Virginiabetts

Although the Nanticoke Indians were around for some time before Captain John Smith made the first European contact with them in 1608. Before that, they lived a good life as farmers, planting corn, beans, squash, pumpkins, sunflower, and tobacco. When the women and children were not tending to their gardens, they gathered nuts, berries, bird’s eggs, and other edible plants that they could find. While this was taking place, the men hunted in the forest for turkeys, deer, rabbits, bears, and other types of small game. During some months, while they were close to the water, the Nanticoke Indians enjoyed their share of seafood, including fish, crabs, clams, and oysters. To sleep, the Nanticoke people created wigwams, which were made of branches and vines and covered in tree bark or woven bulrush mats. The Nanticoke are known for their tight communities, where they worked together to protect and provide. Even when faced with a European invasion, the Nanticoke were able to purchase their own land, one of which became the future property of the Nanticoke Indian Museum. The Museum serves as a place for the Nanticoke to display collections from their heritage, but also as a place where others can learn more about their history and their culture.