Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1898-10-13

plIcheQ battle between the ChlppeWdS
and the Sioux was fought near Shake
pee in 1858. Up to that time the
tribes usually fought from the time
the snow disappeared in the spring
until it reappeared in the fall. The
squaws were left to do all the ordi-
nary work Now the men built houses,
do blacksmith work, make hay and
cut lumber. The squaws make bas-
Network, maple sugar, supply the
food and do all the mental labor.
All the Chippewa Indians during
their lifetime have at least two
names. The mother names her child
as soon as it is born. This event usual
ly occurs in the woods. If it happens
beneath a pine tree she will name the
child Pine Tree" If a bird happens
to be in the tree at the time she will
call the little one Sitting Bird" or
Flying Bird" or Singing Bird" as
the case might be. These names are
temporary. If the child should be
sick, some one is chosen to select a
name for it, and if it gets we'll it al
ways retains this name, although it
may take other names selected either
by itself or by other persons, which
latter is given from some popularity,
as Curley-Hair.
When the child arrives at The age
of discretion, if a boy the father, If a
girl the mother, instead of placing
before it portion of food, as usual,
Substitutes charcoal. The child knows
what this is fOr-he must fast. So he
goes into the woods and hides HIM
self, where he stays until he falls
asleep and dreams of some animal,
and that animal not only gives him
a name, but he is supposed to be I'M
der its good influence for life. If a
child dreams of the red fox, it is sup
posed he will become possessed of all
the alertness, slyness, and trickery
of that animal. And all such quail
tiles are cheerfully conceded to him,
whether he has them or not, until the
! tribe discovers his lack of them.
Then common usage will substitute
something derisive in place of the
other name. After the fast and the
assuming of a name, the Indian is
considered a full-1edged man or
woman. 1t is the custom, however,
for the son to obey his father as long
as he lives, and the daughter her mo-
Their. If the father dies the son
| yields obedience to the mother This
parental sway is exercised with very
little coercion and the young are al
lowed to do about as they please. In
case of divorce the woman holds all
| the children. The children are not
| barred from the war dance, medicine
| dance, or any other Indian perform
ances. The child can put on feathers
for the scalp taken by his ancestors,
and hence the modern Indian wears
feathers, though he may never have
! taken a scalp.
Morality in its accepted sense is I'M
| known among the Chippewas Mar
riage usually takes place at about
| IA or Is, and the wife is Almost al
ways the older. This is because the
woman is the real worker and the
man is anxious to get a good working
| squaw. He reasons that the older
the woman is the shrewder and more
experienced, and therefore the more
desirable. Moreover, an experiment
tai year is put in, at the end of which.
| if marriage has proved a failure,
either party to the contract may
! quit.
Even now the Chippewas find con-
siderable game, and many occupy
! their entire time in hunting and trap
ping. Deer and moose are their great
dependence. Besides these there are
wild goose, duck partridge, and bear
The fox, wolf, otter, bear, mink,
muskrat, and skunk are trapped for
their fur. Many Of the trappers make
! large amounts of money every year
! Usually this is squandered. The
squaws do great deal of fishing from
canoes. Every Indian over 10 years
of age is an expert canoeist. The
| birch bark canoe is still used.
The Pillager Indians live in wig
vans. These are built usually Of
birch bark, although spruce, balsam,
tamarack, and other kinds are some
times used. Additional protection
| from the weather is sometimes given
by mats. The size of the lodge or
wigwam varies, but it is usually about
Is feet square. The principal crop
raised by those who have taken to
| agriculture is corn. The next crop in
value is the potato. Beyond a few
beans, pumpkins, and squashes this
is about all the Indians raise.
Although Christianity has made
many converts among the Chippewas,
the principal religion is that of the
medewe. All the Indians are super
stitious as regards spirits. They be-
lieve that there are spirits in every
thing, good spirits and bad spirits,
waking and slumbering spirits, guard
ian and destructive spirits. The
more active spirits are found in the
more active animals, while the spirits
of the winds, waters, woods, are a
sort of slumbering, negative kind,
only active when some wrong has
been inflicted upon them. When
caught out on the lake in a storm
they think they have offended the
water spirits, and so on. At least
one animal spirit watches over each
Indian.
The creed of the medewe is taught
by the medewe, or grand medicine
man. These form a species of secret
society consisting of four degrees.
The creed is simple. The teachers
instruct their followers against think
ing evil Of each other, against steal
ing, and impress them firmly with the