USA > Michigan > A history of the northern peninsula of Michigan and its people, its mining, lumber and agricultural industries, Volume I > Part 8
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A candidate for admission to the Meda undergoes a long period of fasting and prayer; the service being entirely voluntary. After a sufficient time he is further prepared by a sweat-bath, and during this part of the ceremony he is met by the older men who give him objects of magical virtue and healing. He is then initiated into the infallible secrets of the craft. The admission into the Meda is made in publie, and with a great deal of ceremony. There are three degrees in the so- ciety ; the Meda, the Saugemau and the Ogeman.
The lodge in which a Meda is to practice his art is carefully pre- pared; the magie number four, sacred to the four winds, being shown
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by the four posts, four stones, fires and other ways. All shrubbery, or wood detrimental to the patient was exeluded, and the shape, position and arrangement carefully planned. The drum and rattle were part of the equipment. After preliminary smoking, dancing and chanting, the patient was brought in and placed in a designated position. No one not invited was permitted to enter. The course of the winds and the condition of the clouds were closely observed during the ceremony. As the lodge had no roof, this was easily done. The Meda was usually ap- plied to, after the physician had failed. He was also consulted in re- gard to war and the making of treaties.
The Wabeno, which is better known, is considered by the Indians to be a more modern modification of the Medawin. The Manitos showed it to Manabozho to divert him from his monrning for Chibiabos. It admits a class of subjects prohibited by the Meda; love songs being among its mysteries, which are always conducted at night, the magic fire tricks being more effective at that time. The orgies of the Wabenos often last all night and are of the wildest character. The word itself is derived from Wabun, or morning light. The Wabenos were "Men of the Dawn." The whole object of Indian secret societies was to acquire power by supernatural means: to propitiate the spirits by chants, in- cantations and sacrificial gifts, that they might have success in war, hunting and healing, and above all that they might obtain free scope for their social relations and passions. The Wabeno, in particular. exem- plified this.
To understand the secret institutions of the Indians a knowledge of picture writing, which constitutes their literature, is necessary. If this was well understood their real life, and ideals, as well as much of their history, would be more plainly revealed. Though the Indian is averse to expressing his opinion of the Deity, and all religious thoughts, yet he may, under the symbol of the sun and its relation to other objects, express the supreme goodness and loving care of the Great Father, or he may express strength, malignity, or wisdom, with the figures of a wolf, a serpent, or a turtle. He believes his happiness and future security depend upon his secrecy. This even extends to the speaking of their own names, a thing they avoided doing if possible. The Indian could not, however, avoid disclosing something of his inner life when he placed upon skin or bark the figures of animals which represented qualities to him; their position in regard to each other forming the thread of the story.
PICTURE WRITING
Picture writing is no doubt the oldest form of literature, and in some degree has been in use ever since men came upon the earth. The power of imitation seems to have been born with the most degraded cave men, and the desire to make their condition known to their fellow creatures led them to make pictures illustrating their environment. This opens a field of conjecture that takes the mind down through all the ages, and
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explains in a manner the ancient idolatry which gave way in time to Christian civilization.
The physical traits of the Indians seem to identify them with the ancient stock of Asia, but they apparently separated and came to Amer- ica before authentic history began. It is in their pieture writing that we must look for traces of affiliation with the ancient Asiatics, whose hieroglyphics form a connecting link. This picture writing was of two forms, one known to the people generally and used for conveying in- formation when traveling, and for marking the grave posts, a duty they were very careful to perform. This common form was called Ke- ke-wi-win. The other was Ke-kee-no-win, which latter was used by the Medas, Jossakeeds, and Wabenos; though many figures were com- mon to both forms the secret magie signs were known only to the medi- cine men, and those they initiated into the secret. It was not unusual for a hunter to pay a heavy price for a hunting song, whose magie he learned secretly from the priest. The Indians have the utmost faith in the power of the articles in the priest's medicine sack. They believe that an arrow, which had been touched by it, would, if fired into the track of an animal, detain him until the hunter arrived. A similar power could be exerted if the figure of an animal was drawn on wood or bark and subjected to the influence of the medicine, and the incanta- tions. Hunters frequently carried bark scrolls with such pictures thereon when on an expedition, and such drawings were frequent on canoes, weapons and hunting gear.
