November 2, 2017 at 3:22 p.m.
History of the Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa
History of the Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa
By By Melinda Young-
Editor's note: To acknowledge National Native American Heritage Month, The Times will be featuring stories throughout the month of November celebrating the Native American culture in our area.
Ojibwe people have continually inhabited the Great Lakes Region since before the founding of the United States of America. In 1745 Chief Keeshkemun (Sharpened Stone) led several Ojibwe families to Northern Wisconsin for the wild rice, fish, and game that was plentiful in the region.
Fish were taken at night, guided by the light of a flaming torch. Thus, the French fur trappers and traders named "Lac du Flambeau" (Lake of the Torches), which is the current heart of the Lac du Flambeau Ojibwe Nation.
The traditional way of life in the region included spring times in small family "sugar camps" dispersed across the extensive maple forests, summer in the many small planting grounds that were cultivated each year in the fertile soils of the expansive prairies, and year-round hunting and fishing in the many lakes, rivers, and streams, including Lake Superior.
The planting grounds were harvested in the fall, along with the wild rice, fruits, and nuts of the season. The harvests were prepared, preserved, and transported to winter camps at Flambeau Lake, where all the families gathered together in late fall and lived until the early spring.
Lac du Flambeau Band of Ojibwe historical timeline
3000 BC-1000 AD: The three nations of the Anishinaabe: the Ojibwe (keepers of the Faith) the Potawatomi (keepers of the Fire) and the Ottawa (the traders) begin to migrate westward from the St. Lawrence seaway.
1500 (circa): The Anishinaabe have settled in the western great lakes region near the area of Makinak Minissing and the great falls areas (Mackinac Island and Niagara Falls).
1600s: Europeans make way into the great lake areas and begin to trade with the bands of Native Americans. For the next century the people would continue to venture westward following the north and south shores of the big lake called "Gitchii Gamig" (Lake Superior).
1700s: The Ojibwe inhabit an island referred to Moningwanekaaning (flicker bird), now known as Madeline Island, among the Apostle Islands in the northern tip of Wisconsin. In 1745 Chief Keeshkemun settles his band of Ojibwe in the area known today as "Lac du Flambeau" a French word in reference to Lake of the Torches.
1800s: Several treaties have been agreed upon by the newcomers into these territories and the Native people who have lived here, in regards the Ojibwe people, emphasize in these treaties that they will be able to gather and hunt as they have for survival and are granted an area called the ceded territories which are upheld by these treaties. By 1830 the fur trade begins to wind-down.
1900s: By early this century the Ojibwe are stagnant in their boundaries of reservations, the people of Lac du Flambeau have been introduced to boarding schools, logging mill and camps and the sale of their land within the reservation due to the introduction of the Dawes Allotment Act. In 1924 the Indian Citizenship Act is passed this is greatly due to the large number of Native Americans who signed up and fought in World War I. In 1934 the Tribe has first elections for Council. In the 1960s, development begins in the area establishing tribal buildings.
2000: As we evolve into this century Native Americans across the continent are surviving on their own sovereignty and legislations. Casino/gaming plays major roles in the tribes mechanisms.
Lac du Flambeau's famous eagle - A Civil War legend
The most famous bird in American history came from the Waswagoning area, now known as the Lac du Flambeau Indian Reservation. In 1861, the Lac du Flambeau Indians were on their annual spring expedition into the maple sugar bush of the northern forests. Chief Sky, the son of Chief Thunder-of-Bees, encountered two baby eaglets way up atop the pines and took them down. As the people traveled down river they came upon the home of Dan McCann to whom they gave the baby eaglet who would one day become the famous "Old Abe."
McCann cared for the eagle until it became older and decided to present the special eagle to the Union soldiers of Wisconsin. McCann presented Old Abe to the 8th Wisconsin Regiment at Eau Claire. After accepting the eagle, the company changed their names from the Badgers to the War Eagles, and Old Abe served as their mascot for many years.
As a part of the War Eagle Company, Old Abe became more famous each day and provided a great source of pride to the men of the Wisconsin 8th. Abe was carried into battle on a perch in the same way as the American Flag. He withstood battles in Wisconsin, Illinois, Mississippi, Alabama and Tennessee. After the war ended, Old Abe traveled across the country and attended national conventions, centennial celebrations and many major events. Abe rested in his home in Madison, at the end of his life and actually resided in the Capitol building.
In recent years, Abe has been awarded honors by the U.S. government and military service. In 1999, 8th Regiment Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry re-dedicated the Old Abe statue in Jim's Falls, Wisc., along with a 20-mile trail in that area in his name. This famous bird, born in the beautiful north country of Lac du Flambeau, an area still abundant in eagles, was found by Chief Sky, and then spent his life with the brave soldiers and historical leaders of the United States.
See future editions of The Times for more history.
Note on sources: Information gathered from Tribal historic reference materials.
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