In the event of war, drought, famine, and for some cases of sickness,
ceremonial activities which constituted requests for supernatural aid
were carried out.[549] To beg for rain, people from all localities of
the tribe would gather at some high place and perform supplications
until the drought was broken.[550] Other ceremonials were occasioned
by a spirit of thanksgiving for peace, health, plenty, and
prosperity.[551]
As nearly as can be told, ceremonial activity encompassing all of the
above circumstances involved dancing and sacrifice of personal wealth
to please the supernatural. The sacrifice of wealth might take either
the form of gifts to the poor or actual destruction of property by
casting it upon the fire.[552] This latter custom was carried out by
the Narragansetts, and the more a man brought to burn up, the more
he was esteemed. The Wampanoags said they did not cast goods into
the fire, but they acknowledged this to be a powerful practice and
attributed to it the Narragansetts’ salvation from the plague.[553]
The seeking of supernatural assistance was highly pragmatic; if one
supernatural source did not send the desired aid, another was tried
until the proper combination was discovered.[554]
The Wampanoags placed a great deal of importance upon dreams. A bad
dream was considered to be a threat from the supernatural, and a man
awakening from one would fall to offering prayers of supplication. If
the vision were especially ominous, a man might call in his friends
to keep watch with him. He would offer them food, but he himself kept
a fasting and wakeful watch for several days and nights.[555]
Among the Wampanoags, names had supernatural significance. “Obscure
and mean persons amongst them....” had no names.[556] Probably such
persons were resident non-members of the tribe and youngsters who had
not yet undergone initiation. Once received, a name was a closely
guarded piece of personal property. It was considered discourteous to
refer to or call a person by his true name. Instead, a circumlocution
or a substitute pronoun was used.[557]