The Ritual Meeting of Two Cultures
The Ritual Meeting of Two Cultures
When Samoset (Abenaki) walked into Plymouth Colony in March of 1621, he announced an unexpected meeting between the Pilgrims and the local Algonquians who were led by the Massasoit Osamequin. The following day, he returned to Plymouth with five Natives in regalia, who ritually prepared the designated meeting ground by dancing, singing, and making corn and tobacco offerings. This gathering was intentionally scheduled to coincide with the vernal equinox, an important ceremonial time for agricultural Algonquians. For both parties, the parley was portentous for Native–European relations and for Plymouthean survival. At this meeting, the Pilgrims negotiated for the Patuxet land on which they were living; they made a non-aggression pact with the Wampanoags; and they agreed to have Tisquantum (Squanto) and Hobomok live with them inside the palisade.
Keywords: Abenaki, Hobomok, non-aggression pact, Patuxet, Pilgrims, Samoset, Squanto, Tisquantum, vernal equinox, Wampanoags
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