HORSES INTRODUCED
Horses played a prominent part in the evolution of the Indians. They changed him from a wandering seeker after food, who fought only for food and for self-protection, into an aggressive warrior and raider. Horses came into general use among the Indians by barter with their own race, apparently, but the details as to when and how are en- tirely lost. The Spaniards had visited the Pacific coast long before the white man knew anything of the mainland of the eastern coast, so no doubt the western Indians had horses at a very early date, and these useful animals spread gradually north and east. Some authorities give the date of their reaching the plains as about the year 1804.
The Indians themselves accounted for the horses as they did for any strange animal, by calling them "under-water animals." They have legends of the horses having been guided to them by their secret medi- eine, which they call "dream." or "sleep." When the Indians learned the value of horses, horse stealing became a regular business among them and led to more warfare than any other one thing.
The Indians knew the white men long before they saw them, for the stories of their landing spread throughout the various nations. Contact with the new strange people shook the Indians' faith in the old gods, for the white people, who did not believe in Manitos, fared far better than they did. The white men brought them guns, and soon the old
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weapons were practically abandoned, and the old skill in using them was lost. While many real benefits were brought to the Indians by the white men, they also brought the curse of liquor, and this proved the undoing of the race.
It was here in the neighborhood of our northern lakes that the dis- integration of the Indian race, the owners and possessors of this country for countless years, began.
In closing this sketch of the Indians as a people, the writer feels how utterly inadequate are the ordinary hand and mind for the task. The subject is so large and the life of these people was so full of poetry. and of the most varied and beautiful imagery, of strength, action and freedom, that it needs a master hand to portray it.
Of the ferocity and fiendish cruelty little has been said, though the history of the last hundred years reeks with it. They were savages. driven to bay by deceit, greed and cruelty, and they retaliated like sav- ages, on the descendants of their oppressors. Thus this fair country. with freedom as its watchword. is stained from sea to sea with the blood of a race who had never known anything but freedom until the white inen came; and with the blood of their victims, who paid with their lives for the mistakes of their forbears.
Some day a writer will appear who will give to this passing raee, in word, the justice they never received in deeds, and future generations will realize the sparkle and vim of the long-past ages, instead of the dregs alone.
Already the new generations of these primitive forest dwellers are adapting themselves to new conditions, and adding to the training of modern life the keen wit and shrewdness, as well as the patience, which has come to them as their heritage from primeval days. This heritage may lift the race, as it already has individuals, to the same standing in the world as that occupied by their conquerors, the white Americans of the United States. This will be after many years, when the old times and traditions are but faint memories.
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CHAPTER IV THE MENOMINEE INDIANS
GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS AND HISTORY-ORIGIN AND TOTEMS-MENOM- INEE CHIEFS-MANABUSH AND THE GRAND MEDICINE SOCIETY-CUS- TOMS OF PRIMITIVE MENOMINEES-THE STURGEON WAR
When Nicolet, on his famous expedition of 1634, arrived on the shores of Green bay he found a populous tribe of Indians inhabiting the region and dwelling along the Menominee, Oconto and Fox rivers. In the "Relations" concerning this journey these Indians were de- scribed as speaking a dialect difficult to understand, but which Nicolet identified as Algonquin. He says, "They were lighter complexioned than other Indians, and expert at hunting and fishing." These were the Menominees. The name is derived from Oma-Nominee, (Mano-me [rice] and ina [man]). It is the Algonquin term for wild rice, which was a staple article of food with them, as it grew plentifully along the rivers and streams. The French called the tribe and grain both, "folle avoine," or "wild oats." There are as many variations of the spelling of this, and the world Menominee, as there were writers to make them.
GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS AND HISTORY
Many early writers agree with Nicolet in giving the Menominees finer general characteristics than were possessed by other Indians. Charle- voix described them as being the finest and handsomest he met, saying : "They were straight, of medium size, well built, complexions fair for savages, eyes large and laughing." He and other writers considered that they were not numerous. Their manner of living-mostly upon fish, grain, maple sugar and wild fruits-made them more sedentary in habit, and less warlike than their neighbors, though, later, when allied with the white settlers in the early struggles between the French and English for supremacy in this country, the Menominees were reported brave and faithful; a record they have maintained ever since. There are traditions to the effect that the Menominees were originally part of the great Algonquin nation which inhabited the Nippissing district in Canada, and that they were either driven out. or separated from
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the main body, and, after wandering about some time, and aided by their allies, the Ottawas and Chippewas, drove out the Sauks and Foxes from the land along Green bay shore, and took possession thereof. Such was the report of Jedediah Morse, in his report in 1822. When dis- covered here by the early white explorers, the Menominees were living on friendly terms with these tribes and with their neighbors, the Win- nebagoes. They did not engage much in distant raids, but were willing to profit by the acts of warlike tribes, and occasionally bought slaves from the Sauks and Ottawas who went beyond the Mississippi at times, and captured individnal Indians from the western tribes and brought them back as slaves. All these slaves were called Pawnees, though they frequently came from other tribes as well as the Pawnee. The slaves were usually very harshly treated by their Indian masters, though sometimes young girls became wives of their owners and received as mneh consideration as any Indian woman was accustomed to.
The Menominees do not seem to have played a prominent part in history until about the time of Pontiac's conspiracy. Their relations with the French were most friendly, and in many instances Frenchmen married Menominee women, and the family tie was always a strong point with the Indians.
The Menominees were disposed to be friendly with the English, but the cold contempt of the latter for anything different from their own customs aroused Indian animosity, and it was so tactless and unlike the suave politeness of the French, who carefully considered the Indian's dignity and general vanity, that the contrast was not favorable to the English.
Like all the Algonquin tribes. the Menominees shared in the uneasi- ness stirred up by Pontiac, the famous Ottawa, who was farsighted enough to see the beginning of the end for his race, and who strove in his own savage fashion to arrest the fate and stay the flood of coming years. There were Menominee Indians among the tribes led by Pon- tiae, inder command of Sieur Charles de Langlade, in 1755, when Braddock's forees were nearly exterminated at Fort du Quesne. They were also with the French at the siege of Quebec in 1759, and several prominent Menominees, among them Glode (Son of old Carron) were in the fight on the Plains of Abraham, and present at the fall of Mont- calm. Osauwishkeno (the Yellow Bird), Kachakawasheka (the Notch Maker) and the elder Carron, were also in that battle. There were also Menominee Indians present at Michilimackinac when the massacre occurred there in 1763, though, like the Ottawas, they refrained from taking active part at that time.
It had been part of Pontiac's plan to capture Green bay also, and a band composed of Ottawas, Chippewas and Pottawattomies had been de- tailed for that service, but the Menominees and other friendly Indians prevented its accomplishment, and when Lieutenant Gorrel, the officer in charge, was ordered to abandon this post and go to Maekinae, a party of Menominees, under Carron, accompanied him. The English
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showed their appreciation of this service by commending the Menom- inees highly, and presenting Carron with a large silver medal, and a certificate recognizing his chieftainship. The relations between the English and the Menominee Indians had become of such a friendly nature that when Sir William Johnson called a council of various tribes, at Niagara, in 1764, to urge friendly relations with the English, a party of four hundred and ninety-nine Menominees went as delegates, though we do not find that they again rendered any signal service to the English until the outbreak of the Revolution. It has been estimated that about one hundred and fifty warriors served in the Revolution- ary war.
In 1810 messengers came from Tecumseh and his prophet brother, Elsquatana, inviting the Menominees to join the great Indian federa- tion against the Americans which the Shawnees were trying to effect. The Menominees refused, but they joined the British in the war of 1812 and served under Colonel Robert Dickson in company with a band of Sioux, who, though they were the traditional enemies of the Menominees and Chippewas, made common cause with them at this time, and were in Diekson's attack on the Americans at Mackinaw. They did not, however, take a very active part. Because of that alli- ance with the British, a treaty of peace became necessary at the elose of that war, and one was adopted and signed March 30, 1817-William Clark, Liman Edwards and Auguste Chotean acting for the United States, and the following named chiefs for the Menominees: Tonau- apee (Roaring Thunder), Weekey (Calumet Eagle), Muequomota (Foot of the Bear), Wacaquon, or Shomin, Warbano {The Dawn), Inemikee (The Thunderer), Lebarnaco (The Bear), Karkundego, Shashamanee (The Elk) and Penoname (The Rimning Wolf).
