Awashonks

Awashonks (also spelled Awashunckes, Awashunkes or Awasoncks) was a sachem (chief) of the Sakonnet (also spelled Saconet) tribe in Rhode Island. She lived near the southern edge of the Plymouth Colony, not far from Narragansett Bay. Near what is now Little Compton, Rhode Island. In the mid-seventeenth century her lands were claimed by the English settlers of Plymouth Colony. While she had allied herself to the English to increase her power, ironically their victory eroded her standing among both the English and the Saconet. Awashonks is known for her special talent for negotiation and diplomacy, which helped include the Sakonnets among a tiny handful of natives who received amnesty from colonists.

Awashonks became sachem not by inheritance, but through quality of leadership. She was referred to as a Sunsqua, or female chief. During her tenure, she was challenged by both rivals within the Saconet as well as English colonists.

Awashonks was not pro-English until July 1671, when Plymouth leaders called her and other Indian leaders to a meeting and threatened to send an army to fight them if they refused to attend. Awashonks signed the “Articles of Agreement”, in which she agreed to surrender guns and Saconet who were accused of inciting trouble. The agreement was also signed by Totatomet and Somagaonet, witnessed by Tattacommett, Samponcut and Tamoueesam (alias, Jeffrey), on July 24, 1671. Not long after, in August, Awashonk's men signed a paper approving what she had done in accordance with the agreement; only 3 names are known: Totatomet, Tunuokum, Sausaman. On October 20, 1671 Governor Prince wrote to her, saying that he had received the list of names, and assuring her that the English would befriend her.

Awashonks made appearances in the Plymouth court system. In 1674 Mammanuah, a Saconet rival who may have been her son, accused Awashonks of assault. After he had tried to sell land to English settlers, Awashonks ordered men to tie him up and threaten him. The court ruled in Mammanuah’s favor, possibly to appease the English land buyers. However, the court, out of respect to Awashonks, reduced her fine to only 5 pounds rather than the 500 pounds that Mammanuah demanded.

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