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The Wampanoags in the seventeenth century

Chapter 32: SOCIAL STRATIFICATION
By Catherine Marten
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About This Book

This work provides an ethnographic overview of the Wampanoag people during the seventeenth century, focusing on their culture, social structure, and interactions with European settlers. It serves as a comprehensive guide for understanding the Wampanoags, particularly in the context of their historical significance in New England. The content is based on various scholarly sources and aims to fill a gap in the literature regarding the indigenous population of Plymouth. The paper was initially created for educational purposes and has since gained interest from both the public and academic communities.

SOCIAL STRATIFICATION

There were three basic divisions within Wampanoag society: (1) the sachem and members of the “royal family”; (2) ordinary members of the community; (3) resident non-members (generally captives of war) who acted as servants.[425] However, within these categories there was considerable difference in the wealth and importance of members. There were also statuses within the groupings that carried special implications, such as warrior, powow, wife of sachem, older man, etc.

There were certain visible signs of social standing in Wampanoag society. The person of wealth or noble birth wore zoomorphic tattoos on his face.[426] His house had mats of an especially fine quality.[427] He wore a lot of wampum and had it woven into caps and aprons to show his lack of immediate need for this money.[428] He could have more than one wife.[429] He might have servants to do household tasks, and his wife could have a nurse for the children.[430]