Yes,
I have written
about this subject a few times however, as time goes by this seems to get lost
in all of the fog from new writers looking to change our past?
Our ancestors would
not allow small changes in our culture like our word Squarw, beautiful one,
changed to Squaw, pigs, by Europeans.
We, the true
Traditionalist should not allow small changes like our real name and very large
changes like Shechaim chief, Head Clan Mother, warrior for European words like
president, counselor, committee, chairman? Let's not forget, Adoption for blood
quotes, Village to reservation (jail)!
The story of
Shechaim Uncas and the Mohiigan people, the native name of (Mohiingans) the
sources for some of this information was handed down by my Grandfather and
other Elders and some was from other sources like while writing that book
report in high school.
All of these
teachings by my Mohiigan Elders, took place at our monthly meetings, while I
was growing up in and around Uncasvillage, New England.
As computers,
telephones or libraries did not exist in the time of Shechaim Uncas, it would
be nearly impossible to say that there is any source about him that is perfect.
That said, It is
very disturbing to me and my family and for that matter all traditionalist, to
read all of the so called true stories about not only Shechaim Uncas, but the
Mohegan people as well, written by those who are neither Mohiigan, most not
even Native.
How can one be an
expert without living the life?
Uncas the first
Shechaim of the Mohiingans People was a descendant of Royal Pequot Blood,
really also from the true name of (Mohiingans).
His mother was
Mekunump and his father was Oweneco, they were both Pequot's.
Uncas was born near
what is today Norwichtown, the historical Pequot Village in Connecticut in
1588-1683/84.
Europeans like the
Vikings came from the east over Iceland, Greenland, Canada and down into our
tribe. Little is known about those visitors except they seem to have been
friendly towards our people.
Most people believe
that American Natives (our people) chased their food source, mainly the Woolly
Mammoth, through the Bering Straits Land Bridge and that our people then came
across and down into what are now the Great Lakes and the Hudson River Valley.
Our English name
became known as the Monheags
One of these groups
of people became farmers (called land diggers, my people), however, most of the
tribes in that area were warring tribes which over time, forced this group of
Monheag (Mohiingans) People East.
After some time and
many forced movements, this group of Monheags ended up along the Quinatucquet
River, which later became known as the Connecticut River in what is now
Connecticut and on to the Pequot (Thames) river area, just short of the ocean.
The many years of
battles and losing their farms, taught this tribe how to fight, so that when
the Mashantuckets, Missituks, Niantic’s came to fight and to destroy them and
take their farms, as the Mohawks, Mohicans and others had so long ago, the
Monheags were ready for them, waging war first on them, then the Dutch and then
the French.
After this, the
Dutch called them the Pequins (destroyers), later the French changed their name
to Pequods and the English changed it to Pequot’s.
When the English
showed up on the Quinatucquet and Pequot Rivers, Shechaim Wopigwooit was the
leader of the tribe.
After his passing,
the next in line was Sassacus as leader, instead of Chief Poquiam (Unkas,
Uncas). Shechaim Sassacus was hoping that he would force the English back into
the ocean so the people sided with him.
Sassacus like the
Niantic’s and the Narragansett’s hated the English and was at war with them
constantly.
War chief Poquiam
(Unkas), Sassacus son in law, tried to reason with Sassacus and the people, but
they would not listen to him.
So he (chief
Poquiam) took all who wished to go with him, across the Pequot River, to the
Cauchegan Village, gave them back their old name Mohiingans (Monheags) and
became their Shechaim. Once again with non natives, the English misspelled the
name and we now have the name Mohegan's. All of those still proud of your
ancestors, I vote to take back our original name once and for all?
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