American Indian Culture and Research Journal

INTRODUCTION Before the Europeans came to these shores in search of wealth and religious freedom for themselves, about 12,000 Wampanoag Indians lived in southeastern New England- 8,000 on the mainland and 4,000 on the islands. After the King Philip’s War (1675-1676) only about 400 Wampanoag people survived. No one has done a complete history of all these people following the war. Throughout the years, blood mixing, laws, disease, racist attitudes, and isolation have disintegrated the looks, language, and lore of the First Americans in this region. But Indian culture was never completely replaced by Christianity or European culture. A people, a culture, does not want to die!