Occasions for entertainment were usually activities aimed at purposes
other than mere diversion. Songs, dances, and even public games
had a ceremonial cast to them. A close tie-in with magic and the
manipulation or propitiation of the supernatural is suggested in most
cases.[378]
At various times of the year great public gatherings were held, in
which the members of several local groups met for feasting, dancing,
and playing games. At least two such public gatherings were held each
year. One was in the spring, when large numbers of people had already
congregated at certain fishing places.[379]
The other time of general public congregation was in the fall at
harvest time. A dance house was built for the occasion. Dances were
held at night, sometimes continuing for a week with the participants
sleeping during the daytime. Both men and women gathered as
spectators in the dance house; they sang accompaniment while the
dancers performed one at a time. As he danced, the dancer would hand
out money, knives, clothing, and the like to the needier members of
the audience. When one dancer had given all he had, another would
follow him, and so on.
Besides the great public gatherings, there were smaller private
gatherings for various purposes.[380] One sort, to be discussed
later, was to call for supernatural aid. Another was the Nikomo
feast, held in the winter by members of a family for a select group
of guests.[381] The host would give away as much of his wealth as he
could to those who attended the feasting and dancing.[382]
Another favorite type of entertainment was story-telling and oratory.
People listened with rapt attention to news and speeches. The
discourse of one man might go on for an hour or two, while a large
audience listened and smoked in silence; the manner of presentation
was dramatic and accompanied by a great deal of gesture.[383]
The music which accompanied dances was provided mainly by
singing.[384] Sometimes dances were accompanied by beating on the
ground with sticks or hands along with muttering, humming and
singing, but aside from these there were no musical instruments among
the Wampanoags.[385]
The dances themselves are described as being “vehement in their
motion”. At some dances a single dancer would perform; at others
a few men and women would dance together.[386] Larger numbers of
performers participated simultaneously in war dances.