"Ahquantamah" (Forgiveness) Belt

“Ahquantamah” (“Forgiveness”) reflects the reclaiming of ancestral knowledge and the return of ancestors, emphasizing healing and responsibility.

Compelling Question: How can wampum belts be used to reflect contemporary events, healing, and community values?
Social Studies Standards	NYS.SS.7.2: Native American groups developed political, economic, and social systems NYS.SS.11.1: Contact and exchange between diverse peoples in North America

Featured Sources
Source A: Copy of Artist Images & Descriptions - Shane Weeks

Formative Perfomance Tasks
DELIBERATE:	Students identify key concepts related to forgiveness and reconciliation through the uses of wampum.
COLLABORATE:	Students unpack the meaning of forgiveness using the wampum belt as a reference and discuss essential questions in pairs or small groups.
PRODUCE:	Students respond by either creating a symbolic representation of forgiveness similar to the Ahquantamah belt or draft a short written response similar to the description from the belt.

Teacher Guidance
Deliberate: Explain: Wampum belts are often understood as living entities that hold meaning, memory, and responsibility. Ask: What might it mean for something to be a “living record”? Break down key idea from the description: Forgiveness - What does it mean? What does it look like? Reconciliation- What does it mean? What does it look like? Read or paraphrase key parts: Wampum records history and agreements It is sacred and connected to the natural world (Quahog shell, whelk) It reflects connection, disconnection, and reconnection Guiding Questions: What might forgiveness look like for a community, not just an individual? Collaborate: Small group discussion: What does forgiveness mean in this context? How is it different from everyday forgiveness? Can forgiveness exist without action (like returning land, remains, or knowledge)? What does “reconnection” look like in a community? Groups share interpretations, teacher charts themes (ex: healing, responsibility, balance, restoration). Produce: Students create one of the following: A symbolic design representing forgiveness/reconciliation A short written response: What does forgiveness look like at a community level?

Teacher Guidance

Deliberate:

Explain: Wampum belts are often understood as living entities that hold meaning, memory, and responsibility. Ask: What might it mean for something to be a “living record”?
Break down key idea from the description:
- Forgiveness - What does it mean? What does it look like?
- Reconciliation- What does it mean? What does it look like?
Read or paraphrase key parts:
- Wampum records history and agreements
- It is sacred and connected to the natural world (Quahog shell, whelk)
- It reflects connection, disconnection, and reconnection
Guiding Questions:
- What might forgiveness look like for a community, not just an individual?

Collaborate:

Small group discussion:
- What does forgiveness mean in this context?
- How is it different from everyday forgiveness?
- Can forgiveness exist without action (like returning land, remains, or knowledge)?
- What does “reconnection” look like in a community?
Groups share interpretations, teacher charts themes (ex: healing, responsibility, balance, restoration).

Produce:

Students create one of the following:

A symbolic design representing forgiveness/reconciliation
A short written response: What does forgiveness look like at a community level?