Isabella Carter
Wampum, small beads made from shells, was at the centre of diplomacy in North America in the early 17th century. The exchange of strings and belts adorned with wampum were diplomatic tokens, gifts, and treaty markers between Europeans and indigenous peoples. Wampum is a vital part of Onondaga and Haudenosaunee culture. The beads are cut from the white and purple parts of the shell, rounded, sanded, and drilled to make a bead. Wampum belts are used to explain the Great Law, which includes the roles and responsibilities of the chiefs, clan mothers, and faithkeepers.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Wampum is made from | Shells of clams |
| Wampum is a | Traditional bead of the Eastern Woodlands tribes of Native Americans |
| Wampum was used for | Exchange, gifts, tokens, badges of office, and recording important treaties and historical events |
| Wampum was used as | Currency by early European traders |
| Wampum is used as | A memory aid in oral tradition |
| Wampum is used to | Invite other nations to council meetings |
| Wampum is used to | Symbolize titles within the Haudenosaunee |
| Wampum is used to | Convey that the speaker is being truthful |
| Wampum is used to | Explain the Great Law |
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What You'll Learn
- Wampum is made from shells, specifically the white and purple parts of a clam shell
- Wampum was used as currency by early European traders
- Wampum belts are a form of writing, with different designs denoting different ideas
- Wampum was used as a tool for diplomacy between North Atlantic indigenous peoples and European settlers
- Wampum is still used in the ceremony of raising a new chief
Wampum is made from shells, specifically the white and purple parts of a clam shell
Wampum is a traditional shell bead of the Eastern Woodlands tribes of Native Americans. Wampum is made from shells, specifically the white and purple parts of a clam shell. The beads are cut, rounded, sanded, and drilled to make a bead. The process is time-consuming and labour-intensive, making wampum highly valued. Wampum belts are an important part of Onondaga and Haudenosaunee culture and history.
The Haudenosaunee Confederacy consists of the Seneca, Cayuga, Onondaga, Oneida, and Mohawk nations. Wampum belts are used to record important historical events, treaties, and agreements. For example, the Two Row Wampum Treaty, or Guswhenta, is a 1613 agreement between the Five Nations of the Haudenosaunee and Dutch government representatives. The belt features two rows of purple wampum beads on a white background, symbolising the nations' equality and peaceful coexistence.
Wampum belts are also used to signify a person's credentials or authority. Chiefs and Clan Mothers in the Haudenosaunee Confederacy have their own wampum strings, which are passed on to their successors. These strings are used in ceremonies to convey the speaker's truthfulness and the importance of their message. Wampum strings may also be exchanged as a formal affirmation of friendship or cooperation between groups or as an invitation to a meeting.
The McCord Stewart Museum in Canada owns 13 wampums, the largest collection in a Canadian museum. The exhibition "Wampum: Beads of Diplomacy" showcases the cultural and historical significance of wampum to Indigenous nations. Wampum has played a vital role in diplomacy, facilitating intercultural connection and understanding between Indigenous peoples and Europeans.
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Wampum was used as currency by early European traders
Wampum, made from the shells of clams and mollusks, was a vital part of Onondaga and Haudenosaunee culture. The beads are cut, rounded, sanded, and drilled to make a bead. Wampum was used by the northeastern Indigenous tribes as a means of exchange and held great value for the Munsee people. The process to make wampum was labor-intensive, increasing its scarcity and consequent value among early European traders, who understood it as a currency and adopted it as such in trading.
Wampum was Massachusetts' first legal currency and was used and respected as currency throughout northeastern America, even into the nineteenth century. Wampum was also legal tender in New England from 1637 to 1661 and continued as currency in New York until 1673. It was also briefly legal tender in North Carolina in 1710. The Dutch West India Company and the English government set the value of wampum in the exchange of goods. The introduction of European metal tools revolutionized the production of wampum.
Wampum was also used for spiritual and ceremonial purposes and as a signifier of authority. It was used to invite the other nations to council meetings, with the topic of discussion communicated via wampum strings. Wampum was also used to convey that the speaker's words were true.
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Wampum belts are a form of writing, with different designs denoting different ideas
Wampum belts were used by Indigenous Peoples to record and recall events, relay complex messages, intentions, and promises, and as a memory aid in oral tradition. The belts were also used as badges of office, ceremonial devices, and as a pledge during marriage ceremonies. Wampum was central to the giving of names, with the names and titles of deceased persons passed on to others. The reception of a name could also transfer the personal history and previous obligations of the deceased.
