Experiences of the Grand Portage Band of Ojibwa from 1763 to 1803.

I want to start out with a note about names and history, Chippewa and Ojibwa are the same people, and the word is even the same with different pronunciation this is difficult to grasp until you put the O in front of Chippewa (Ochippewa). The Ojibwa also call themselves Anishinaabe or “the original men" it can be shortened to Shinob when used as a nickname among them. Ottawa and Potawatomi also call themselves Anishinaabe, and at some time in the past, the three tribes were a single tribe. Ojibwa is the Algonquin word meaning to pucker and came the unique puckered seam of Ojibwa moccasins.

The Ojibwa after by late 1680 progressed to the east, south, and west. During the conflicts with the Iroquois, the Ojibwa moved down both sides of Lake Huron and by the early1700s dominated almost all of Lower Michigan and Southern Ontario. Ojibwa clans Followed the French fur trade west during the 1720s.it should be noted at the same time, other Ojibwa bands pushed south to settle in northern Illinois. By the early1800s Ojibwa were living in Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Michigan, Minnesota, Michigan, North Dakota, Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio. Euro-American occupation and genocide would take most of their land and forced them onto reservations, but most Ojibwa bands have remained in their homeland, including the band at Grand Portage.

Though out this project, I have often referred to Ojibwa as if all belonged to the Grand Portage bands for simplicity. The Ojibwa Bands who traded in furs with the fur companies were numerous spreading outland and inland of Lake Superior and the political center was at Rainy Lake.

The Ojibwa were not the original inhabitants of Grand Portage, nor were the British the original fur companies but by 1763 through war and constantly changing political alliances between Europeans the indigenous people of the Great Lakes region these two groups were to control the fur trade. While there is an enormous amount of conflict between the overall effects of the fur trade, for the purposes of this project. I would like to focus on the relationship between the Europeans and the Ojibwa during the boom years of Grand Portage.

Starting in the 1760s the British attempted to establish trade with the Ojibwa however, this was not a simple matter for the Ojibwa viewed trade not just an exchange of merchandise but as a bonding between people. The Ojibwa and other tribes had been trading with the French in the region since as early as the 1650s. The British had won the war with the French to control the territory, but had not negotiated peace with the Ojibwa whom still saw the French as family. The British traders soon came to realize that not only would they need to rely on the French-Canadians to act as traders (North man) and laborers but would need to treat the Ojibwa as an independent nation.

The Ojibwa would soon come to accept the British as trading partners due to both the British learning to bond with the Ojibwa and through the intervention of the French-Canadians or North man of whom many had Native American wives. In these early years, there were no company monopolies, the British were largely financers, and the North man were still profiting greatly from these expeditions. The truth is that without the indigenous people’s desire for the European goods there would have been no fur trade.
Another reason for a positive relationship with both French and British Europeans was that neither had a desire to change the Ojibwa lifestyle. While they might have found many aspects of the culture objectionable, they treated the Ojibwa decently. The Europeans of course brought priest but made no demands the Ojibwa convert. Just as important the Europeans never assumed that permission to trade gave them land rights and recognized for the most part the sovernty of Native American Nation.

The way that the indigenous people did business was at first more baffling to them then the language. The culture of the Native American was not based upon material wealth and in fact, possessions hindered their lifestyle. A clan might move to as many as six areas through out the year depending on the season and families needed to be as unencumbered as possible. The attractiveness of the European goods was for the convenience they offered.
The Native American people did not need to base their self-esteem on tangible possessions, as the family structure was deep and rich. Parents through the oral tradition nurtured self worth in their offspring as their stories fostered each person’s individuality as well as their interdependence. The family structure placed immense value on grandparents as well as aunts and uncles.

Europeans had products that were very desirable to the Ojibwa obviously the first were the European weapons and the supplies to make them effective. The Ojibwa themselves had found themselves advanced to their current geography by possession of firearms. The Ojibwa were originally only guest of the Dakota and served as intermediaries in exchange for occupancy and hunting rights. This agreement, which started in late 1680s, worked well for both nations. The Dakota preferred to farm, this left little time for hunting, and traveling to trade, the Ojibwa received a place to thrive and were able to collect some trade goods. Eventually the weapons would shift the balance of power from the Dakota to the Ojibwa.

