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HISTORY
OF THE OTTAWA AND CHIPPEWA INDIANS
OF MICHIGAN;
A GRAMMAR OF THEIR LANGUAGE,
AND PERSONAL AND FAMILY HISTORY OF THE AUTHOR,
BY
ANDREW J. BLACKBIRD,
LATE U.S. INTERPRETER, HARBOR SPRINGS, EMMET CO.,
MICH.
INTRODUCTION
Andrew J. Blackbird, the author of this little book, is an educated
Indian, son of the Ottawa Chief. His Indian name is Mack-aw-de-be-nessy
(Black Hawk), but he generally goes by the name of "Blackbird," taken
from the interpretation of the French "L'Oiseau noir." Mr. Blackbird's
wife is an educated and intelligent white woman of English descent, and
they have four children. He is a friend of the white people, as well as
of his own people. Brought up as an Indian, with no opportunity for
learning during his boyhood, when he came to think for himself, he
started out blindly for an education, without any means but his brains
and his hands.
He was loyal to the Government during the rebellion in the United
States, for which cause he met much opposition by designing white
people, who had full sway among the Indians, and who tried to mislead
them and cause them to be disloyal; and he broke up one or two
rebellious councils amongst his people during the progress of the
rebellion.
When Hon. D. C. Leach, of Traverse City, Mich., was Indian Agent, Mr.
Blackbird was appointed United States Interpreter and continued in this
office with other subsequent Agents of the Department for many years.
Before he was fairly out of this office, he was appointed postmaster of
Little Traverse, now Harbor Springs, Mich., and faithfully discharged
his duties as such for over eleven years with but very little salary.
He has also for several years looked after the soldiers' claims for
widows and orphans, both for the whites as well as for his own people,
in many instances without the least compensation, not even his stamps
and paper paid. He is now decrepit with old age and failing health, and
unable to perform hard manual labor.
We therefore recommend this work of Mr. A. J. Blackbird as interesting
and reliable.
JAMES L. MORRICE,
Treasurer of Emmet County.
C. P. NEWKIRK,
Principal Harbor Springs Public Schools.
CHARLES R. WRIGHT,
Ex-President Harbor Springs.
CHARLES W. INGALLS,
Notary Public for Emmet Co.
ALBERT L. HATHAWAY,
County Clerk, Emmet County.
WM. H. LEE,
Probate Clerk and Abstractor of Titles.
ARCH. D. METZ,
Deputy Register of Deeds.
WILLARD P. GIBSON,
Pastor Presbyterian Church.
WILLIAM H. MILLER, U.S.A.
PREFACE.
I deem it not improper to present the history of the last race of
Indians now existing in the State of Michigan, called the Ottawa and
Chippewa Nations of Indians.
There were many other tribes of Indians in this region prior to the
occupancy of the Ottawa and Chippewa Indians of this State, who have
long ago gone out of existence. Not a page of their history is on
record; but only an allusion to them in our traditions.
I have herewith recorded the earliest history of the Ottawa tribe of
Indians in particular, according to their traditions. I have related
where they formerly lived, the names of their leaders, and what tribes
they contended with before and after they came to Michigan, and how
they came to be the inhabitants of this State. Also the earliest
history of the Island of Mackinac, and why it is called
"Michilimackinac"--which name has never been correctly translated by
white historians, but which is here given according to our knowledge of
this matter long before we came in contact with white races.
I have also recorded some of the most important legends, which resemble
the Bible history; particularly the legends with regard to the great
flood, which has been in our language for many centuries, and the
legend of the great fish which swallowed the prophet Ne-naw-bo-zhoo,
who came out again alive, which might be considered as corresponding to
the story of Jonah in the Sacred History.
Beside my own personal and our family history, I have also, quite
extensively, translated our language into English and added many other
items which might be interesting to all who may wish to inquire into
our history and language.
ANDREW J. BLACKBIRD.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT.
The Ypsilanti Auxiliary of the Women's National Indian Association, by
whose efforts this book is published, take this opportunity to express
earnest thanks to those who have aided in this work.
Most generous donations of money from friends of Indians and equally
valuable liberality from publishers and papermakers have made possible
the preservation of this most rare and important history.
This is the only instance where a native Indian has recorded the story
of his people and given a grammar of their language; thus producing a
work whose immense value, as an account of a race and a language
already passing into oblivion, will become even more inestimable with
the lapse of time.
