Indians have a varied and wild history on the island.

Names: Phil Austin, Betty Little, Nat Philbrick

The Indians who settled here include the Pokanokets (Wampanoags) who were a subset of the Algonquins.

Massasoit was a Pokanoket

At the eastern end were Indians from Cape Cod, who brought the Moshup story. Moshup got annoyed at his moccasins one night and kicked one of them a little ways into the sea (MV) and the other a long ways into the water (ACK)

At the Western end, were the Vineyard Indians, who brought the Noepe legend of the Devil’s ash heap. Nanina and Waposset wanted to marry, but Wap was poor. So Moshup dug a hole in the sand, tossed some rocks in, blew out the ashes from his pipe, and the land became Nantucket

Third myth came from Cape Cod. A bird swooped down and took the kids out to sea. Moshup walked out into the water until he found the island. He saw the bird and the whitened bones under the tree. He sat and had a smoke. Hence, fog as Moshup’s smoke.

When white settlers first came to New England, they brought horrible diseases with them. Between 1609-19, half the total population of Indians died along the coast.

At the same time, Nantucket’s Indians increased to 3000, half the current year round population. The density was ten times what the island concentration of Indians was.

Were Indians who lived on the western side of the island. They primarily relied on shellfishing and drift whaling.

Were Indians who lived on the eastern side of the island. They primarily relied on fishing and bird hunting.

James Freeman gave this description of the Indians.

Indians wore grass mats, not skins.

Knew how to roast, but not boil

Did not make Wampum (seemed to have used sun dried clams)

Smoked Pokeweed in “stone” pipes made from the clay near Cliff Road

Some at Groundnuts: a potatolike tuber used for food.

Wigwams, made from bent saplings and furs

Also did the sweathouse thing, built into the sides of the cliffs.

Indian women did the usual Indian thing; they wove mats, tended crops, raised kids, ground corn, made meals, and made pottery

English Observer thought the women did everything “the men bestow their times fishing, hunting, wars and such man-like exercises without the doors, scorning to be seen in any effeminate labor, which is the cause that women be very painful.”

1600’s were times of war between the two groups. Men were often involved in the war. A messenger could run 100 miles a day.

Legends include those of a battle in Madaquecham and of massacres in Madaket.

Lived on the banks of the Sesachacha pond with his family. He was a kaud. One night, the Tomkauds attacked from the front and the rear and devastated his village. He was the only person left alive.

That night he snuck to Miacomet and the meeting ground of the other tribe. He killed their leader and burned their houses. They nailed him with an arrow. As he was dying, he said, “He saw a storm approaching from the north. The canoes of the white men with white sails will come to this island. All will dies and be buried in a single grave.”

Wonoma was the daughter of Wauwinet. She learned the arts of healing using the islands herbs and plant. She was very, very good with it and used blackberries, cranberries, water Lillies, skunk cabbage, pokeberries, milkweed and cherry bark.

One day there was a remarkable disease that threatened the Tomkauds. They were so desperate that they asked their enemies, the Kauds for a loan of Wonoma. She came and cured them all. Autopscot, a leader of the Tomkauds, fell in love with her. They both kept the affection secret. People were at peace.

Then, the Tomkauds began to hunt west of the Madaquecham valley, prompting Wauwinet to try and spring a surprise attack. Wonoma paddled down to Monomoy, followed the trails to her lover, and warned him. Autopscot send envoys, talked it out, and got Wauwinet to agree to marry the daughter. Happy for a while, until 1659

The Indians died fast and furious, within 20 years; half the population was gone. In 1763, an epidemic destroyed 200 Indians, the last of the tribe.

The grave is near Miacomet Pond, bordered by a simple wooden fence.