Guns were not the only trade good that had value, as items such as clothing, steel knifes and kettles, flint and thread all offered the indigenous people freedom from some of the tediousness of manufacturing comparable items. The time saved proved to better feed and interact with family members. Relationships were in higher regard then wealth as it was common for those considered rich by native standards to hold ceremonies and give away all they had to other clan members.

One item that would be a deterrent to the Ojibwa was of course alcohol. The North American natives had never produced alcohol, which makes the culture unique in world history. While at first the French and later the British realized the advantage this gave them, most early traders and companies could see that it might also spell disaster to the fur trade as a whole. This does not mean that all traders were as scrupulous or had the foresight too limit alcohol as trade goods. However most Europeans saw it as bad for the fur trade overall, and life at that time was satisfactory for the Ojibwa; this did not make alcohol as attractive.
Alcohol held no great attraction to most Ojibwa in these early years of European interaction because of the importance of the indigenous people’s spirituality. The Ojibwa had deep-rooted spiritual beliefs and traditions that integrated seamlessly in their everyday life. Every child was instructed in mino-bimaadiziwin or the good life by not only parents but by grandparents and the parent’s siblings, who were viewed as equally important in child nurturing. These spiritual values based on love of life and respect for all life shielded the Ojibwa from emotional problems readily found in European cultures. This was a major reason that the gender psychology was without black and white roles as found in the European culture. Women in the indigenous cultures held great value as the bearers of life and in fact, the drum used in most ceremonies was a constant reminder of that fact. The Drum is much like the heartbeat heard within the womb where all life springs.

Trading as earlier mentioned not simply an exchange of goods to the Ojibwa or a quick affair. The Ojibwa as with most indigenous people saw trading as a pact of loyalty and friendship. Agreeing to be trading partners meant that both parties had obligations to each other, which could even include aiding each other in conflict. A good example of this is during the Euro American war with the British, while the colonies never approached the Grand Portage the British army did. They enjoyed the full support of the Ojibwa whom they lavished with British flags and medallions. These symbols of allegiance were of such importance to the Ojibwa we could view items donated by Ojibwa families to the Minnesota Historical Society as late as the late 1970s.The Ojibwa provided canoes and food to the redcoats as well as acted as guides along with the voyageurs. The Euro-American revolution would also increase trade in the area as the war pushed trading north.

The Ojibwa took this obligation very seriously; the winterers were dependent on the indigenous peoples for food, canoes guidance, and shelter. If it were not for the willingness of the clans to accommodate them the winterers never could have even survived let alone allowed the fur companies to profit. The indigenous peoples never thought twice and considered it a responsibility to support all aspects of the traders care and welfare. The Ojibwa guided them interpreted for them if need be. They picked sites for their post and even provided snowshoes and moccasins. This of course was in addition to hunting trapping and curing the skins for which they would trade to the North man. This obligation also had a positive side for the Ojibwa as the Northman was isolated and the all news came from the clans. The Ojibwa dispensed news of fur prices fluctuations at the clan’s pleasure. This interdependence kept the scales balanced for several decades.

Besides Furs, canoes proved a constant need and brought the natives close to one hundred dollars hard currency. Cash allowed the indigenous people more buying power then furs. While the Rainy Lake bands supplied most of the twenty-five foot birch bark canoes the grand portage bands supplied quite a few. Food could also be sold to the fur companies while the Grand Portage Ojibwa supplied wild rice; the Ojibwa on Lake Michigan sold the company ships enormous quantities of corn, maple sugar and beans.

The early 1780s brought a tip in the scales to this delicate balance to the Europeans favor as the worst small pox epidemic moved across North America. An estimated two thirds of the indigenous people died because of this tragedy. The disease in Minnesota spread the Red River to Rainey Lake then on too Grand Portage. The impact was devastating as the political structure collapsed with the death of the elders. Families were left with out providers and the women were left out numbering the men. Tribal histories and spiritual leaders were also lost, creating a whole society that suffered from what we would now term Post-Traumatic Stress Syndrome. The Ojibwa would never recover, as it was a society that depended on the grandfathers. the next generations would find themselves faced with social problems that until that time were rare including domestic violence. Alcoholism grew much more common and would continue to grow as Europeans and Euro Americans encouraged it.
The second change came from the Europeans as the North West Company reorganized to resemble our modern day corporations. This with the decreasing number of quality furs shifted the balance again toward the Europeans. The new concept of business even alienated the winterers and they were replaced with clerks. Interrupters and canoemen accompanied the clerks, this not only replace Ojibwa as the trade language but also ended the bond between the fur traders and Ojibwa. Other changes also darkened the relationship, such as the increased use of liquor for trade. The early 1800s would see the fur companies ship over forty thousand gallons of liquor into Grand portage.
The real death of the Grand Portage as a fur trading post of course was the Euro-Americans asserting their boarder rights. By the time, the last rendezvous was held at the Grand Portage in 1802 it was also clear that number of quality fur the region could produce had dwindled. While the North West Company moved across the Canadian, border and would continue trading for a few more years. The Ojibwa were already starting to resume their previous way of life.

