wampum
Definitions
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A Belt of Wampum Given to Penn by the Indians -
WordNet 3.6
- n wampum small cylindrical beads made from polished shells and fashioned into strings or belts; used by certain Native American peoples as jewelry or currency
- n wampum informal terms for money
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Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
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- n Wampum Beads made of shells, used by the North American Indians as money, and also wrought into belts, etc., as an ornament.☞ These beads were of two kinds, one white, and the other black or dark purple. The term
wampum is properly applied only to the white; the dark purple ones are calledsuckanhock . SeeSeawan . “It [wampum] consisted of cylindrical pieces of the shells of testaceous fishes, a quarter of an inch long, and in diameter less than a pipestem, drilled . . . so as to be strung upon a thread. The beads of a white color, rated at half the value of the black or violet, passed each as the equivalent of a farthing in transactions between the natives and the planters.”Palfrey. "Round his waist his belt of wampum .""Girded with his wampum braid." - ***
- n Wampum Beads made of shells, used by the North American Indians as money, and also wrought into belts, etc., as an ornament.☞ These beads were of two kinds, one white, and the other black or dark purple. The term
Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
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- n wampum Small shell beads pierced and strung, used as money and for or nament by the North American Indians. The shell was cut away, leaving only a cylinder like a Euro pean bugle. Wampum was of two kinds, white and black or dark-purple. An imitation of wampum consisting of white porcelain beads of the same shape has been made by Europeans for sale to the Indians. See the second quo tation under wampumpeag.
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Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary
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- n Wampum wom′pum the North American Indian name for shells or beads used as money
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Etymology
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
North American Indian wampum, wompam, from the Mass. wómpi, Del. wāpe, white
Usage
In literature:
The young man saw that it was of the same stuff as the wampum which he had in his bosom.
"The Indian Fairy Book" by Cornelius Mathews
Wabasha accepted the wampum but Little Crow came to the fort to make known the danger.
"Old Fort Snelling" by Marcus L. Hansen
Which party can be carrying the wampum belt we expect to trace down?
"Pathfinder" by Alan Douglas
Six white beads of wampum to the stiver was the rate established by authority in 1673.
"Journal of Jasper Danckaerts, 1679-1680" by Jasper Danckaerts
He also bore a knife in a girdle of wampum, like that which confined the scanty garments of the Indian, but no tomahawk.
"Journeys Through Bookland, Vol. 7" by Charles H. Sylvester
In the old days she used to do it in one plait wound around with wampum.
"Indian Child Life" by Charles A. Eastman
The presents which Penn offered were received in sincerity, and with hearty friendship they gave the belt of wampum.
"The Witch of Salem" by John R. Musick
Take blankets and beads to the Wyandots and watch them hang up white wampum.
"A Virginia Scout" by Hugh Pendexter
In the meantime I will wrap it in a badge of wampum!
"The Last of the Mohicans" by James Fenimore Cooper
Where is my wampum that you took away with the marks of towns on it?
"From Farm House to the White House" by William M. Thayer
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In poetry:
Not a word the Indian spoke,
But his wampum chain he broke,
And the beaded wonder hung
On that neck so fair and young.
But his wampum chain he broke,
And the beaded wonder hung
On that neck so fair and young.
"The Truce of Piscataqua" by John Greenleaf Whittier
"And he took my wampum chain,
Looked and looked it o'er again;
Gave me berries, and, beside,
On my neck a plaything tied."
Looked and looked it o'er again;
Gave me berries, and, beside,
On my neck a plaything tied."
"The Truce of Piscataqua" by John Greenleaf Whittier
"Wampum beads and birchen strands
Dropping from her careless hands,
Listening ever for the fleet
Patter of a dead child's feet!
Dropping from her careless hands,
Listening ever for the fleet
Patter of a dead child's feet!
"The Truce of Piscataqua" by John Greenleaf Whittier
See, with her swelling bosom bare,
Yon wild-eyed Sister in the West,—Â
The ring of Empire round her hair,
The Indian’s wampum on her breast!
Yon wild-eyed Sister in the West,—Â
The ring of Empire round her hair,
The Indian’s wampum on her breast!
"The New Eden" by Oliver Wendell Holmes
Are trembled down.--Or can it be,
That he who wore it in the dance,
Or battle, now fills shadowy
Its wampumed skins? And shakes his lance
And warrior plume at me?--
That he who wore it in the dance,
Or battle, now fills shadowy
Its wampumed skins? And shakes his lance
And warrior plume at me?--
"One Day And Another: A Lyrical Eclogue – Part V" by Madison Julius Cawein
If now no more a mat for her is found
Of all which line her father's wigwam round,
Let Pennacook call out his warrior train,
And send her back with wampum gifts again."
Of all which line her father's wigwam round,
Let Pennacook call out his warrior train,
And send her back with wampum gifts again."
"The Bridal of Pennacook" by John Greenleaf Whittier
In news:
John Berry / The Post-Standard In this 2006 photo, Sid Hill stands on the shore of Onondaga Lake holding a replica of the Two Row Wampum Belt.
Josie Badger of Wampum, Lawrence County, recently was named Ms Wheelchair America.
NEW CASTLE — A Wampum man found hiding behind a false wall in the basement of his house has been charged with domestic violence.
Lone Ranger' spending too much wampum .
Repatriation of an Onondaga wampum belt Onondaga Historical Association gave back to the Onondaga Nation a wampum belt that was in its possession.
Peter Chen/The Post-Standard Gregg Tripoli (left), executive director of the Onondaga Historical Association, on Tuesday officially returned a 19th century wampum belt to (left to right) Sid Hall, tadadaho of the Six Nations.
Songstress Kate Taylor wearing and exhibiting her wampum jewelry, all of which she creates while being mindful of its history.
Warriors share their wampum with fund.
Thomas Sumner, left, tells his fellow Indian Guides how he earned his wampum this week during their meeting Tuesday.
The tribe donated $250 of that wampum to the Blue Ribbon Fund.
Wampum beads return to the Onondaga Nation.
On Saturday, Oct 27 at 2 pm, Rich Hamell will present a program on Iroquis Wampum belts and their history at the Hanover Town Hall in Silver Creek.
Rich Hamell will present a program on Iroquois wampum belts and their history at 2 pm Saturday at the Hanover Town Hall in Silver Creek.
Thank you for the article Aug 9 article about the Two Row Wampum Treaty.
An exquisite collection of Indian artifacts, taxidermied animals, wampum shells, dioramic paintings, costumes, and other items.
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