Machapunga facts for kids

The Machapunga were a small Native American tribe. They spoke a language from the Algonquian language family. This tribe lived in what is now eastern North Carolina. They were once known as the Secotan people.

The Machapunga tribe moved south from other Algonquian groups. These groups were part of the Powhatan Confederacy in present-day Virginia. Today, the Machapunga no longer exist as a separate tribe.

Machapunga History and Culture

Native American groups with different cultures lived along the rivers in the South for a long time. Over many years, these groups became the tribes that Europeans met. Other people also moved into these areas.

Early Connections and Location

A researcher named Frank Speck studied different cultures in the early 1900s. He thought the Machapunga and other Algonquian tribes in North Carolina were linked to larger groups in coastal Virginia. He believed these tribes were part of a big move of Algonquian-speaking people southwards. Algonquian speakers lived along the Northeast coast and in parts of Canada.

The Machapunga were one of several small Algonquian-speaking tribes in coastal North Carolina. Their name, Machapunga, means "bad dust" or "much dirt." This name might have been given by another tribe, not by the Machapunga themselves. They lived near the Pungo River. Many Machapunga people lived in a village called Mattamuskeet. This village was on the shore of Lake Mattamuskeet in what is now Hyde County. In 1701, English colonists said the tribe had about 100 members.

Joining Forces in War

In 1711, the Machapunga joined the Tuscarora War. They fought against the colonists during this conflict. By 1715, the remaining members of the Coree tribe joined the Machapunga. The Coree had lived to the south. Both groups then lived together in Mattamuskeet.

Chief John Squires and His Role

John Squires was a leader, or Chief, of the Machapunga Tribe. His mother, Ethelia, was Machapunga. Her father was the Chief of the Nanticoke tribe in Maryland. Ethelia married an Englishman named Jonathan Squires. Because of his mother's heritage, John became Chief of the Machapunga.

John Squires ran a trading post with another Native American named Long Tom. Their trading post was on the Old Indian Trail near the Chesapeake Bay. English colonists often asked John and Long Tom to help them. They would interpret languages and help solve problems between the colonists and Native Americans. John's parents, Jonathan and Ethelia, stayed on the Nanticoke Nation Land in Maryland. John Squires is one of the most well-known Machapunga individuals. Many of his descendants today carry the Squires surname.

Machapunga Descendants Today

When the United States began keeping census records in 1790, there was no specific category for Native Americans. This category was not added until much later. Native Americans who did not live on reservations were often listed in other groups. These groups included "Free blacks," "Other free," or "Mulatto." These were ways to classify free non-white people. Before this, surviving Native Americans were often listed as "mulatto" or "black."

Today, descendants of the Machapunga tribe live in the Inner Banks area of eastern North Carolina. Some traditional surnames among Machapunga descendants include Squires, Mackey (also spelled Mackee, Mackie, or Macky). Other family names found among these people are Barber, Chance, Clark, Collins, Elks, Morris, and King. Over time, survivors of the tribe married people from other ethnic groups. Their children and grandchildren carry all parts of their family history.

Researchers like Frank Speck studied people in the Southeast in the early 1900s. They wanted to see if Native American cultures had survived. Speck found little direct evidence of the Machapunga and other Algonquian cultures. However, he did notice that people still fished using traditional nets. Women also continued to weave baskets using old skills and styles.