resources
Waasa inaabidaa by Thomas Peacock, published by the Afton historical press, 2002
Author : Peacock, Thomas D.

The Grand Portage Story by Carolyn Gilman, Published by the Minnesota Historical Society Press, c1992 Author : Gilman, Carolyn,

Grand Portage Chippewa: Oral histories of the Grand Portage Band, published by the
Grand Portage tribal council and the Sugarloaf Interpretive Center Association , 2000
.

Bridget Riversmith is a Duluth-based artist who is one of the most original artist, whose works I have had the pleasure to view in the last several years.Her images are both dark yet strangly innocent.
The website she has set up is as wonderful as her art work and i advise you to set aside enough time to enjoy its richness.

One of my first addictions was caffeine and is the only one I have retained. As a very young teen, the Last Exit to Brooklyn known as "The Exit" to everybody proved to be my training ground in the world of espresso. This funky throw back from 60s provided a hang out for a amazingly eclectic clientele. I was fortunate enough to get too experience The Exit in both my early teens and my twenties. But this wonderful piece of Seattle history is a different story then I want to tell right now.

Local coffee shops have been a destination for entertainment and socializing. Starbucks and its imitators has always been too mainstream and commercial for my taste. I very much prefer the look and feel of the independently owned coffeehouses. While I have been to many of them over the past twenty-three years, two special ones hold a cupful of warm thoughts. Two of my favorite coffee shops contain rich atmosphere, diverse patrons and a variety of entertainment.
Both of my favored establishments cultivate a certain ambiance. Only the second coffee shop I ever patronized was Tony’s Italian Cafe in Cleveland Ohio; Tony’s Italian Cafe was a mix of old world charm and late seventies punk culture. I felt comfortable from the moment I walked in to the place and gazed at the wallpaper imported from Italy upon which hung the works of local artist. The tables filled the small cafe were made of rod iron as were the chairs. Pastel over stuffed pillows and chair backs made the seats comfortable. Besides the aroma of freshly brewed coffee, the smells of hearty Mediterranean cuisine permeated the air. My current den of caffeine delight is right here in Duluth and called Beaner’s Central. The differences between Tony’s and the layout of Beaner’s are obvious; Beaner’s is all modern and very lively. The music plays continually as Cd's provide subtle background during the day and musicians perform from the stage at night. There is a warm comfortable feeling created by the light purple walls and soft lighting. In the front, a mixture of overstuffed couches and comfortable booths invite groups to visit and hang out. In the center of the coffee house, small tables accommodate the business people and couples. The smell of fresh baked pastries and cookies over the lush smell of roasted coffee beans fill the air.
I really like to watch and listen to a diverse group of people. Tony’s Cafe had an interesting mix of clientele, which included people from the neighborhood, younger people who were involved in the local punk culture and a handful of fledgling artist and musicians. I spent many an afternoon sipping a quad cappuccino and listening to the musical Italian accents of the retired men who lived in that neighborhood. Their hand gestures seemed to be as important as their words when they were making a point or telling a story. One interesting senior citizen sat every afternoon with a newspaper and a demitasse cup of black espresso in front of him. After reading a section of the paper, he would down the pungent coffee then motion for a refill. He then continued on to the next section of the paper, his routine never seemed to alter or did I ever tire of witnessing it. Beaner’s customers are a mix of business people, college students, musicians and artist, tourist and of course, espresso fanatics like me. The first time I visited Beaner’s was several years ago, while on a holiday excursion with my late wife. We ended up meeting and becoming good friends with a musician .Our second visit was a on a trip to hear our new friend and her group perform at the coffee shop.
Often I go to a coffee shop to be stimulated by entertainment as well as caffeine. Beaner’s is a haven for local talented musicians who meet to network and share artistic insights. Performers also gather to catch the shows of musicians like themselves, who come from all over the United States. The owner of Beaner’s plays with two different local bands and has furnished the coffee house with a first rate sound system as well as several experienced sound technicians to run the sound board for shows. The stage is professional with a great lighting scheme. Visual art is also incorporated, starting with a colorful and large mural directly behind the stage. Every month a different regional artist displays their work on the walls and sculpture or pottery artists often have offerings placed on small tables around the cafe. Whereas Tony’s stage was really just a corner where they had cleared a few tables away from, it prompted many to perform. The art that graced the walls was always changing as new works were exchanged and occasionally sold .Thinking back to those days I think the real entertainment was watching the interaction of the Italian culture with the rising Punk culture. While there were many clashes I think each group respected the others desire to as the Sinatra song states “Do my way”.
The two coffee shops could be viewed by some as different as night and day; I see many similarities. This is actually based upon the human experience, as what I think I enjoy are the many memories of events, gatherings and personal discoveries. In the end, cherished the most; are the memories of individuals who were friends, confidants and lovers. They come to mind with every whoosh of steam from an espresso machine, many who have vanished just like the steam. Coffee shops are commonplace these days but the establishments that last have the quality to create memorable events.

