Wampanoag

“Look out!” bellowed Pedro. “Fasten your seat belts!” screamed Pedro. “This is our last adventure with time travel. Dad says he is turning my machine into scrap metal, and I have to become a normal kid.”

“Boo!” the other kids yelled. “Where are we headed anyway?”

“To the land of the Wampanoag.”

“Who are they, and what makes them important?”

“The Wampanoag were called the ‘true people of the land.’ They lived in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. If they hadn’t taught the Pilgrims about growing food in harsh winters, our country would not be where it is today. We owe a great deal to the Wampanoag people.”

With Pedro at the wheel, the time machine landed smoothly in the middle of a cornfield. Mary climbed out and a pebble grazed her forehead. “Ouch, that hurt!” She looked up just in time to see two little girls giggle and run off down the path.

“Don’t worry,” assured Pedro. “They never meant to hurt you. The girls were most likely aiming for an old crow. Woman and girls of this culture have to throw pebbles and small sticks to keep them away from the corn. That is one of their jobs.”

“What else do girls do around here?”

“Lots of chores. Picking corn, beans, and fruit are just a few of their daily chores. After that, they cut up the fruit and veggies, dry them, and make meals. Finally, they learn to weave cloth and make clothes from the skins of animals. Girls have to work all the time here.”

“We’ve seen enough!” screeched both girls. “Take us home to our own rooms, magazines, CD players, and blue jeans!”