Massasoit

Hello. My name is Massasoit, but I was born with the name Ousamequin, which means 'Yellow Feather.' I was born around the year 1581 in my village of Pokanoket, which is near a place you might know as Bristol, Rhode Island. I was a sachem, which is a great leader, for my people, the Wampanoag. The Wampanoag are 'People of the First Light,' and for generations, we lived in harmony with the land. We hunted in the forests, fished in the rivers, and grew corn, beans, and squash in our gardens. Our lives were guided by the seasons and a deep respect for the world around us.

Before I tell you about the new friends I made, you must understand a sad time for my people. Between the years of 1616 and 1619, a terrible sickness swept through our villages. It was a disease we had never seen before, and it weakened our nation greatly. Many of my people were lost. This left us vulnerable to our rivals, the Narragansett tribe. As a sachem, it was my duty to protect the Wampanoag and find a way to make us strong again. I knew we needed allies.

In the winter of 1620, a huge wooden ship called the Mayflower arrived on our shores. The people on board, who you call the Pilgrims, built a small village they named Plymouth. I watched them carefully. They did not know our lands, and their first winter was very hard for them. I decided to learn more about them. A man named Tisquantum, whom the English called Squanto, was able to help. He was one of our people who had traveled across the great ocean and learned to speak English. With his help, we could finally talk to the newcomers.

On March 22nd, 1621, I walked into the Plymouth settlement to meet the English leader, Governor John Carver. I wanted to make peace, not war. We sat together and made a very important agreement. We promised that our people would not hurt each other. We promised that if anyone tried to attack them, we would help defend them, and if anyone attacked us, they would help us. This treaty was a promise of friendship and support. It was the beginning of a new chapter for both the Wampanoag and the English.

That autumn, in 1621, the Pilgrims had a good harvest, thanks in part to the help of Tisquantum. To celebrate, they planned a great feast. I arrived with ninety of my men, and we brought five deer to share. For three days, we all ate and celebrated together. We shared food, played games, and enjoyed the peace between our peoples. This special gathering is now remembered as the first Thanksgiving.

The peace I made with my new neighbors lasted for my entire life—more than fifty years. As more settlers came, things became more complicated, but I always tried to lead with diplomacy. I lived to be about 80 years old, passing away around the year 1661. I am remembered today as the great sachem who chose peace and cooperation. By building a bridge between two different worlds, I helped my people and the Pilgrims live side-by-side during a time of great change.