She came home after her first date with this new lady in her life and she was giddy.
I sat and listened to her tell me about the whole evening in detail and everything about her new girlfriend. She was planning on taking my son to the aquarium the next day and had suggested her new flame go with them. This did not bother me in the least as I knew Ann had a great deal of tact when the situation required it.
The next day talking with my son it was quite clear Ann. was not the only one quite taken with this new lady, he sang her praises all through dinner.
Some might think at this point I was a tad jealous but in truth I was not -I was working long hours with a renewed enjoyment, as I was now sober I mended a lot of relationships and my creativeness was a new high. We also had other people staying with us and a lot of people stopping by for a meal or chat. I was renewing and making amends with my son and developing my own spiritual understanding my life was full.
So it went through most of the summer when Ann. was not with her girlfriend -we still talked went to meetings and she still liked to keep a good sexual tension banked between us.
One night on the rare occasion my son was visiting his mother and I was watching a movie and in walked Ann. with the girl I had heard about all these weeks.
They sat down on the couch and Ann. introduced me to Cindy,
She was cute with a devilish smile and a really crisp short hair style.
In fact everything about her said style from the shade of her red hair to her limited but tasteful jewelry We all exchanged some small talk and Cindy and I found we had several mutual friends in common. After a while I could tell I was getting the look from Ann.(the I want to be with my friend alone kind of look)so I said my goodnights. As I was walking out I could not help but notice that there seemed to be a bit of tension between Ann and Cindy that was not of a sexual variety few days later Ann shared w/ me that is was Cindy’s Sobriety anniversary and she wanted to take her somewhere special for dinner then to a place in federal way which rented hot tubs by the hour .I suggested she bring her by the restaurant and even thought it was my night off I would come in a supervise their meal to make sure the chefs made it spectacular.
She thought this was a great idea .I did even one better and had the dinning room manager pick up some flowers and balloons for their booth .I went into the kitchen and added some special touches to their meal then slipped out as my son and I had a movie to go too The next day Ann was really very pleased with all the attention i had given the two. And also mentioned again how Cindy and Joshua got along so well. She also shared how Cindy seemed a trifle cool to her as of late. It was later it dawned on me that the reason for this was Ann was head over heels lets pack up the U-Haul in love and Cindy seemed more interested in the nice pleasant fling mode.
To be continued

