Prehistoric WampumPrehistoric Wampum

Shell beads have Shell beads have long had cultural long had cultural significance to the significance to the Native Americans. Native Americans. Shell beads in the Shell beads in the Northeast have Northeast have been found that been found that are 4500 years old. are 4500 years old.

Traditional WampumTraditional Wampum

Shell beads come in Shell beads come in many traditional many traditional shapes and sizes, shapes and sizes, including small discs or including small discs or hishi beads. Before hishi beads. Before contact with contact with Europeans, shell beads Europeans, shell beads were either disk were either disk shaped, or barrel shaped, or barrel shaped. Other shapes shaped. Other shapes of shell beads include of shell beads include tubes, and other forms tubes, and other forms resembling a ball, resembling a ball, cone, diamond, square, cone, diamond, square, or hourglass. or hourglass.

Wampum beadsWampum beads The word "Wampum" The word "Wampum"

comes from the comes from the Narragansett word for Narragansett word for 'white shell beads'. 'white shell beads'. Wampum beads are Wampum beads are made in two colors: made in two colors: white ("Wòmpi") white ("Wòmpi") beads ("Wompam") beads ("Wompam") from the Whelk shell from the Whelk shell ("Meteaûhock"), and ("Meteaûhock"), and purple-black ("Súki") purple-black ("Súki") beads ("Suckáuhock") beads ("Suckáuhock") from the growth rings from the growth rings of the Quahog shell of the Quahog shell ("Suckauanaûsuck") ("Suckauanaûsuck")

Iroquois WampumIroquois Wampum

The Iroquois had no The Iroquois had no writing system, so they writing system, so they depended upon the depended upon the spoken word to pass spoken word to pass down their history, down their history, traditions, and rituals. traditions, and rituals. As an aid to memory, As an aid to memory, the Iroquois used shells the Iroquois used shells and beads which were and beads which were arranged on belts in arranged on belts in designs representing designs representing events of significance. events of significance.

Iroquois Wampum LegendIroquois Wampum Legend One legend tells how the One legend tells how the

Iroquois hero Hiawatha, Iroquois hero Hiawatha, while travelling through the while travelling through the territory of the Mohawks, territory of the Mohawks, came to the edge of a great came to the edge of a great lake. As he was wondering lake. As he was wondering how to cross it, a huge flock how to cross it, a huge flock of ducks descended on the of ducks descended on the lake and began to drink the lake and began to drink the water. When the birds rose water. When the birds rose up again, the lake was dry up again, the lake was dry and its bed was covered with and its bed was covered with shells. From these shells shells. From these shells Hiawatha made the first Hiawatha made the first wampum beads and used wampum beads and used them to unite the tribes in them to unite the tribes in peace. peace.

Wampum as $?Wampum as $?

Native Indians did Native Indians did not use wampum not use wampum as currency.as currency.

Dutch traders had Dutch traders had encountered encountered wampum and wampum and adopted it as a adopted it as a money substitute. money substitute.

Wampum tells a storyWampum tells a story The Iroquois used The Iroquois used

Wampum for many Wampum for many generations for a number generations for a number of reasons, from of reasons, from decoration, to decoration, to governmental use, to governmental use, to religious ceremonies. One religious ceremonies. One of the major uses of of the major uses of Wampum was to record Wampum was to record significant events in significant events in Iroquois history.Iroquois history.

Individuals would use a Individuals would use a Wampum belt or string to Wampum belt or string to tell their own personal tell their own personal story. story.

What’s your Story?What’s your Story?String the “wampum beads” to tell String the “wampum beads” to tell

your story.your story. String the wampum String the wampum

beads to create your beads to create your own life story.own life story.

Yellow = travelYellow = travel Blue = waterBlue = water Red = dangerRed = danger Orange = fearOrange = fear Green = earthGreen = earth Purple = couragePurple = courage White = animalWhite = animal Black = sadnessBlack = sadness Pink = happinessPink = happiness Aqua = familyAqua = family