Wappinger

The Wappinger (/'wapIndZ@r/) were a Native American people group from southern New York and western Connecticut. They are part of the Northeastern Woodlands culture. The main center was in Dutchess County, New York. Their language was part of the Algonquian language family. They spoke the Munsee language of the Lenape people. The Wappinger Totem was the "enchanted wolf". The groups formed loose bands. They were allies with other tribes in the Northeast, like the Mohican and the Montaukett. The Dutch Henry Hudson was the first to record these people. War with colonists and European diseases weakened the Wappinger. Some of the last Wappinger lived in Stockbridge, Massachusetts. Daniel Nimham was the last sachem of the Wappinger. Descendants of the Wappinger moved to Shawano County, Wisconsin.
Name
There is no clear translation for the name Wappinger. There are many different spellings for the Wappinger. They include:
Wappink, Wappings, Wappingers, Wappingoes, Wawpings, Pomptons, Wapings, Opings, Opines, Massaco, Menunkatuck,Naugatuck, Nochpeem, Wangunk Wappans, Wappings, Wappinghs, Wapanoos, Wappanoos, Wappinoo, Wappenos, Wappinoes, Wappinex, Wappinx, Wapingeis, Wabinga, Wabingies, Wapingoes, Wapings, Wappinges, Wapinger and Wappenger.
Language
The Wappinger spoke a dialect of Munsee. This was also the language of the Lenape.
History
Wappinger ate different types of food. They went hunting and fishing. They gathered fruits, flowers, seeds, roots, nuts and honey. They also did agriculture. Plants included the Three Sisters (corn, beans, squash). The Wappinger included many bands with chiefs (sachem).
The first contact with Europeans was in 1609. Henry Hudson reached the area with his Half Boot ship. One officer of the Half Boot wrote about the Wappinger. He said the Wappinger brought goods to these first Europeans. He also said they were well dressed and wore furs and skins. The colonist David Pieterz De Vries wrote that the Wappinger had facial paints, wore animal skins and had long black hair.
The Dutch convinced the Eastern Wappinger to sell their lands. The Dutch killed many Wappinger in the Pavonia Massacre (1643) The rest of the Wappinger resisted the Dutch. They fought the Dutch in Kieft's War (1643-1645). In 1644, the Dutch killed more than 500 Wappinger in the Pound Ridge Massacre. The Dutch were allied with the Mohawks and defeated the Wappinger in 1645.
In 1655, the Wappinger fought the Dutch in the short Peach Tree War (1655). After this war, many Wappinger left their territories and the confederation fell apart. They went to Stockbridge, Massachusetts. This was a praying town. These were towns that colonists created to convert Natives to Christianity.
The Dutch Philipse Family purchased land from the chiefs of the Wappinger. This land was bought in the Philipse Patent. Wappinger sued to get the land back. They did not get their land back.
Daniel Ninham (1726-1778) was the last chief (sachem) of the Wappinger. He went to England to the king. He asked for land rights and better treatement of Natives. The English had some understanding for the chief. However, they did not give land. The treatment of the Natives also did not change.
Daniel Nimham and Wappinger supported Americans in the American Revolution. After the war, the Wappinger moved to Oneida County, New York. They were with the Mohican and Oneida people. Later Wappinger mostly intermarried.
In the 19th century, the Wappinger were forced to leave their land and move to Wisconsin. This is now a reservation for the Stockbridge-Munsee Nation. The US Government recognizes this nation. The tribe runs casino business here.
Bands
The following is a list of the Wappinger bands and their present-day locations.