scholars of the present day who claim that this course was northward, in prehistoric times, except along
the limited space of the New England coast, we may dismiss this view from consideration. Mr.
Gallatin, who studied the languages of this family with special care, expresses the opinion in his
"Synopsis of the Indian Tribes," that the northern Algonquins were probably the original stock or
family, In this northern division he includes the tribes dwelling north of the Great Lakes.
One of the oldest and most important traditions of this family is that of the Lenni Lenape or Deleware
Indians, recorded by Heckwelder, but given more fully in the well known "Bark Record" or Walam
Olum. This begins with a creation myth, then gives an account of their wanderings, the passage over
some important stream or water way, their war with the Talligewi, in which they were aided by the
Talamantans (Hurons), and final settlement on the banks of the Delaware, from which they obtained
their modern name. It is now generally admitted that the Nemassipi ("Fish River" or “Messusipi”), of
the tradition could not have been the Mississippi, as Heckwelder supposed, but the St. Lawrence in
some part of its course, most probably in one of the links connecting the lakes, as, for example, Detroit
River. The correctness of this opinion cannot be better shown than in Dr. Hales words, which we quote as follows:
Iroquoian earthen fortification located on the Detroit River.
"The country from which the Lenape migrated was Shinaki, the 'land of the fir trees,' not in the west,
but in the far north, evidently the woody region north of Lake Superior. The people who joined them
in the war against the Allegewi or Tallegwi, as they are called in this record were Talamatans, a name
meaning 'not of themselves,' whom Mr. Squire identifies with the Hurons, and no doubt correctly, if we
understand by this name the Huron-Iroquois people, as they existed before their separation. The river
which they crossed was the Messusipu, the 'Great River,' beyond which the Allegewi were found,
'possessing the east.' That this river was not our Mississippi is evident from the fact that the works of
the Mound-builders extended far to the westward of the latter river, and would have been encountered
by the invading nations, if they had approached it from the west, long before they arrived at its banks.
The "Great River" was apparently the upper St. Lawrence, and most probably that portion of it which
flows from Lake Huron to Lake Erie, and which is commonly known as the Detroit River. Near this
river, according to Heckwelder, at a point west of Lake St. Clair, and also at another place just south of
Lake Erie, some desperate conflicts took place. Hundreds of slain Allegewi, as he was told, were
buried under mounds in that vicinity.”
Called the “Great Mound” at the mouth of the River Rouge and Lake St. Clair.
This precisely accords with Cusick's statement that the people of the great southern empire had
almost penetrated to Lake Erie at the time when the war began. Of course in coming to the Detroit
River from the region north of Lake Superior, the Algonquins would be advancing from the west to the
east. It is quite conceivable that, after many generations and wanderings,they may themselves have
forgotten which was the true Messusipu or 'Great River.' of their traditionary tales"
It will be seen from this that Dr. Hale places the starting point in the "far north--the woody region
north of Lake Superior:" an opinion with which we can justly agree. His further remark that "in
coming to the Detroit River from the region of the north of Lake Superior the Algonquins would be
advancing from the west to east," is noticeable, considering his theory heretofore mentioned. Dr.
Brinton passes to the far east in his interpretation of this tradition. "Were I," he remarks, "to
reconstruct the ancient history from the Walam Olum, as I understand it, the result would read as
follows: “At some remote period their ancestors dwelt far to the northeast, on the tidewater, probably at
Labrador, They proceeded south and west, till they reached a broad water full of Islands and
abounding in fish, perhaps the St. Lawrence about the Thousand Isles. They crossed and dwelt for some generations in the pine and hemlock regions of New York, fighting more or less with the Snake
people and Talega (Sioux and Allegewi), agricultural nations living in stationary villages to the
southwest of them, in the area of Ohio and Indiana."
Snakes is the term that was used by the Algonquins to describe the Lakota up to historic times. In
this ancient record of the Walam Olum, we can assume that the Snake Land is the territories held by the
Hopewell Sioux. Today, the Sioux wish to be called Lakota, Dakota because Sioux is an Algonquin
word that means enemy or snake. The Algonquin word for enemy was originally nadouessi which
became nadouesioux by the French and finally sioux by the English. While the label of, “snake” could
apply to any people that Algonquians were at war with, the Sioux and Algonquians fought inheritable
wars against one another, and even when they had made contact with Europeans, the Algonquians
called the Dakota the Nadouessi. While this name has been interpreted as being disparaging to the
Lakota Dakota, its roots may be derived from the snake/sun worship practiced by the Hopewell and the
snake effigies that are found in abundance within their early homelands of the Midwest.
American Antiquarian, Vol., 19, 1897
The rigorous climate of their original home, and its geographical position, are clearly set forth in
the following verses, with the original pictographs from the Bark Record or Walam Olum.
" It freezes where they abode, it snows where they abode, it storms where they abode, it is cold where they abode.
At this northern place they speak favorably of mild cool lands with many deer and buffaloes. In that ancient country, in that northern country, in that turtle country, the best of the Lenape were the turtle men."