Ypsilanti, Mich., Oct., 1887.
CHAPTER I.
History of the Ottawa of Michigan--Preliminary Remarks in Regard to
Other Histories, Concerning the Massacre of the Old British Fort on the
Straits of Mackinac--British Promise to the Ottawas--Ravages of Small
Pox--First Recollection of the Country of Arbor-Croche and Its
Definition--Uprightness and Former Character of the Indians.
I have seen a number of writings by different men who attempted to give
an account of the Indians who formerly occupied the Straits of Mackinac
and Mackinac Island, (that historic little island which stands at the
entrance of the strait,) also giving an account of the Indians who
lived and are yet living in Michigan, scattered through the counties of
Emmet, Cheboygan, Charlevoix, Antrim, Grand Traverse, and in the region
of Thunder Bay, on the west shore of Lake Huron. But I see no very
correct account of the Ottawa and Chippewa tribes of Indians, according
to our knowledge of ourselves, past and present. Many points are far
from being credible. They are either misstated by persons who were not
versed in the traditions of these Indians, or exaggerated. An instance
of this is found in the history of the life of Pontiac (pronounced
Bwon-diac), the Odjebwe (or Chippewa) chief of St. Clair, the
instigator of the massacre of the old fort on the Straits of Mackinac,
written by a noted historian. In his account of the massacre, he says
there was at this time no known surviving Ottawa Chief living on the
south side of the Straits. This point of the history is incorrect, as
there were several Ottawa chiefs living on the south side of the
Straits at this particular time, who took no part in this massacre, but
took by force the few survivors of this great, disastrous catastrophe,
and protected them for a while and afterwards took them to Montreal,
presenting them to the British Government; at the same time praying
that their brother Odjebwes should not be retaliated upon on account of
their rash act against the British people, but that they might be
pardoned, as this terrible tragedy was committed through mistake, and
through the evil counsel of one of their leaders by the name of
Bwondiac (known in history as Pontiac). They told the British
Government that their brother Odjebwes were few in number, while the
British were in great numbers and daily increasing from an unknown part
of the world across the ocean. They said, "Oh, my father, you are like
the trees of the forest, and if one of the forest trees should be
wounded with a hatchet, in a few years its wound will be entirely
healed. Now, my father, compare with this: this is what my brother
Odjebwe did to some of your children on the Straits of Mackinac, whose
survivors we now bring back and present to your arms. O my father, have
mercy upon my brothers and pardon them; for with your long arms and
many, but a few strokes of retaliation would cause our brother to be
entirely annihilated from the face of the earth!"
According to our understanding in our traditions, that was the time the
British Government made such extraordinary promises to the Ottawa tribe
of Indians, at the same time thanking them for their humane action upon
those British remnants of the massacre. She promised them that her long
arms will perpetually extend around them from generation to generation,
or so long as there should be rolling sun. They should receive gifts
from her sovereign in shape of goods, provisions, firearms, ammunition,
and intoxicating liquors! Her sovereign's beneficent arm should be even
extended unto the dogs belonging to the Ottawa tribe of Indians. And
what place soever she should meet them, she would freely unfasten the
faucet which contains her living water--whisky, which she will also
cause to run perpetually and freely unto the Ottawas as the fountain of
perpetual spring! And furthermore: she said, "I am as many as the stars
in the heavens; and when you get up in the morning, look to the east;
you will see that the sun, as it will peep through the earth, will be
as red as my coat, to remind you why I am likened unto the sun, and my
promises will be as perpetual as the rolling sun!"
Ego-me-nay--Corn-hanger--was the head counselor and speaker of the
Ottawa tribe of Indians at that time, and, according to our knowledge,
Ego-me-nay was the leading one who went with those survivors of the
massacre, and he was the man who made the speech before the august
assembly in the British council hall at Montreal at that time. Ne-saw-
key--Down-the-hill--the head chief of the Ottawa Nation, did not go
with the party, but sent his message, and instructed their counselor in
what manner he should appear before the British Government. My father
was a little boy at that time, and my grandfather and my great-
grandfather were both living then, and both held the first royal rank
among the Ottawas. My grandfather was then a sub-chief and my great-
grandfather was a war chief, whose name was Pun-go-wish: And several
other chiefs of the tribe I could mention who existed at that time, but
this is ample evidence that the historian was mistaken in asserting
that there was no known Ottawa chief existing at the time of the
massacre.
