Description
The Cowasuck, also known as Cowass, was an Algonquian-speaking Native American tribe in northeastern North America, linguistically and culturally belonging to the Western Abenaki as well as being members of the Abenaki Confederation. The name Cowasuck comes from the Abenaki word Goasek and means "white pines place", the name of an area near Newbury, Vermont. The best early accounts of the Western Abenaki came from the French, who knew them as converts and friends, but the French preoccupation of fighting the English. However, the French practice of calling the Cowasuck by the name Penacook, and the Sokoki - originally the French name for the Mahican - led to misunderstandings in their reports. As a result, the tribes of the Western Abenaki were referred to only by their respective village names, which were considered tribal names.
Language
The Cowasuck, also known as Cowass, was an Algonquian-speaking Native American tribe in northeastern North America, linguistically and culturally belonging to the Western Abenaki as well as being members of the Abenaki Confederation.
Culture
The Cowasuck formerly resided on the upper Connecticut River, with the main village of Cowasuck, now Newbury, located in the states of New Hampshire and Vermont. The river valley forest was a mixture of deciduous trees, hemlocks, and white pines, growing on light soils or old fields. The villages were typically set up on the edge of a cliff, both near the alluvial land suitable for growing maize, and with sufficient water supply. All villages were close to a river or lake, which served for fishing and as a travel route. Their wigwams were rectangular, covered with bark, had domed roofs with a hole as a flue for each fire, and had room for several families.