The direction in which they started and traveled is also clearly stated.” “To the Snake Land, to the east they went forth, going away, constantly grieving." “It is difficult to understand how this course would take them from Labrador to the Thousand Islands
It is true it is said”:
"The fathers of the Bald Eagle and the White Wolf remain along the sea, rich in fish and
mussels.”
Floating up the streams in their canoes, our fathers were rich, they were in the light when they were at those islands." This however, would apply with far greater consistency to Hudson Bay, or even Lake Winnepeg than the ocean coast, as in following the rivers south, or southeast, they would be moving up stream. Moreover, it is twice expressly stated that Snake Island was "to the east."
In attempting to explain the tradition we should follow it as closely as possible consistent with other data. The tenor of the Bark Record indicates a movement southeastward and is at variance throughout with the idea that they came from the coast of Labrador or from the Atlantic shore at any point. If we will bear in mind the fact that if they started from the shores of the Hudson Bay, this great water would be to them the "sea" the great water. until they came into the vicinity of the true ocean, the difficulty of explaining the references to the sea will vanish. Add to this the the generally accepted tradition of the Indians of New England as given by Roger Williams, that they came from the southwest, and we would, according to the theory which brings them from Labrador, carry them completely around a circle.
“Having turned their course toward the Snak
e Land, Snake Island, it seems that, on their way, they crossed on ice during the winter some broad water, which from the language does not appear to have been a river, to which they applied the name, "sea."
"Over the water, the frozen sea, They went to enjoy it (Snake Island) On the wonderful slippery water, On the stone hard water they all went, On the great sea, the mussel-bearing sea."
“There are reasons for believing this refers to a winter of unusual severity as the Shawnee tradition mentioned hereafter claims that the water was rendered solid by the power of their magicians. Having passed water they come to the "land of the spruce pines." What water is here alluded to is of course a question difficult to decide satisfactorily. However, I am inclined to the opinion that it was somewhere about Lake Huron, and that Snake Island was in the same locality. The events and movements which follow appear to be explained more consistently with the geography, by supposing that a crossing into the northern end of the lower peninsula is here alluded to, than by assuming this crossing to have been farther east. They had not yet advanced as far south, or east, as the country of the Talega, and hence must have been north and west of Lake Erie.
They come now to the "land of the spruce pines,"--northern part of Michigan--where they dwelt for an indefinite period. Here they fought with the Akowini, "Snake People" or Snake tribe; a weak people who hid themselves in the "swampy vales," which are by no means uncommon in northern Michigan. Again they decide to move on.”
"The Snake land was at the south: the great Spruce-Pine land was toward the shore: To the east was the Fish land, towards the lakes was the Buffalo land" This seems to apply very well to central Michigan. The Snake land was southward in Indiana and Ohio; the Spruce-pine land was that which they had just abandoned in the northern part of the peninsula; assuming Detroit river to be the Nemesipi (Fish river), we can readily locate the "Fish land," the "Buffalo land," which was "toward the lakes," is descriptive of the prairie region of northern Illinois and northwestern Indiana around the southern end of Lake Michigan.
Snake land was reached, and after "much warfare south and east," full possession was obtained. Here they remained during the reigns of ten chiefs, probably not less than one hundred nor more than two hundred years. Here they first learned the use of maize.
"Shiver-with cold was Chief, who went south to the corn land.
After him Corn-Breaker was Chief, who brought about the planting of corn"
This implies of course, that immediately south of them were people who cultivated corn, possibly the Alligewi, with whom they afterward warred, but more likely some other tribe.
At this point in the narrative there are some puzzling statements difficult to reconcile with each other and with the general trend of the story. "After him the Salt-man was Chief: after him the Little-One was Chief
There was no rain and no corn, so they move further seaward.
At the place of caves in the buffalo land, they at last had food, on a pleasant plain"
The mention of "Salt-man," "seaward," and "place of caves in the buffalo land--on the pleasant plain,"--in such close connection, lead to the supposition that they relate to the same period in the migration. It is possible, however, that the reference is made to incidents in the history of the different tribes of this family group, which appear at this period of the narrative to have spread themselves over northern Indiana, the eastern portion of Illinois and the northwestern border of Ohio, a portion lingering in southern Michigan. As it is legitimate to infer that the Shawnee formed the chief off-shoot going south, it is not straining a point to suppose that the salt springs on the Saline river in southeastern Illinois had been discovered. On the other hand, the figure of the "caves in the buffalo land" bear a remarkably close resemblance to tents or wigwams. It is noticeable in this connection that in a preceding verse (III, 1) it is said that "the Lenape of the turtle, (turtle clan) were close together, in hollow houses, living together (or in a town) there.
The translator, in the vocabulary under the original word,' wolokgun', gives the following, Cane house; 'walak,' hole; 'walken,' he is digging a hole." The word signifying "a cave" (waloh) appears to be derived from the same root. According to Father Zenobius, who accompanied La Salle in his first expedition through Illinois, the Indians in the northern part of what is now this State, "made their cabins of mats of flat rushes, sewed together double." Hennepin speaks of the same kind of covering to their cabins, which he says is so well sewed as to be impervious to wind, rain and snow. He says they make their cabins in the form of a tent. These facts taken together, and the symbol referred to, lead to the belief that the word "caves" in this passage of the Record signifies cabins, or wigwams.