However it was a notable fact that by this time the Ottawas were
greatly reduced in numbers from what they were in former times, on
account of the small-pox which they brought from Montreal during the
French war with Great Britain. This small pox was sold to them shut up
in a tin box, with the strict injunction not to open the box on their
way homeward, but only when they should reach their country; and that
this box contained something that would do them great good, and their
people! The foolish people believed really there was something in the
box supernatural, that would do them great good. Accordingly, after
they reached home they opened the box; but behold there was another tin
box inside, smaller. They took it cut and opened the second box, and
behold, still there was another box inside of the second box, smaller
yet. So they kept on this way till they came to a very small box, which
was not more than an inch long; and when they opened the last one they
found nothing but mouldy particles in this last little box! They
wondered very much what it was, and a great many closely inspected to
try to find out what it meant. But alas, alas! pretty soon burst out a
terrible sickness among them. The great Indian doctors themselves were
taken sick and died. The tradition says it was indeed awful and
terrible. Every one taken with it was sure to die. Lodge after lodge
was totally vacated--nothing but the dead bodies lying here and there
in their lodges--entire families being swept off with the ravages of
this terrible disease. The whole coast of Arbor Croche, or Waw-gaw-naw-
ke-zee, where their principal village was situated, on the west shore
of the peninsula near the Straits, which is said to have been a
continuous village some fifteen or sixteen miles long and extending
from what is now called Cross Village to Seven-Mile Point (that is,
seven miles from Little Traverse, now Harbor Springs), was entirely
depopulated and laid waste. It is generally believed among the Indians
of Arbor Croche that this wholesale murder of the Ottawas by this
terrible disease sent by the British people, was actuated through
hatred, and expressly to kill off the Ottawas and Chippewas because
they were friends of the French Government or French King, whom they
called "Their Great Father." The reason that to-day we see no full-
grown trees standing along the coast of Arbor Croche, a mile or more in
width along the shore, is because the trees were entirely cleared away
for this famous long village, which existed before the small-pox raged
among the Ottawas.
In my first recollection of the country of Arbor Croche, which is sixty
years ago, there was nothing but small shrubbery here and there in
small patches, such as wild cherry trees, but the most of it was grassy
plain; and such an abundance of wild strawberries, raspberries and
blackberries that they fairly perfumed the air of the whole coast with
fragrant scent of ripe fruit. The wild pigeons and every variety of
feathered songsters filled all the groves, warbling their songs
joyfully and feasting upon these wild fruits of nature; and in these
waters the fishes were so plentiful that as you lift up the anchor-
stone of your net in the morning, your net would be so loaded with
delicious whitefish as to fairly float with all its weight of the
sinkers. As you look towards the course of your net, you see the fins
of the fishes sticking out of the water in every way. Then I never knew
my people to want for anything to eat or to wear, as we always had
plenty of wild meat and plenty of fish, corn, vegetables, and wild
fruits. I thought (and yet I may be mistaken) that my people were very
happy in those days, at least I was as happy myself as a lark, or as
the brown thrush that sat daily on the uppermost branches of the stubby
growth of a basswood tree which stood near by upon the hill where we
often played under its shade, lodging our little arrows among the thick
branches of the tree and then shooting them down again for sport.
[Footnote: The word Arbor Croche is derived from two French words:
Arbre, a tree; and Croche, something very crooked or hook-like. The
tradition says when the Ottawas first came to that part of the country
a great pine tree stood very near the shore where Middle Village now
is, whose top was very crooked, almost hook-like. Therefore the Ottawas
called the place "Waw-gaw-naw-ke-zee"--meaning the crooked top of the
tree. But by and by the whole coast from Little Traverse to Tehin-gaw-
beng, now Cross Village, became denominated as Waw-gaw-naw-ke-zee.]
Early in the morning as the sun peeped from the east, as I would yet be
lying close to my mother's bosom, this brown thrush would begin his
warbling songs perched upon the uppermost branches of the basswood tree
that stood close to our lodge. I would then say to myself, as I
listened to him, "here comes again my little orator," and I used to try
to understand what he had to say; and sometimes thought I understood
some of its utterances as follows: "Good morning, good morning! arise,
arise! shoot, shoot! come along, come along!" etc., every word repeated
twice. Even then, and so young as I was, I used to think that little
bird had a language which God or the Great Spirit had given him, and
every bird of the forest understood what he had to say, and that he was
appointed to preach to other birds, to tell them to be happy, to be
thankful for the blessings they enjoy among the summer green branches
of the forest, and the plenty of wild fruits to eat. The larger boys
used to amuse themselves by playing a ball called Paw-kaw-do-way, foot-
racing, wrestling, bow-arrow shooting, and trying to beat one another
shooting the greatest number of chipmunks and squirrels in a day, etc.
