Hammonasset’s original occupants

“Hammonasset” means, “where we dig holes in the ground” and refers to the place where a settlement of eastern woodland Indians farmed along the Hammonasset River. They subsisted on corn, beans, and squash, and by fishing and hunting. The first colonists arrived in 1639. Property changed hands frequently between Native Americans and the first colonists. “

  We took the old truck for a drive down to Hammonasset Beach today to take in the celebration of Native American culture.  As we walked along the fields bordered by marshes and the sea, the sound of a mournful flute playing a native american song gave me goosebumps.  We stood for a moment, blocked out all the activity behind us and looked out over the marshes to the sea… I can only imagine what it was like to live off the land there, as they had.  What a feeling of PEACE.. .listening to that simple, soothing melody.

12 thoughts on “Hammonasset’s original occupants”

  1. Oh… love the gourds. I looked at some fresh ones like that today at the market, but then I would have to dry it to do a bird house next spring and I figured I would forget it was in the basement and it would just rot. Silly me. Love what the natives have done with them!

  2. God bless them and keep their culture alive. We have been so unkind to so many in our 'settling' of this land we assumed was ours for the taking…

  3. That looks like a very nice way to spend the day. I love the tomahawks and arrows. There are days when it's just nice to shut off the noise around us and listen to the quiet of the environment.

  5. The most peaceful it gets in my area, is when hubby is working and the house is quiet. It's rarely quiet outside, just different levels of noise. Sounds like you had a splendid day.

  7. I have often tried to imagine what it was like living here before the European invasion…Certainly it must have been beautiful! Love these photos!

  9. hmm, i wonder if our bunnies are hammonassets…we actually thought one of them was missing yesterday, but she had just dug a really deep hole and gone down it! 🙂

    love the arrowheads.

    🙂
    /j

  11. Sounds like a special day! It's hard not to cringe at what happened to the Native Americans during the earlier years of our colonizing. I'm glad that they're keeping their history alive.

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