The Weapemeoc Indians were a small Native American tribe from northeastern

North Carolina North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and So ...

. They lived on the north shore of

Albemarle Sound Albemarle Sound () is a large estuary on the coast of North Carolina in the United States located at the confluence of a group of rivers, including the Chowan and Roanoke. It is separated from the Atlantic Ocean by the Currituck Banks, a ba ...

. that was first noted in literature in 1585/1586. At that time, they approximately had 700 to 800 people. They had a maritime culture. However, their cultural changed rapidly as European settlers introduced diseases and ultimately forced from their lands by 1780.

Etymology

The original meaning of ''Weapemeoc'' has been translated as "where shelter from the wind is sought". Swanton suggested it translated as "People of the First Light," or "People of the Dawn Land," similar to Wabanaki or

Wampanoag The Wampanoag , also rendered Wôpanâak, are an Indigenous people of the Northeastern Woodlands based in southeastern Massachusetts and historically parts of eastern Rhode Island,Salwen, "Indians of Southern New England and Long Island," p. 17 ...

. The tribe was also commonly referred to as Yeopim as a shortened alternative. It is predicted that this alternative name was the outcome of settlers attempting to pronounce the tribe's name. There were also many subdivisions of the tribe each with their own individual names.

Pre-Colonial History

The first recording of the Weapemeoc Indians was in 1585. During this time, they were said to have approximately 700 to 800 people. Throughout their existence, they migrated across various North Carolinian counties such as Currituck, Pasquotank and

Perquimans Perquimans County ()
, from the North Carolina Collection's website at the

Chowan. Despite their existence only first being noted in 1585, accounts shared by members of the Weapemeoc tribe have enabled historians to reconstruct their history. In 1550, the Weapemeoc Indian tribes were at peace with surroundings tribes and alliances were common. From 1585 to 1586, a map was drawn of Weapemeoc territory along the coastline and rivers. In 1607, the

James River The James River is a river in the U.S. state of Virginia that begins in the Appalachian Mountains and flows U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map , accessed April 1, 2011 to Chesapea ...

area became the battleground between the Weapemeoc Nation, the Powhatan Confederacy and tributary nations. In 1622, battles continued between neighboring tribes and English settlers. This eventually became known as the

Indian Massacre of 1622 The Indian massacre of 1622, popularly known as the Jamestown massacre, took place in the English Colony of Virginia, in what is now the United States, on 22 March 1622. John Smith, though he had not been in Virginia since 1609 and was not an ey ...

. Three years later in 1625, a

smallpox Smallpox was an infectious disease caused by variola virus (often called smallpox virus) which belongs to the genus Orthopoxvirus. The last naturally occurring case was diagnosed in October 1977, and the World Health Organization (WHO) c ...

and

measles Measles is a highly contagious infectious disease caused by measles virus. Symptoms usually develop 10–12 days after exposure to an infected person and last 7–10 days. Initial symptoms typically include fever, often greater than , cough, ...

outbreak killed many Native Indians who did not have natural immunity to such illnesses. In 1650, European presence increased as more and more settlers arrived in North Carolina. With such large numbers of men arriving, the male to female ratio in the Albemarle region of North Carolina was close to 8 to 1. In 1670, British men began marrying local Native American women. This encouraged the exchange of cultures and prompted negotiations to end the constant battles. During negotiations the battles continued and as a result the tribe's population dramatically decrease. By 1700, the Weapemeoc population was thought to only have been 200 people large. The tribe was completely surrounded by European settlers and peace did not continue. Many tribal members of the tribe moved to Indiantown.

Colonization

The Weapemeoc Indians lived in what is now northeastern North Carolina. In the early 1580s they experienced a dramatic cultural shift with the arrival of European colonizers. The English established a two-year settlement from 1584 to 1586, and subsequent settlements were established by Spanish, Portuguese and French explorers. The minimal, initial interactions between Weapemeoc and settlers were limited to the shoreline. However, these interactions eventually resulted in conflict with European efforts to displace the tribe from their traditional maritime way of life. While some of the subdivisions of the tribe formed alliances with the settlers, others remained loyal to their traditional roots. Those who regularly interacted with the settlers exchanged their cultural ways of living. At the dawn of the 18th century, two other Algonquian language–speaking tribes, the Poteskeets and the Yeopim settled in the lands formerly controlled by the Weapemeoc. The English established a reservation for the Yeopim in 1704, but the land was sold in 1739. But the mid-17th century, that "tribe had ceased to exist in any significant numbers in North Carolina."

Culture

The Weapemeoc Indians spoke an Algonquian language. The Weapemeoc Indians were skilled hunters, farmers, and fishermen. As they lived close to banks and rivers, the tribe had access to freshwater fish, clams, and mussels year-round. Their various fishing instruments ranged from spears, hooks, and nets. Their diets also consisted of seasonal crop such as corn and animals. they hunted by bow and arrow. Due to the importance of water in their daily lives, many religious rituals and beliefs revolved around maritime activities. For example, in the event of violent waters or potential signs of a storm, the Weapemeoc Indians would throw tobacco and other herbs into the water in hopes of a resolution. However, this maritime culture began to fade with European encroachment.

Notes

References

* {{authority control Native American history of North Carolina Native American tribes in North Carolina Pre-statehood history of North Carolina