The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1927-05-27
BY z. A. ALLEN

Ever since Henry WaQSW0rth Long
fellow sang so beautifully the entranc.
ing story OF Hiawatha, the Chippewas,
living on the Northern border of our
country from Lake Superior to the
Turtle Mountains of North Dakota,
have been clothed in garments of mys-
terious splendor in the imagination of
those who still love to think. of the
Indian as possessing in marked degree
the virtues of heroism, faithfulness
to every trust and simple belief in
the overruling power of unseen forces
fers. Longfellow's theme was the
union of Chippewa youth with a
Dakota maiden, rare occurrence in
the history Of the two tribes, which
were at war with each other for the
possession Of the noble woods and the
fair lakes and streams Of Minnesota
until the victorious brothers of Hia.
watha pushed the stubborn and slow.
ly yielding Dakotas westward to the
plains comprising the two great
states named for them; and no visit
or to this North Country, where the
lakes are smiling, the streams are
parking and singing, and the forests
are offering their restful GOODNESS
through all the delightful summer,
can avoid the conviction that it was
land worth fighting for.
There are more than fourteen thou.
sand Chippewas now belonging to
Minnesota, between Lake Superior and
the western border Of the state. OF
this number about one-half principal
ly those having much white blood
are only nominal residents, their act
ual places of abode being in white
communities scattered from New York
to Honolulu.
Most of the full bloods and near full
bloods still cling to the region of the
homes of their ancestors and are
found chiefly in villages near some of
the numerous lakes. Nearly eighteen
hundred belong to the closed reserva.
ton at Red Lake, sixty miles North.
west of Cass Lake and forty miles
from Bemidji, under the able supervi.
sion of Superintendent Mark L. Burns,
himself proud in the possession of
some Chippewa blood. The other
twelve thousand five hundred are en-.
rolled in the Consolidated Chippewa
Agency, located at Cass Lake, some
times called ''the capital of the Chip
pewas".
From Cass Lake you travel in an
easterly direction, with detours both
North and South, 20 call on the vii
lagos of Bena, on Lake Winnibigoshish,
Ball Club, on the body of water with
the same name; Inger, on Bowstring
lake; Fond du Lac, near Cloquet, one
OF the greatest lumber manufacturing
centers of the world, and Grand Port
age, on Lake Superior, only about
fifty miles from Port Arthur, Canada.
To reach the last named village it is
necessary for you to travel distance
Of two hundred seventy-fve miles on
highways Eight and One, skirting
Lake Superior nearly all the way from
Duluth.
To the Northeast, one hundred and
sixty miles from Cass Lake, is Nett
Lake village, where live those Indians
who are said by ethnologists to be
the purest blood Chippewas of the
United States. Their lake, bearing
the name of the band. is the paradise
of the wild rice harvester and the
duck hunter, and the Indians cherish
for it the love one would give mother
who had furnished needed sustenance.
Cass Lake or, as it is known to the
Chippewas, Gahmisquahwahkokang,
Red Cedar. the beautiful body of wa
ter beside the village of the same
name, has Chippewas all about its
shores, and the same is true of that
larger body, Leech Lake, to the south,
with its wonderful shore line and null
titudes of fish. The chief village of
the last named lake is Gnigum, reach.
ed from Walker, where the Cop
eminent has provided for the Indians
Of the Jurisdiction hospital and
sanatorium for the tubercular.
To the west and south are the VII
lagos of the White Earth bands. The
easily accessible village of Vineland
is situated on Mile Laos lake, not more
than an easy four hours ride from
the Twin Cities. Mile Lac enjoys the
distinction of being the second larg.
est body Of fresh water wholly within
the United States Ponsford, Naytah.
waush and, lastly, White Earth, where
for many years were situated agency
headquarters and a large boarding
school are on the extreme west and
reached from Park Rapids. Detroit
Lakes and Mahnomen. At White Earth
the Government maintains another of
its four hospitals for the Chippewas
and the Sisters Of st. Benedict conduct
q splendid school for the Indian girls
of tho iurisdicfion