History of Survivance: Upper Midwest 19th-Century Native American Narratives

Birchbark Makuk

Large burial mound at White Bear Lake, Minnesota

This image may not be reproduced for any reason without the express written consent of the White Bear Lake Area Historical Society.

The largest of nine American Indian burial mounds in the vicinity of Shady Lane and Lake Avenue along the shore of White Bear Lake prior to its demolition in April of 1889.

White Bear Lake Area Historical Society, PO Box 10543, White Bear Lake, MN 55110; http://www.whitebearhistory.org

http://reflections.mndigital.org/cdm/ref/collection/white/id/10

http://54.245.164.12:3000/mdl/items/wbl00003.tif

The tenure of the lands up the Upper Midwest by the Dakota (the eastern branch of the Lakota people, frequently also called Sioux) and Anishinaabe (also known as Ojibwe, Ojibwa and Chippewa) peoples can be archaeologically dated to a minimum of 11,300 years ago. Dakota oral histories describe an even longer occupation, starting with the gift of the land by the Creator in illo tempore. Anishinaabe oral history relates a prophecy where the people were told to move West, “to where the food grows on water.” Archaeological evidence indicates this was approximately 500 years ago. Regardless, the people themselves are, of course, still here.
What is perhaps so astonishing about the non-Native version of the history of Native America is that it essentially starts and ends with the colonization of the Upper Midwest by Europeans, a period of only a few centuries. Dakota and Anishinaabe traditions and culture are far older than that, and endure to this day.

Ancient Legacies

Colonization

Colonial Narratives

Conflict

Reservation Era

Survivance

Gathering wild rice, Detroit Lake, Minnesota

This image may not be reproduced for any reason without the express written consent of the Becker County Historical Society.

Two American Indians gathering wild rice in Detroit Lakes, Minnesota.

Becker County Historical Society, 714 Summit Avenue, Detroit Lakes, MN 56502; www.beckercountyhistory.org

http://reflections.mndigital.org/cdm/ref/collection/becker/id/44

http://54.245.164.12:3000/mdl/items/mhs24694a.tif

Anishinaabe people have been harvesting manoomin (wild rice) since time immemorial. They relate that manoomin was one of the reasons they came to Minnesota; the third vision of the Seven Fires Prophecy of the Ojibwe people declared that “the Anishinaabe will find the path to their chosen ground, a land in the west to which they must move their families. This will be the land where food grows upon the waters.” Ricing continues to this day, though this staple food of woodland Minnesota is now highly threatened by the degradation of environmental pollutants produced by heavy industry in the area.

History of Survivance: Upper Midwest 19th-Century Native American Narratives

Gathering Wild Rice

Gathering Wild Rice