were some of my ancestors. They remained living in
the
homeland when the core group of Mohicans left. My ancestors and
my
relations have been largely forgotten by the people who displaced
them. I
want people to know who they are, to respect their culture, their
history, and their sites and artifacts. To this end, I have
collected this information on Mohican people and issues.
The Mohicans are sometimes confused with the Mohegans who live in Connecticut. I believe the Mohicans are the grandfathers of the Mohegans. The people who first came to the upper Hudson River Valley were the ancestors of the Mohicans, Pequots and the Mohegans. The ancestors of the Mohegans left this area and migrated west, becoming known as the Pequots, the invaders. Then the ancestors of the Mohegans separated from the Pequots. Thus, these three distinct cultures can trace their history back to the some of the same ancestors. There are no written records of this, but the first people of the area were living here over 12,000 years ago. The Mohegans, Mohicans, and Pequots have been separate and distinct nations for hundreds of years, well before 1609.
The symbol to the left, the "Many Trails," symbol was created by Edwin Martin of the Mohican Nation to symbolize the history of the nation. This interpretation was inspired by a piece of beadwork owned by a friend of Mohican descent.
I am not enrolled in the Mohican Nation, nor am I an expert in my ancestors' history. I seek in my own way to tell people about my ancestors and to preserve their history.
See what I say about a book recently published, Native New Yorkers.
Copyright 1995-2002 by Debra Winchell