all they needed. They used all the resources they had—water, earth, plants, and animals. The Wampanoag understood that these things were part of the Circle of Life.
One way the Wampanoag honor the life all around them is through the Appanaug ceremony, which usually happens in the summer. First, the Wampanoag gather special, round rocks, about a foot in diameter, that have been smoothed by the tides. These “Rock People,” like other parts of nature, contain a spirit. The next step is to find a place in the forest. The host of the Appanaug, or “bakemaster,” walks through the woods until he has a good feeling about a spot. He draws a large circle and digs a shallow pit the size of the circle. The special rocks are laid in the pit so that they are level with the ground. This circle of stones visually reflects the Circle of Life. The bakemaster gathers wood for the fire, making sure only to use dry wood—no living trees. This practice both honors the gifts of Kehtannit and clears the forest floor so that new growth can occur. These activities take place the day before the clambake.
On the morning of the clambake, members of the tribe gather quahogs (hard-shelled clams) from the bay to make clam chowder. They also dig for sikissougs, “clams that spit,” soft-shelled clams that are found in the sand along the bay during low tide. Once the food is gathered, the bakemaster and his helpers gather rockweed (a type of seaweed) that will be placed over the rocks in the clambake pit. This plant is covered with bubbles of salt water. As the rockweed is heated, the trapped salt water turns to steam and cooks the food. Once all the supplies are gathered, a fire is lit on top of the circle of rocks. After the fire burns for about two hours, the rocks are scorching hot. The bakemaster and his helpers place rockweed on the heated rocks. The clams and other foods such as corn, potatoes, and sausage (which are wrapped to prevent scorching) and live lobsters are added to the pyre. The food is topped with more rockweed. (A modern addition to the clambake is to cover everything with a sheet of plastic weighted down by a circle of rocks.)
While the food is cooking, guests form a circle and hold hands. The Medicine Man offers prayers to the Great Spirit and reminds guests of the value of all living things and of the good gifts they have been given. The Medicine Man reminds the guests whom the clambake is honoring, and he thanks the bakemaster. A time of dancing to drum and flute follows the prayers. After the ceremony, all the guests eat until they can hold no more.
Mary L. Sellers
See also Blessing Way; Culture Heroes of the Native Americans; Great Spirit; Pukwudgie
Further Reading
Bruchac, Joseph. 1995. “The Circle of Life and the Clambake.” Native Plant Stories. Golden, CO: Fulcrum.
Dresser, Thomas. 2011. The Wampanoag Tribe of Martha’s Vineyard: Colonization to Recognition. Charleston, SC: History Press.
Peters, Russell M., and John Madama. 1992. Clambake—a Wampanoag Tradition. Minneapolis: Learner.
Simmons, William S. 1986. Spirit of the New England Tribes: Indian History and Folklore, 1620–1984. Hanover, NH: University Press of New England.