Squanto, also known as Tisquantum, was a Native American of the Patuxet tribe who acted as an interpreter and guide to the Pilgrim settlers at Plymouth during their first winter in the New World.

When the 350th anniversary of the Pilgrim landing was observed in 1970, state officials disinvited a leader of the Wampanoag Nation — the Native American tribe that helped the haggard newcomers survive their first bitter winter — after learning his speech would bemoan the disease, racism and oppression that followed …

Those three Native Americans came to the settlement made a peace pact with the Pilgrims, for mutual defense. Squanto spoke good English since he actually lived in Europe for many years. He became kind of a “liaison” between the native people and the Pilgrims. The natives taught the Pilgrims how to grow food like corn.

At first the Pilgrims were friendly with the Wampanoags, because they helped them learn the environment and how to survive on the land. As the settlers moved in, they often settled on traditional or ceremonial land of the Wampanoags, which was often hotly disputed.

In 400th year, Plymouth to highlight natives’ story Pilgrims met Samoset and then Squanto, who introduced Massasoit to the Pilgrims. He said the two sides came to an agreement of mutual alliance, which created the period of peace. Squanto, a member of the Patuxet tribe, is credited with helping the Pilgrims grow corn.

The Native Americans welcomed the arriving immigrants and helped them survive. Then they celebrated together, even though the Pilgrims considered the Native Americans heathens. The Pilgrims were devout Christians who fled Europe seeking religious freedom. They were religious refugees.

Native American, also called American Indian, Amerindian, Amerind, Indian, aboriginal American, or First Nation person, member of any of the aboriginal peoples of the Western Hemisphere, although the term often connotes only those groups whose original territories were in present-day Canada and the United States.