Wampum belts were also used in diplomacy, with confederacies like the Iroquois, the Creek, and the Cherokee exchanging wampum strings or belts as standard diplomatic protocol. Wampum signified official business, and no wampum exchange meant no negotiation. Wampum was also used to invite other nations to council meetings, with the topic of discussion communicated through the wampum string. A wooden stick attached to the end of the wampum string indicated the date of the meeting, with a notch cut off the stick for each day that passed.
Wampum belts were also used to symbolise the Tree of Peace and explain the Great Law, which outlines the roles and responsibilities of the chiefs, clan mothers, and faithkeepers. The circle wampum, for example, represents the 50 chiefs, with each chief equal and united. Wampum is a vital part of Onondaga and Haudenosaunee culture and is considered a living record and history of the Haudenosaunee.
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Wampum was used as a tool for diplomacy between North Atlantic indigenous peoples and European settlers
Wampum, small beads made from shells, was a key tool for diplomacy between North Atlantic indigenous peoples and European settlers in the early 17th century. The word "wampum" is a shortened version of "wampumpeag", derived from the Massachusett or Narragansett word meaning "white strings of shell beads". The Proto-Algonquian reconstructed form is likely to be "wa·p-a·py-aki", or "white strings". The beads are crafted from the white and purple parts of shells, with each piece rounded, sanded, and drilled to create a bead. The labour-intensive process involved in making wampum contributed to its value.
Wampum was used by the indigenous peoples of North America for various purposes, including storytelling, gift-giving, and recording important treaties and historical events. For example, the Two Row Wampum Treaty and the Hiawatha Belt were recorded using wampum. Wampum was also used as a form of currency by the northeastern indigenous tribes, who would string the beads together in lengths for convenience.
When Europeans arrived in the Americas, they adopted wampum as a means of trade with the native peoples of New England and New York. Wampum was recognised as legal tender in New England from 1637 to 1661 and continued as currency in New York until 1673. The exchange of wampum strings and belts became symbolic of diplomatic tokens, gifts, and treaty markers between the Europeans and indigenous peoples.
The Onondaga Nation, as the Keepers of the Central Fire, was entrusted with the task of keeping all wampum records. Wampum continues to play a significant role in certain indigenous nations' cultures and ceremonies, such as the Iroquois Thanksgiving ceremonies and the raising of new chiefs.
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Wampum is still used in the ceremony of raising a new chief
Wampum is a vital part of Onondaga and Haudenosaunee culture. Wampum is made from the shell of a clam, with beads cut from the white and purple parts of the shell. The process of making wampum beads is arduous and labour-intensive, requiring the shells to be rounded, sanded, and drilled to make a bead. The effort required to make a bead means that wampum is highly valued.
Wampum is used for many purposes, including as a person's credentials or a certificate of authority, for official purposes, and religious ceremonies. Wampum is also used in the ceremony of raising a new chief. Each chief has a specific wampum string that serves as their certificate of office. When a chief passes away or is removed from their position, the wampum is passed on to the new leader. Wampum is also used in the Haudenosaunee Thanksgiving ceremonies.
The Onondaga Nation is responsible for keeping the records of wampum for the Haudenosaunee. Wampum belts are used to guide the narration of Haudenosaunee history, traditions, and laws. The belts are seen as a living record of the Haudenosaunee, with the speaker's words woven into the strings or belts. Wampum is also used to invite other nations to council meetings, with the topic of discussion communicated through the wampum strings.
Wampum has played a fundamental role in diplomacy between Indigenous nations and Europeans. Wampum belts were exchanged as a symbol of peace and cooperation between groups, and they were also used to record important treaties and historical events. The exhibition "Wampum: Beads of Diplomacy" at the McCord Stewart Museum showcases the role of wampum in intercultural connection and understanding.
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Frequently asked questions
Wampum diplomacy refers to the use of wampum beads and belts as diplomatic tokens, gifts, and treaty markers between Europeans and Indigenous peoples in North America during the early 17th century.
Wampum is a traditional shell bead of the Eastern Woodlands tribes of Native Americans. The beads are made from the shells of clams and other shellfish, and they are often white, purple, or black in colour.
Wampum beads and belts were exchanged as gifts between Europeans and Indigenous peoples. They were also used to mark important treaties and agreements, such as the Two Row Wampum Treaty and the Hiawatha Belt.
Wampum was valued by Indigenous peoples for its beauty, cultural significance, and use in oral tradition and ceremony. Europeans valued wampum as a form of currency and adopted it as legal tender in New England and New York during the 17th century.
The McCord Stewart Museum in Canada has an exhibition called "Wampum: Beads of Diplomacy" that features an unprecedented number of wampum objects, including belts and beads. The museum's collection includes the only remaining transatlantic Christian wampum among the ten or so recorded in historical documents.
