CrapTer IIL 
INDIANS? 
THe Osrpwa 
In the region of the upper lakes the wild rice producing Indians are 
of two great linguistic stocks, the Algonquian and the Siouan. Of 
the Algonquian stock the Ojibwa, Menomini, Sauk, Fox, Ottawa, 
Potawatomi, Maskotin, and Kickapoo tribes will be considered, while 
of the Siouan stock, attention will be devoted to the Dakota, Winne- 
bago, and Assiniboin tribes. A small number of refugee Huron and 
Petun Indians of the Iroquoian stock were within this territory at one 
time. 
When one considers their fierceness, numbers, and extensive habitat, 
the Ojibwa (usually called Chippewa) and the Dakota (generally desig- 
nated Sioux) are the most important of all of the Indians within the 
wild-rice area. These two tribes have been enemies and friends suc- 
cessively from historic times until 1862, when the Dakota were 
removed from Minnesota. 
Even previous to the records of written history, native tradition 
paints a picture of almost constant struggle between the Ojibwa and 
Dakota Indians for the conquest and retention of the territory includ- 
ing the rich wild-rice fields. Schoolcraft wrote in 1831: 
A country more yaluable to a population haying the habits of our northwestern 
Indians could hardly be conceived of; and it is therefore cause of less surprise that 
its possession should haye been so long an object of contention between the Chippe- 
was and Sioux.’ 
The same author further spoke of this region as follows: 
It has been noted, from the first settlement of Canada, as abounding in the small 
furred animals, whose skins are valuable in commerce. Its sources of supply to the 
native tribes haye been important. It has, at the same time, had another singular 
adyantage to them from the abundance of the grain called monomin, or rice, by the 
Chippewa Indians, and Psin by the Sioux.® 
Mr W. W. Warren presented many facts pertaining to the subject in 
his valuable work, History of the Ojibways, Based upon Tradition and 
Oral Statements. 
1Many facts concerning the production and consumption of wild rice by the Indians in the wild- 
rice district must be considered later in chapter v1, which treats of the general social and economic 
interpretations. This present chapter seeks only to locate the wild rice producing Indians, giving 
their migrations and population. 
*Schoolcraft, Summary Narrative, p. 544 
‘Schoolcraft, Indian Tribes, vol. 1, p. 187. 
1038 
