Eastern Woodland Indian Tribes
Tribes of the
Eastern Woodlands
Family letter
“The Indians of our tribe were the Oneidas-at one time they adopted another tribe. It could
have been the Ojibwa’s.” In a letter written to Dora Green Steinhaus (pictured below on top right) by Elise
Hazen Green. (Pictured below on bottom right)
“Lucy Skeesuck was a Naragansett Indian. She was kicked off the reservation for
marrying a white guy (Mr. Welch). Their daughter, Mary Ann Welch , was born on
the reservation of the Pequot tribe. Mary Ann’s daughter was Helen Cornelia Welch.
She had a daughter, Dora Wilber. Dora had a daughter named Elsie Hazen. Elsie’s
eldest daughter you knew and loved as Nana. She was Dora Green Stienhaus” In an
email from Barb Steinhaus, great aunt of Brienz Ottman. Written 2/5/15
*Abenaki Tribe
*Algonquin Tribe
*Cayuga Tribe
*Chippewa Tribe
*Huron/Wyandot Tribe
*Illinois Tribe
*Iroquois Tribe
*Kickapoo Tribe
*Lenape Tribe
*Lumbee Tribe
*Maliseet Tribe
*Menominee Tribe
*Miami Tribe
*Micmac Tribe
*Mohawk Tribe
*Mohegan Tribe
*Mohican Tribe
*Montauk Tribe
*Munsee Tribe
*Nanticoke Tribe
*Narragansett Tribe
*Niantic Tribe
*Nipmuc Tribe
*Nottoway Tribe
*Oneida Tribe
*Onondaga Tribe
*Ottawa Tribe
*Passamaquoddy Tribe
*Penobscot Tribe
*Pocomtuc Tribe
*Potawatomi Tribe
*Powhatan Tribe
*Quiripi/Quinnipiac Tribe
*Sac and Fox Tribe
*Seneca Tribe
*Shawnee Tribe
*Susquehannock Tribe
*Wampanoag Tribe
*Wappinger Tribe
*Winnebago/Hochunk Tribe
Wigwams
Wigwams are a typical home for the Eastern Woodlands. A wigwam is a dwelling first used by certain Native
American and Canadian First Nations tribes. Now it is used for ceremonial purposes. Wigwams were mostly
made of things found in the surrondings like sticks, grass, bark, and mud.
Algonquian Language
Algonquian language is what the Woodland tribes use as their
language. They used this language to keep records of their crops and
how many animals they had. They also used it to communicate with
each other.
Hunting and Tools
This Chippewa quiver was made from birch bark. They used birch bark to make
canoes. The shoulder strap was made from tanned animal leather. It might have
come from deer. The arrows may have been used to kill the deer. They used all
parts of the deer. The skin was used for clothes, the meat for food and the bones
for tools.
Fishing nets
Fishing nets were made from wood or newly available wire. The netting was hand
tied with cording which was also hand made. The shuttle was used in the tying
proces. Fish were a big part of the Indian diet. They fished in many of the lakes,
pond, rivers.
Baskets
Baskets were made by the women to put food or supplies. Sometimes the baskests
had decorations of animals or different patterns.
Snow Shoes
Snow shoes helped keep the Indians’ feet warm and dry in the winter which was
important. Snow shoes were used in the winter to help the Indians not sink into the
deep snow that was found in the Woodlands area. The snowshoes were often
made of wood and tied with tanned leather strips.
Naskapi Mittens
In the cold winter, men would were these mittens to keep their hands nice and
warm and away from the brush. They will also were them for special occasions, like
cerimonies and pow wows. They were made from tanned animal skins.
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l72/lpletch/CLA_08/CLA%2
0Articles/Frank%20and%20Lally/7_BP_moose_hair_embroidery_
400.j
http://blog.encyclopediavirginia.org/files/2012/11/6389scr_02b
fd017d8978f5.jpeg
http://www.cowansauctions.com/itemImages/n0797.jpg
http://www.iaismuseum.org/research-andcollections/ethnographic-collections/79-7-3_2.jpg
http://www.occpaleo.com/images/415_Birchquiv3-2A.JPG
http://firstpeoplesofcanada.com/images/firstnations/teachers_g
uide/woodland_hunters/mittens_naskapi.jpg
http://www.morningstarstudio9.com/Fishing%20Netwiseman%20col.jpg
http://www.oneidanation.org/culture/page.aspx?id=2450
http://www.warpaths2peacepipes.com/native-americanindians/woodland-indians.htm
Curator Notes
Stockbridge and Brothertown tribes are originally from the New England area but they were driven out by the Mohawk
tribe. The Oneidas had actually invited them to come and live in their territory. When they came to Wisconsin they
had a settlement on the west side of the Winnebago Lake and it was called West Pequot because of the number of
Pequot who had joined them. Today, the Brothertown tribe continues to work towards becoming federally recognized.
My Nana was asked to join the tribe. I used to live across Lake Winnebago from Brothertown.
By: Brienz Ottman
2/6/15