I never heard any boy or any grown person utter any bad language, even
if they were out of patience with anything. Swearing or profanity was
never heard among the Ottawa and Chippewa tribes of Indians, and not
even found in their language. Scarcely any drunkenness, only once in a
great while the old folks used to have a kind of short spree,
particularly when there was any special occasion of a great feast going
on. But all the young folks did not drink intoxicating liquors as a
beverage in those days. And we always rested in perfect safety at night
in our dwellings, and the doorways of our lodges had no fastenings to
them, but simply a frail mat or a blanket was hung over our doorways
which might be easily pushed or thrown one side without any noise if
theft or any other mischief was intended. But we were not afraid for
any such thing to happen us, because we knew that every child of the
forest was observing and living under the precepts which their
forefathers taught them, and the children were taught almost daily by
their parents from infancy unto manhood and womanhood, or until they
were separated from their families.
These precepts or moral commandments by which the Ottawa and Chippewa
nations of Indians were governed in their primitive state, were almost
the same as the ten commandments which the God Almighty himself
delivered to Moses on Mount Sinai on tables of stone. Very few of these
divine precepts are not found among the precepts of the Ottawa and
Chippewa Indians, except with regard to the Sabbath day to keep it
holy; almost every other commandment can be found, only there are more,
as there were about twenty of these "uncivilized" precepts. They also
believed, in their primitive state, that the eye of this Great Being is
the sun by day, and by night the moon and stars, and, therefore, that
God or the Great Spirit sees all things everywhere, night and day, and
it would be impossible to hide our actions, either good or bad, from
the eye of this Great Being. Even the very threshold or crevice of your
wigwam will be a witness against you, if you should commit any criminal
action when no human eye could observe your criminal doings, but surely
your criminal actions will be revealed in some future time to your
disgrace and shame. These were continual inculcations to the children
by their parents, and in every feast and council, by the "Instructors
of the Precepts" to the people or to the audience of the council. For
these reasons the Ottawas and Chippewas in their primitive state were
strictly honest and upright in their dealings with their fellow-beings.
Their word of promise was as good as a promissory note, even better, as
these notes sometimes are neglected and not performed according to
their promises; but the Indian promise was very sure and punctual,
although, as they had no timepieces, they measured their time by the
sun. If an Indian promised to execute a certain obligation at such
time, at so many days, and at such height of the sun, when that time
comes he would be there punctually to fulfill this obligation. This was
formerly the character of the Ottawa and Chippewa Indians of Michigan.
But now, our living is altogether different, as we are continually
suffering under great anxiety and perplexity, and continually being
robbed and cheated in various ways. Our houses have been forcibly
entered for thieving purposes and murder; people have been knocked down
and robbed; great safes have been blown open with powder in our little
town and their contents carried away, and even children of the
Caucasian race are heard cursing and blaspheming the name of their
Great Creator, upon whose pleasure we depended for our existence.
According to my recollection of the mode of living in our village, so
soon as darkness came in the evening, the young boys and girls were not
allowed to be out of their lodges. Every one of them must be called in
to his own lodge for the rest of the night. And this rule of the
Indians in their wild state was implicitly observed.
Ottawa and Chippewa Indians were not what we would call entirely
infidels and idolaters; for they believed that there is a Supreme Ruler
of the Universe, the Creator of all things, the Great Spirit, to which
they offer worship and sacrifices in a certain form. It was customary
among them, every spring of the year, to gather all the cast off
garments that had been worn during the winter and rear them up on a
long pole while they were having festivals and jubilees to the Great
Spirit. The object of doing this was that the Great Spirit might look
down from heaven and have compassion on his red children. Only this,
that they foolishly believe that there are certain deities all over the
lands who to a certain extent govern or preside over certain places, as
a deity who presides over this river, over this lake, or this mountain,
or island, or country, and they were careful not to express anything
which might displease such deities; but that they were not supreme
rulers, only to a certain extent they had power over the land where
they presided. These deities were supposed to be governed by the Great
Spirit above.