A Publication of THREE FIRES

The Mitten

A Publication of Michigan History magazine SEPTEMBER 2001

THETHREE FIRES

The three tribes most traders. They also made excel- French arrived in the Great
commonly associated lent bark canoes that helped Lakes the Odawa had around
with Michigan are them trade all over North 3,000 people.
the Ojibway (Chippewa), the America. The Odawa lived
Odawa (Ottawa) and the along the eastern shores of The Potawatomi were
Potawatomi. These three Lake Michigan. When the called “the people of the place
tribes were like members of of the fire.” They were some
a family. The Ojibway were
the “older brothers.” The of Michigan’s earliest farm-
Odawa were the next born ers. The Potawatomi grew
and the Potawatomi were squash, corn, melons, beans
the “younger brothers.” and tobacco. Their villages
These three tribes formed the were larger and more perma-
Three Fires Confederacy, also nent than those of the
known as the Anishinabek. Ojibway and Odawa. There
A confederacy is a loose-knit were about 4,000 Pota-
alliance that promotes watomi living in Michigan
common interests. during the mid-1600s.

Ojibway means “to This painting shows Native Americans
roast ‘til puckered up” and living near present-day Sault Ste.
describes the unique style Marie. The bark-covered houses shown
of moccasins these Native here are called wigwams.
Americans wore. The Ojibway,
a tribe of around 30,000 peo- Royal Ontario Museum
ple, lived along the southern
shores of Lake Superior and
western Lake Huron. The
Ojibway were excellent
hunters and fishermen.

Odawa means “to trade.”
The Odawa were skilled

n the mid-1600s, corn, beans and
nine Native squash in gardens.
They also hunted.
I NativeAmerican tribes Men and boys used
traps and snares, as
lived in the Great Lakes

Americanarea. They totaled
around 100,000 people. Life well as bows and
The largest tribe was the arrows, to take
Huron, who lived in the bear, moose, deer,

region between Lakes wolf and fox.

Erie, Ontario and Huron. Americans did not live in Michigan Native Ameri-

Tribes living in the area that tepees. Most lived in dome- cans did not wear feathered

is now Michigan included the shaped houses called wig- headdresses. They wore their

Three Fires: the Ojibway, the wams. Saplings were stuck hair long. Sometimes they

Odawa and the Potawatomi. into the ground and tied braided their hair. In the

Other area tribes were the together to create a frame. summer, Native Americans

Menominee, the Sac (also Sheets of bark taken from wore only a breechcloth

Sauk), the Fox, the large trees were placed over and moccasins. During cold

Winnebago and the Miami. the saplings. When a family weather both men

Each tribe was and women wore

different, but they all fur hats, moc-

shared three beliefs: 1) casins, leggings

Spirits were more pow- and shirts.

erful than men; 2) Women also wore

Nature—the land, knee-length deer-

animals and plants— skin skirts.

belonged to everyone Today, many

and 3) No one had the State Archives of Michigan places in Michi-

right to run another gan have Native

person’s life. American

Everyone living in an names. The

Indian village worked. moved to a new The birch-bark canoe word Michigan
Women and girls did most place, they rolled was a remarkable comes from an
of the chores. They tanned up the bark cover- invention. The canoe Indian language.
(softened) animal skins, wove was strong, water- “Michi” means

fishnets, chopped wood, grew ing and took it with proof and lightweight. great; “gane”

crops and cooked. Men and them. They left the means lake or

boys hunted and fished. They sapling framework behind. water. But Native Americans

made bows and arrows, traps, Michigan Indians gave Michigan more than

wooden tools and canoes. obtained food in many ways. names. They taught

Unlike Native Americans From the forests and lakes Michigan’s first white people

who lived on the Great they gathered berries, nuts how to live in the wilderness,

Plains, Michigan Native and wild rice. They grew make canoes and hunt.

