Wabanaki Confederation
The Wabanaki Confederation or Wabanaki (also Wabenaki , Wobanaki ; English: dawn land people ; German: People of the Land of Dawn / Twilight , i.e. people who live in the east ) denotes a political-military alliance in North America of five culturally and linguistically related Algonquin tribes against the militarily expansive Iroquois League , which existed from the 17th century to 1862.
The tribes retained their own political leadership but came together to decide together on diplomacy, war, and trade. The Wabanaki Confederation was officially dissolved in 1862, but the five tribes remained close allies, and the confederation lives on to this day in the form of a political alliance between these historically friendly nations.
Participating Tribes
The following five tribes officially belonged to the Wabanaki Confederation:
-
Abenaki (spoke Abenaki (Abnaki) , also Wôbanakiôdwawôgan )
- Western Abenaki (spoke Western Abenaki , often simply referred to as Abenaki (Abnaki) )
- Eastern Abenaki (spoke Eastern Abenaki , often referred to as Abnaki-Penobscot )
- Penobscot ( Panawahpskek or Penawapskewi , spoken Eastern Abenaki , often also referred to as Abnaki-Penobscot , also Panawahpskek )
- Mi'kmaq ( Míkmaq, Micmac or Mic-Mac , spoke Northern Mi'kmaq and Southern Mi'kmaq , also Míkmawísimk or Lnuismk )
- Passamaquoddy ( Peskotomuhkati, Pestomuhkati or Pestemohkatíyek , spoke the southern dialect of Malecite-Passamaquoddy , also Maliseet-Passamaquoddy )
- Maliseet (also Malicite , proper name: Wolastoqiyik or Welastekwíyek , spoke the northern dialect of Malecite-Passamaquoddy , also Maliseet-Passamaquoddy )
Close allies of the Wabanaki Confederation were the Innu (also Montagnais ), Algonquin and the Iroquois- speaking Wyandot (known as Hurons - Tionontati / Petun until 1650/1700 ).
Problems with the designation
The term Abenaki (or Abnaki) is often incorrectly used synonymously for Wabanaki - however, the Abenaki were only a member of the Confederation. In addition, it is often not possible to differentiate between the confederation and the individual members of it, as the tribes often referred to themselves as Wabanaki ( Wabenaki, Wobanaki, Wobenaki, Wapanahki ), depending on the dialect , in order to emphasize their political and cultural affinity, especially towards strangers. Because of the incorrect use of the word Abenaki for Wabanaki , all Abenaki along with the Penobscot were often called Western Wabanaki , while the Mi'kmaq, Maliseet and Passamaquoddy were called Eastern Wabanaki .
The Wabanaki Confederation was named as follows by the various members of the Confederation:
- Wabanahkiyik (name in Míkmawísimk or Lnuismk , the language of the Mi'kmaq)
- Waponahkiyik or Waponahkewiyik (Maliseet and Passamaquoddy)
- Wôbanakiak (name in Wôbanakiôdwawôgan , the language of the Abenaki and Penobscot)
Neighboring and often allied Algonquin peoples called the Confederation as follows:
- Wàbanakìk (name in Anicinàbemowin , the Algonquin language )
- Waabanakiig or Waabanakiiyag (name in Anishinaabemowin , the language of Anishinabe (also Ojibwe / Chippewa) )
- Waabnakiig or Waabnakiiyag (name in Nishnaabemwin or Daawaamwin , the language of the Odawa )
- Wabnekiyeg (name in Bodéwadmimwen (also Bodéwadmi Zheshmowen or Neshnabémwen ), the language of the Potawatomi )
Wabanaki Confederation Territory
Their tribal area called the allied tribes as well as many neighboring Algonquin tribes Wabanaki ( land of dawn / twilight , ie land in the east ); it comprised areas of the historic Acadia (today's Canadian maritime provinces of Nova Scotia , New Brunswick , Prince Edward Island , the south of the Gaspésie Peninsula and Québec south of the Saint Lawrence River ) in Canada and parts of New England (today's US states of Maine , New Hampshire , Vermont and Massachusetts ) in the northeastern United States .
The maps show the approximate location of the members of the Wabanaki Confederation (from north to south):
Eastern Abenaki ( Penobscot , Kennebec , Arosaguntacook , Pigwacket )
Western Abenaki ( Arsigantegok , Missisquoi , Cowasuck , Sokoki , Pennacook )
Wars involving the Wabanaki Confederation
The Wabanaki Confederation was a faithful ally of the French in a series of colonial wars between 1688 and 1759 in the battle against the British for Acadia. When the French lost the war against the British and had to cede control to them, more and more English settlers penetrated into the areas of the Wabanaki Confederation. They then joined forces with other tribes in the so-called Pontiac uprising in order to fight for their own Indian territory against the British. After their defeat, in the looming American War of Independence , the members now joined their former enemies to fight the Americans.
| Wars | Duration |
|---|---|
| King Philip's War | 1675-1678 |
| King William's War | 1688-1699 |
| Queen Anne's War | 1702-1713 |
| That was stupid | 1721-1725 |
| King George's War | 1745-1748 |
| French and Indian War | 1755-1759 |
| Pontiac uprising | 1763-1766 |
| American War of Independence | 1775-1782 |
| British-American War | 1812-1814 |