That they were still west of the Allegewi is evident from what follows: hence the statement that they moved "farther eastward" or eastward, being far from the sea, which is the real meaning, is consistent.
"They settled again on Yellow River, and had much corn on stoneless ground" It is evident that they, or the main body to whom the tradition especially relates was now moving eastward from the western limits of their route, and was passing over some of the points touched on the westward march. If Dr. Brinton be correct in his supposition that this river is a small stream in northwestern Indiana, a tributary of the Kankakee, there is perfect agreement with the route of the migration so far as we have traced it. His note on the passage is as follows: "Wisawana, the Yellow River. There is a small river so called in the state of Indiana, a branch of the Kankakee called on Hough's 'Map of the Indian Names of Indiana,' We-tho-gan, a corruption of 'wisawana.' When the Minsi made their first migration west, about 1690, they directed their course to this spot, where they were found by Carlevoix in 1721."
The cause of this eastward movement appears to be explained by the following verse:
"White-Fowl was chief: again there was war north and south. The Always-Ready One was chief: he fought against the Snakes.
The Strong-Good-One was chief: he fought against the northerners.
The Lean-One was chief: he fought against the Tawa (Ottawa) people.
The Opossum like was chief: he fought in sadness, and said, they are many, let us go together to the east to the sunrise.
They separated at the Fish River: the lazy ones remained there.
Cabin-Man was chief: the Allegewi possessed the east.
Strong Friend was chief: he desired the eastern land."
They were pressed by foes on both northern and southern flank; their old enemies, the Snakes, again warred upon them. The figures indicate that the "northerners" and "Tawa people" mentioned were on the west, now the rear, of the Lenape. As we have seen above, on leaving the land of the spruce pines, "Snow Bird went south, and with him probably much the larger body, from whom the Shawnee split off and remained in the southwest when the others retraced their steps toward the east. "White Beaver went east" leading the smaller body and probably stopping along the west bank of the Detroit River and Lake St. Clair. It was toward these, the western band now moved determined to proceed toward the east, south of the lakes. Some of the eastern band refused to join them, and "they separated at Fish River, the lazy ones" remaining there, where they had probably found food abundant.
Scarcely had the march toward the east begun before the Allegewi were encountered.”
"Some passed on east: the Allegewi ruler killed some of them. All say in unison,'war, war!”
The Talamantan, friends from the north come, and all go together.
Sharp One was chief: he was the pipe-bearer beyond the river."
It appears from the language and the figure (IV,52,) that there was a rubicon here, a river which the Allegewi considered a boundary of their territory, whether the Maumee or some other stream farther east or south, can be decided by conjecture only, nor is it important in the present investigation.
This contest with the Alligewi, though doubtless long and sanguinary, is told in a few brief lines.
"They rejoiced greatly that they should figh
t and slay the Allegewi towns.
The Stirrer was chief: the Allegewi towns were to strong.
The Fire-Builder was chief: they all gave to him many towns.
The Breaker-in-Pieces was chief: all the Allegewi go south
He-Has-Pleasure was chief: all the people rejoice.
They stay south of the lakes: the Talamatan friends north of the lakes."
Their confidence in their ability to overcome the Allegewi appears to have been, at first, a little disappointed as the towns, for a time resisted their attacks directed by Pimokhasuwi (Stirrer) The next chief however, if we may judge by his name, as translated by Dr. Brinton-Tenchekenut (Fire Builder)used the torch as a more effective weapon (Dr. Hale translates it ("Open Path"). If we are justified in supposing that the square, circular and other ancient works of Ohio indicate these towns, this would imply that the walls were surmounted by stockades or woodwork of some kind. Be this as it may, the Lenape appear to have been successful, and the Allegewi were driven south, finding at last a permanent resting place in the mountains of western North Carolina and eastern Tennesse. The Lenape remain south of the lakes and the Talamantans return to their country on the north side. The figure (IV,61) appears to refer to a single lake, presumably Lake Erie, and indicates that the Lenape occupied or controlled the entire country south, from end to end. At least the Talamantans symbol stands above (north of ) the middle of the lake, and Lenape symbols below (south of) each end. The friendship which had existed between these two nations was not of long duration.”
Tales of the war that resulted in the expulsion of the mound builders from the Ohio Valley continued
into historic times. A legendary, bloody conflict that occurred at the Falls of the Ohio, near Clarksville,
Indiana was passed down from generation to generation. The following articles also describe a light
skinned people, that is descriptive of the Sioux , who have historically been fair skinned and have been
described by other tribes as “white.”
George Catlin commented on the physical appearance of the Mandan Indians in, Letters and Notes
on the Manners, Customs, and Conditions of the North American Indians. “A stranger in the Mandan
The Nephilim Chronicles: Fallen Angels in the Ohio Valley Page 43