The territory claimed by the Menominees amounted, in a rough es- timate, to eight thousand square miles. They claimed all of Green bay and its islands, and on its northwest shore they claimed from Shoskon- abi (Escanaba) river to the upper forks of the Menominee, then west and south to the Chippewa and Wisconsin rivers, and to Lake Winne- bago, including approximately all the northeast corner of Wisconsin, and about one-fourth of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. It has been asserted that their western boundary was the Mississippi river, but the true extent of their territory is not exactly known, and it is probable that the Winnebagoes, who were always friendly with them and who were parties to the acts of relinquishment, were co-elaimants to part of the territory released. In 1821 the Menominees and Winne- bagoes sold part of their lands to a delegation of New York Indians represented by Eleazer Williams, the man who claimed to be Louis XVII, the lost dauphin, son of Louis XVI and Mary Antoinette. In 1822 they increased the tract by selling considerable more of their land, and this was the beginning of what is known as the Oneida settlement in the then Menomince territory.
The Menominres, indeed, went so far in the treaty of 1822, as to
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cede to the New York Indians a right in common to all their lands; and this for a trifling consideration. The Winnebagoes were not par- ties to that treaty. The Menominees soon realized they had been over- reached and repented their bargain, and they found an excuse for re- pudiating the treaty by claiming that several of their chiefs were not present when it was made. In fact, the part of the treaty granting com- mon use of all the lands to the New York Indians was not approved by President Monroe, and so the Oneida settlement was limited to practically the same territory ocenpied at the present time.
A treaty was made at Butte des Morts, on the Fox River, in 1827, in which an attempt was made to define the boundary lines of the Me- nominee, Chippewa and Winnebago tribes. This treaty was signed by Lewis Cass and Thomas L. MeKenna, as commissioners for the United States, and by many prominent Menominee Indians, among them Osh- kosh (Bear's Claw) and Josette Carron (Wabaoghin) ; and it was witnessed by Henry R. Schooleraft and others prominent in early his- tory. This treaty failed to give satisfaction to the Indians, and it was not until 1831 that matters were amicably adjusted, at which time the Stambaugh treaty was signed. There was delay in ratifying this and it was not promulgated until 1832. By this treaty the Menominees pro- tested that they were under no obligation to the New York Indians, but yielded to the wishes of the President of the United States because they were allies and friends, and so would set aside a portion of land for the use of the New York Indians; Nottoways, the Menominees called them. From the land so ceded timber and firewood was re- served for the use of the United States garrison, as also was sufficient land for public highways.
By a treaty made in 1848 between the United States and the Me- nominees, the latter agreed to sell, cede, and relinquish all their lands in Wisconsin and northern Michigan, wherever situated. As consid- eration for this, they were to receive certain lands which had been ceded in 1844 to the United States by the Chippewas of Lake Superior and of the Mississippi valley, and were also to receive some lands ceded to but not yet assigned to the Winnebagoes, as well as some money consid- eration. This treaty was ratified in 1849. The Menominees, however, were unwilling to go to the Chippewa land west of the Mississippi, and especially desired to remain in Wisconsin, and so a supplementary treaty was made in 1854 in which the Menominees relinquished the land theretofore ceded to them, and received in exchange a traet of ten townships, equal to about three hundred and sixty square miles, bor- dering on the Wolf river in the northeastern interior of Wisconsin. It was well wooded and filled with lakes and rivers, thus affording good fishing and hunting. This is known as the Keshena reservation.
Participation by the Menominees in the conspiracy of Pontiac brought them more or less into history, and it is from this source, as well as tradition, that we obtained knowledge of their civic govern- ment. They claim always to have had a first, or head-chief, and a sec-
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ond, or war-chief, besides many sub-chiefs who were heads of bands. If the head chief died his son succeeded him, unless someone more pop- ular influenced the tribe in his own behalf. There seems to be two lines. from both of which claimants have arisen to the office of head- chief, but the Owasse, or Bear totem, is recognized by the Indians as traditionally the older and the true line of deseent.
