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The murders in cold blood among
the Ottawa and Chippewa nations of Indians in their primitive state were
exceedingly few, at least there was only one account in our old
tradition where a murder had been committed, a young Ottawa having
stabbed a young Chippewa while in dispute over their nets when they were
fishing for herrings on the Straits of Mackinac. This nearly caused a
terrible bloody war between the two powerful tribes of Indians (as they
were numerous then) so closely related. The tradition says they had
council after council upon this subject, and many speeches were
delivered on both sides. The Chippewa proposed war to settle the
question of murder, while the Ottawa proposed compromise and restitution
for the murder. Finally the Ottawa succeeded in settling the difficulty
by ceding part of their country to the Chippewa nation, which is now
known and distinguished as the Grand Traverse Region. A strip of land
which I believe to have extended from a point near Sleeping Bear, down
to the eastern shore of the Grand Traverse Bay, some thirty or forty
miles wide, thence between two parallel lines running southeasterly
until they strike the head waters of Muskegon River, which empties into
Lake Michigan not very far below Grand Haven. They were also allowed
access to all the rivers and streams in the Lower Peninsula of Michigan,
to trap the beavers, minks, otters and muskrats. The Indians used their
furs in former times for garments and blankets. This is the reason that
to this day the Odjebwes (Chippewa) are found in that section of the
country.
It may be said, this is not true; it is a mistake. We
have known several cases of murders among the Ottawa and Chippewa. I
admit it to be true, that there have been cases of murders among the
Ottawa and Chippewa since the white people knew them. But these cases of
murders occurred some time after they came in contact with the white
races in their country; but I am speaking now of the primitive condition
of Indians, particularly of the Ottawa and Chippewa, and I believe most
of those cases of murders were brought on through the bad influence of
white men, by introducing into the tribes this great destroyer of
mankind, soul and body, intoxicating liquors! Yet, during sixty years of
my existence among the Ottawa and Chippewa, I have never witnessed one
case of murder of this kind, but I heard there were a few cases in other
parts of the country, when in their fury from the influence of
intoxicating liquors.
There was one case of sober murder happened about fifty
years ago at Arbor Croche, where one young man disposed of his lover by
killing, which no Indian ever knew the actual cause of. He was arrested
and committed to the Council and tried according to the Indian style;
and after a long council, or trial, it was determined the murderer
should be banished from the tribe. Therefore, he was banished. Also,
about this time, one case of sober murder transpired among the Chippewa
of Sault Ste. Marie, committed by one of the young Chippewa whose name
was Wau-bau-ne-me-kee (White-thunder), who might have been released if
he had been properly tried and impartial judgment exercised over the
case, but we believe it was not. This Indian killed a white man, when he
was perfectly sober, by stabbing. He was arrested, of course, and tried
and sentenced to be hung at the Island of Mackinac. I distinctly
remember the time. This poor Indian was very happy when he was about to
be hung on the gallows. He told the people that he was very happy to
die, for he felt that he was innocent. He did not deny killing the man,
but he thought he was justifiable in the sight of the Great Spirit, as
such wicked monsters ought to be killed from off the earth; as this
white man came to the Indian's wigwam in the dead of night, and dragged
the mother of his children from his very bosom for licentious purpose.
He remonstrated, but his remonstrances were not heeded, as this ruffian
was encouraged by others who stood around his wigwam, and ready to fall
upon this poor Indian and help their fellow-ruffian; and he therefore
stabbed the principal party, in defense of his beloved wife, for which
cause the white man died. If an Indian should go to the white man's
house and commit that crime, he would be killed; and what man is there
who would say that is too bad, this Indian to be killed in that manner?
But every man will say amen, only he ought to have been tortured before
he was killed; and let the man who killed this bad and wicked Indian be
rewarded! This is what would be the result if the Indian would have done
the same thing as this white man did.
The Ottawa and Chippewa were quite virtuous in their
primitive state, as there were no illegitimate children reported in our
old traditions. But very lately this evil came to exist among the
Ottawa--so lately that the second case among the Ottawa of Arbor Croche
is yet living. And from that time this evil came to be quite frequent,
for immorality has been introduced among these people by evil white
persons who bring their vices into the tribes.
In the former times or before the Indians were
Christianized, when a young man came to be a fit age to get married, he
did not trouble himself about what girl he should have for his wife; but
the parents of the young man did this part of the business When the
parents thought best that their son should be separated from their
family by marriage, it was their business to decide what woman their son
should have as his wife; and after selecting some particular girl among
their neighbors, they would take up quite large package of presents and
then go to the parents of the girl and demand the daughter for their
son's wife at the same time delivering the presents to the parents of
the girl. If the old folks say yes, then they would fetch the girl right
along to their son and tell him, We have brought this girl as your wife
so long as you live; now take her, cherish her, and be kind to her so
long as you live. The young man and girl did not dare to say aught
against it, as it was the law and custom amongst their people, but all
they had to do was to take each other as man and wife. This was all the
rules and ceremony of getting married in former times among the Ottawa
and Chippewa of Michigan: they must not marry their cousins nor second
cousins.
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Chippewa History |
Ottawa History
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