Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-01-01
cHiPPEWAs ACTIVE AT 90 YEARS
Two Sisters in Michigan Who Earn
Their Own Living Cheerfuliy.

large number OF Chippewa ana
Ottawa centenarians are living in the
northern parts of Michigan who are
still vigorous mentally as well as
physically. In Leelanau county, on
the west shore of Grand Traverse bay,
live two Chippewa women who put in
as many hours at hard work in their
fields as any farmer in this section of
the state.
They are the sisters of a chief of the
early days, Chief Psha -ba. Their
names are Angelina Psha -ha Ke-ze-
GU i-lSive, who is 81 wears old, and
Katie Psha-ba Un-auot-quay. 90 years
old They live in a mere shack, built
by their own hands several Years ago
after the log cabin occupied by their
brother. the old chief, had fallen into
decay. For 50 years they have not
Xentured farther away from their
home than TO follow the path which
leads from their shack to their two
large fields.
In the rear of their shack kettles of
various sizes are suspended over n
fire in the most primitive fashion and
here they prepare their food from early
spring until late fall Inside their
shack there is just room for a bed on
each side of the room, with stove
between for winters use, a tiny deal
table and wooden bench. From hooks
III the wall overhead hang loops of
braided ears of corn and sacks of dried
corn and ripe beans raised in their
fields and stored away for winter.
They keep two pigs and a small flock
of chickens.
They know nothing at all of scienti-
fic agriculture, Yet there are no corn
or potato fields i'm the country that
bring in a larger or better yield than
the fields Of these two old sisters.
They SOW and they reap. they weave
and they braid. and as fence builders
they are adopts. No one can beat
them at cutting down a tree or strip
ping the Lark. which they make into
ropes and Irvine for their sacks and
mats. When their abode requires re-
pairs they repair as assdously as they
till the ground. and they are the per-
senifieation of eheerfnness mean
while.
Angeline and Katie have lived a
long time and have never attended any
school. Their learning is all that of
another period. Back in the days of
the missionaries they were converted
by a Catholic priest, and when their
days tasks are done you. will find
them sitting by their door at sunset
reading from their catechisms, which
are printed in the Ojibway language.
Once in a very great while they
have a visitor, for whom they have d
genial smile of welcome. The visitor
comes sometimes out of curiosity and
sometimes to buy something in birch
bark wood or basketry AT this time
Angelina and Katie take the opportu-
nifty to have a dozen or so of needles
threaded, for though their eyes are
bright, their sight is not so keen as it
used to be.
Angelina and Katie have lived a
long time and they would like TO live
many more years. For this reason
they have never, had their pictures
taken because of tile Indian supersti-
ton that each click of the camera
takes 10 years from ones life. Only
once have they been persuaded to sit
for n photograph, and it was a tragic
moment for them. They posed for
this photograph with the resignation
of one heing condemned to death, but
recovered somewhat from their fear
after being allowed to take turns and
look through the camera at each other
To see each other standing on her
head through the camera touched their
humor and brought the coveted smile.
Correspondence of the Chicago Rec
ord Herald.