ORIGIN AND TOTEMS
The following myth relating to the origin of the Menominee to- tems will explain the conflict of claims. There were formerly a great number of totems, but many are now extinet.
"When the Great Mystery made the earth he created also numerous beings called Manidos, or spirits, giving them the forms of animals and birds. Most of the animals were malevolent Ana-maqki-u (under- ground beings). The birds consisted of eagles and hawks, known as the thunderers, chief of which was the Invisible Thunder, represented by Kine-u. the Golden Eagle. When Masha-Manido, the Good Mystery. saw that the bear was still an animal he determined to allow him to change his form. The bear, known as Nanoqke, was pleased at what the Good Mystery was going to grant him. He was made an Indian, though with a light skin. This took place at Mi-nikani-sepe (Menom- inee river), near the spot where its waters empty into Green bay. He found himself alone, and decided to call to himself, Kine-u (the eagle). He said 'Eagle come to me and be my brother.' Thereupon the eagle deseended and became a man. While they were considering whom to call to join them they saw a beaver approaching. The beaver asked to be taken into the society of the thunderers, but, being a woman, was called Nama-ku-kin (Beaver Woman), and was adopted as a younger brother of the thunderers. The totem of the beaver at present is called 'Powatinot.' Soon after the bear and eagle were standing on the banks of a river and they saw a stranger, the sturgeon (Nama-eu). He was adopted by the bear as a younger brother and servant. Likewise Omas- kos. the elk, was accepted by the eagle as a younger brother and water carrier.
"At another time the bear was going up the Wisconsin river and. becoming tired, sat down to rest. From beneath a nearby waterfall Moquai-o, the wolf, emerged, and approaching the bear asked why he had wandered to that place. The bear said he was on his way to the source of the river, but was tired and unable to travel further. At that moment, Ota-tshia, the crane, flew by, and the bear called to him and said 'Crane carry me to my people at the head of the river and I will take you for my younger brother.' As the crane was taking the bear on its back the wolf called out 'Bear, take me for a younger brother also, for I am alone.' The bear accepted him and this is how the wolf and the crane became younger brothers of the bear. As Mo-quai-o, the wolf. permitted Anam, the dog, and Aba-shush, the deer, to join him afterwards, these three are now recognized as a sub-brotherhood. The
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wolf is still entitled to a seat in the council on the north (the strong) side, while the Bear claw, Ina-makiu (the Big Thunder) lived at Win- nebago lake, near Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. The Good Mystery made the thunderers the laborers, that they might be of benefit to the whole world. When they return from the southwest in the spring they bring the rains which make the earth green and the plants and trees to grow. If it were not for the thunderers. all green things would wither and die.
"The Good Mystery also gave corn to the thunderers-the kind known as squaw corn, which grows on small stalks and has various colored ears.
"The thunderers were also the makers of fire, which they first re- ceived from Mana-bush, who had stolen it from an old man who lived on an island in the middle of a great lake.
"The thunderers decided to visit the bear village at Minikani, and when they arrived they asked the bear to join them, promising to give corn and fire in return for rice, which was the property of the bear and sturgeon, and which grew plentifully along the waters of Mini- kani. The bear family agreed to this. and since that time the two fam- ilies have lived together. The bear family occupies the eastern side of the council, while the thunderers sit on the western side. These latter are the war chiefs, and have charge of the lighting of the fire.
"The wolf came from Moquaio, O-sepe-ome ( Wolf, his Creek) ; the dog (Anam) was born at Nomawiqkito (Sturgeon bay) ; the deer (Aba- shush) came from Shawano Nipe-se (Southern lake), and they joined the wolf at the Menominee river. After this union the bear built a long wigwam extending north and south, and the thunderers built a fire in the middle of it. From this all the families received fire which was carried to them by one of the thunderers. When the people traveled the thunderers went on ahead to a camping place and started the fire to be used by all."
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