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE THREE FIRESt

Darryl Meredith The MUSEUM OF OJIBWA CULTURE in downtown St. Ignace has
exhibits on the Native American ways of life. The museum’s resident
Chippewa artist, Ron Paquin, demonstrates how he makes birch-bark
canoes and baskets. For information, write to 566 North State Street,
St. Ignace, MI 49781. Telephone (906) 643-9380 or visit on-line at
www.stignace.com/attractions/ojibwa.

The MICHIGAN HISTORICAL CENTER offers exhibits on
Native Americans in the Great Lakes area. On display are arrow-
heads, trade goods and a birch-bark canoe. The museum is located at 717 West Allegan, Lansing, MI
48918. Telephone (517) 373-3559, TDD: (800) 827-7007 or visit on-line at www.sos.state.mi.us/history.

The Creation of Places
Sle eping B ear Dun es in Michigan with
Native American names
T he people of the Three lake. The mother bear
Fires had many stories taught her cubs to be MICHIGAN = great lake
about how the world thankful to the Great
was created by the Manitou for all things. CHEBOYGAN = Chippewa water
Great Manitou, or Great
Spirit. One of the stories is One summer night KALAMAZOO = reflecting river
about how North and South there was a big thunder-
Manitou Islands and Sleeping storm. Lightning set the ISHPEMING = heaven
forest on fire. The mother
MUNISING = island in a lake

PETOSKEY = rising sun

ESCANABA = flat rock

Bear Dunes were made. bear gathered her cubs and

A mother bear and her jumped into the lake to escape

two cubs lived peacefully on the flames. All through the slept, the Great Manitou whis-

the western shore of Lake night they swam toward the pered to her. “Because you

Michigan. They ate berries distant shore, away from the always remembered me with

and fish and drank from the fire. The cubs grew tired. thanks, I will take you to the

First, the younger one Land of the Spirits. Your cubs

sank beneath the are already there.”

waves, then the older The Great Manitou creat-

cub disappeared. ed two islands to honor the

The mother brave bear cubs. He called

bear could not them North and South

save them. She Manitou Islands. The Great

made it to Manitou then covered the

shore and fell mother bear with a blanket of

into a deep sleep white sand. Today she rests

on the beach. As she under Sleeping Bear Dunes.

What Did
You Learn?
BONUS:
1. What does the word Potawatomi mean?
Which Native
American group was a. people of the place of the fire
known as skilled b. growers of corn
traders? c. big lake

a. Potawatomi 2. What did Native American women and girls do?
b. Menominee
c. Odawa a. make bows and arrows
b. tan animal skins
W*ORDS 9Vocabulary c. catch fish

3. Most Native Americans in Michigan lived in

houses called ____________________.

4. The _________________ Indians lived in southern

Great Plains: Prairie land in Michigan and were good farmers.
the middle United States

breechcloth: Square leather Q MC H K E B A NH S I N A NNT E Z S Find the
pieces worn over the front J P D O I MO T AWA T O P V AO J WF following
and back of the hip area N WN D H F M I O X P T OW B H F Z A I NATIVE
J J Q A AWK S J S I H L N S DP U UY AMERICAN
leggings: Leather pants Q GC WGC X M I P TQX W E LU T ZU
words
alliance: People joined
together in purpose or beliefs ANISHNABEK
OJIBWAY
saplings: Young trees ODAWA

The Mitten is produced by the staff of Michigan History W UH A P HWQ B VDHO P S SNG N F POTAWATOMI
magazine, which is part of the Michigan Historical B I Y C A NO E W R Y N I R P J GO M L THREEFIRES
Center. The Michigan Historical Center is part of the W S J M Q A S G A P S S Q G B WN J K D CANOE
Z H J I K S K G Y NMOC C A S I N J S SNOWSHOE
Department of History, Arts and Libraries. Dedicated to N R T H R E E F I R E S V D OGC A Z H MOCCASIN
enhancing the quality of life in Michigan, the department
also includes the Mackinac Island State Park Commission,
the Library of Michigan, the Michigan Film Office, and the

Michigan Council of Arts and Cultural Affairs.

For more information,
contact Michigan History at
(517) 373-3703 or visit us on-line at
www.sos.state.mi.us/history/mag