Washington State 1991
I was enjoying for the first time the reality of being a single parent with a sense of responsibility. Besides being clean and sober I was not drifting with my child from one mercenary relationship to another.
We lived in the house I had been brought to the night of my 12 step meeting.
It was a large house with my friend bob owning it. Bob had a year on me in his sobriety and I paid rent helped with the bills and of course did a lot cooking.
My Son was finishing up the first grade and would soon be reveling in summer vacation. I looked at some of the day care that was being offered in the area and knew I would have to make a choice soon. One day Gwen the friend who had brought me in to my new way of life brought a friend of hers to the house. She was a striking women very punk looking in her blond crew cut and leather jacket. I knew who she was through conversations I had had with Gwen. She was Ann a very educated lady who at one point in her life had been on the mayors staff in a large city. She had 14 years sober having been a street kid in L.A. She was beaten into surrender at an early age by those streets. She had just come back from six months in Texas where she attempted to reconcile with her family of origin.
She was looking for a place to stay. She had moved back to Tacoma and moved in with a male friend. Apparently he was sure she wanted more of him then to just share an apartment She did not..... He was in fact very far off the mark.
Ann wanted to go back to school in the fall and finish up a degree.
After a lot of hinting by G I talked with Ann and hired her as my son’s nanny.
She would watch him while I was at work for room and board a weekly stipend and the use of a car. My son loved her, she had an interesting way with children she could communicate with them in a way which held them in awe of her. She that summer took my son on a whirl wind tour of art galleries museums street exhibits and events
At night Ann and I would often go to meetings together and got to be good friends, people started to assume we were a couple. At that time the last thing I really needed was a relationship of any sort, as I was trying to work this new way of life to the best of my ability. We also had many conversations on the program and a spiritual way of living. We had just as many conversations on out dated paradigms on gender.
Ann who I first thought was lesbian soon proved to me she was more bisexual with a lesbian leaning. By that I mean her idea love relationship was with another female but recreational sex was Accord to her whim.
When it became apparent to her I was not going to make a pass at her (for reasons I stated before) She let her guard down a lot and really started to share with me her life and ambitions, dreams desires. She also I think viewed it as a bit of a personal challenge to seduce me. She soon started to make it a habit to prance around me late at night in the nude or in sexy underwear. She also had nights she had trouble sleeping and would have me gently rub the soles of her feet (I know I have a minor foot fetish to this day)
As I knew would happen eventual Ann came home one night and said she had met a lady and developed a huge crush on her. While she had not asked her out or was even entirely sure the woman was lesbian/bisexual she was obviously smitten by this new person. It also became clear to me that this intelligent cool semi punk chic lady was a hopeless romantic at heart. I really had to bite my tongue to keep from laughing as it was such a surprise.
To be continued

Six words that that I think characterize U.S. culture.
A. Independent B. Militaristic, C. Commercialized, D. Mobile, E. Outspoken. F. Pioneering.
A. Americans are independent in lifestyle and in principle as is obvious simply by viewing the number of personal items on the market place today such as personal music devices. On the negative side America has no built in sense of community and family is used in a very limited meaning. This independence also leads to ignoring community environmental responsibilities. On the positive aspect Americas independent thinking has been responsible for many amazing advances and inventions that have benefited the world. Another positive has been that independent thinkers have not listened to those who warned against risk stating” No one has ever done that.
B. Americans are a militaristic people who fought from the beginning for their independence with military solutions. America has never hesitated to take what it feels it needs or is entitled too by use of military force. The USA was created by invasive force and genocide.
C. Commercialization explains America with more detail then capitalism only as many countries engage in capitalism. American commercialism however not only promotes a product or service but has used campaigns to alter people’s perceptions of themselves and others. Commercialization created the “keep up with the Jones’s” mentality, and dictated how we should look, feel, and smell. The concept not only sold popular culture but created popular culture as well.
D. America is mobile and when examining the geography of America one could say it came about honestly. Americas desire to spread and inhabit has lead to expedient technological advances. The mass production of the automobile and the rapid development of flight display this.
E. Americans express opinions as this was an important founding principle. Individuals in America not only value this right provided by the Constitution but many have felt it is a duty. While unfortunately far too many, do not question popular opinion, a few have advanced the craft finding new ways to meet an open minded audience. For creative individuals the internet has been an explosive force with blogs, video blogs, and pod cast as examples.
F. America was founded and moved forward with a pioneer spirit, individuals who had desire for first freedom then land. This is the America that was built by both immigrant dreams and tragically by exploitation. However, the concept in its idea form still thrives in new areas both geographic and intellectual.
Most of the characteristics I have identified have deep structure in America; however they in some forms represent surface structure. Characteristics go to the depth a people allow them too. In many ways these characteristics have historically worked together to further America. However to say that they are all noble would be to say the ends justify the means, which I do not believe.
If militaristic attitudes and commercialization were to be stifled it would have a positive effect on the other four characteristics. Commercialization while generating commerce also has a large influence on the population’s attitudes, as mentioned before commercialization is intent on creating markets by creating artificial needs. If focus were shifted toward the positive aspects of independence then commercialization would wane. Militaristic attitudes will most likely remain until there is a change of consciousness in America. No country can project what its population does not hold in its consciousness.