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According to Shu'nien and Wios'kasit the arrangement of totems into phratries and subphratries was as follows:

I. The Owa'sse wi'dishi'anun, or Bear phratry, consisting of the following totems and subphratries:

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II. The Kinĕ'u wi'dishi'anun, or Eagle phratry, consisting of the fol

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III. The Otä'tshia wi'dishi'anun, or Crane phratry, consisting of the

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IV. The Moqwai'o wi'dishi'anun, or Wolf phratry, consisting of the

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V. The Mō's wi'dishi'anun, or Moose phratry, with the following totems:

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After the several totems congregated and united into an organized body for mutual benefit, according to the myth, they still were without the means of providing themselves with food, medicinal plants, and the power to ward off disease and death.

When the Good Mystery beheld the people on the new earth, and found them afflicted with hardship and disease, and exposed to constant annoyance from the malevolent underground beings (the ânâ'maqki'ŭ), he concluded to provide them with the means of bettering their condition, and accomplished it by sending down to the earth one of his

companion mysteries named Mä'näbush. This is explained in the tradition called The Story of Mä'näbush; or, "Mä'näbush A'tanō'qen," and forms one of the lectures delivered by the Mitä'wok, in the mitä/wikō'mik, at the initiation into that order of a new candidate.

From the foregoing it will be observed that the claims to authority by the family of which Nio'pet, the present chief, is the head are well founded. Furthermore, mother-right, the older form of descent in the female line, is not now recognized by the Menomini, who have advanced to the next stage, that of father-right, or descent in the male line.

Mr Sutherland, in his remarks on early Wisconsin explorations and settlements, makes note of the existence of totems or gentes, the heads of each of which were entitled to a certain degree of authority through which they were designated as chiefs or sachems. The existence of such various grades of rank often gives rise to confusion, unless the exact grade of such rank be ascertained. Regarding the descent of chiefs this author remarks:1

There were, in some instances, several clans existing among the same general tribe or nation, whose principal or leader was also denominated a sachem or chief. Hence we account for the fact, that several persons in the same tribe bear the title of "chief." These minor chiefs, however, held only subordinate positions. Indeed, the leading chief, in time of peace, was not invested with any extraordinary powers. All matters of importance had to be settled by the tribe, in general council. When a chief died, his position was claimed, as a general rule, by his son, or some kinsman, as a hereditary right; but oftener, perhaps, the succession was in the female line. In some instances, when this right fell to one who was judged unworthy to possess it, the tribe chose their own chiefs. As instances of this kind, Brant of the Mohawks, and Tomah of the Menomonees, were placed in that position, for their superior wisdom and valor.

Some of the ancient customs respecting the disposition of property and children, in the event of the death of either parent, are still spoken of, though now seldom, if ever, practiced. As descent was in the mother's line, at her death both children and personal effects were transmitted to the nearest of the mother's totemic kin, while at the death of the father his personal property was divided among his relatives or the people of his totem.

Another interesting condition was the general belief in the common relationship of not only the individuals of a certain totem within the tribe, but of all persons of a similarly named totem of another tribe belonging to the same linguistic family; and in the belief of the Menomini (and Ojibwa of Red lake, Minnesota) this extended also to tribes other than those of the same linguistic family. An instance of this may be referred to in the remarks of several mitä'wok of the Bear totem, who stated that the individuals of the Bear totem of the Sioux must be of the same kinship with themselves, as they had the same common ancestor. This peculiarity of belief obtains also among some of the Australian peoples.

1 Col. Hist. Soc. of Wisconsin, vol. x, pp. 280, 281, 1888.

Reference is made elsewhere to the killing of animals which are the same as the totem of the hunter. Although a Bear man may kill a bear, he must first address himself to it and apologize for depriving it of life; and there are certain portions only of which he may eat, the head and paws being tabu, and no member of his totem may partake of these portions, although the individuals of all other totems may do so.

It may be of interest in this connection to state that one of the nearest linguistic allies of the Menomini, the Ottawa, claim to be originally of the Mō's, or Moose, totem. This is stated by Mr A. J. Blackbird, one of the most intelligent of the tribe, as well as one of the headmen, to be the designation of the "true" or full-blood Ottawa, and that other totems were added through the intermarriage of Ottawa women with men of other tribes because children inherit the mother's totem. He stated also that his father had been of the Pi'pigwe", or "Little Hawk,” totem of another tribe, and in this wise the totem became added to the Ottawa. In like manner was the Wabus', or "Rabbit," totem added, this tribe coming from the vicinity of Hudson bay or Lake of the Woods, where they are said to have occupied "caves and holes in the ground." Intermarriage with the Potawatomi was common, but this tribe designated the Ottawa as Nisai'"e" and Nisä'sä, "big brother" or "elder brother."

GENEALOGY OF CHIEFS

The Menomini claim always to have had a first or grand chief, and a second or war chief, beside many subchiefs who were heads of bands or of families. In the event of the death of the grand chief, the eldest son succeeded, unless a more popular pretender could enroll in his own behalf the greater influence in the tribe. Since the election of Nio'pet, the second chief has been Ni'aqtawa'pomi, a man of steady habits and influence, and one in whom the tribe has confidence. Ni'aqtawâ'pomi, however, is not related to Nio'pet's family or gens, but was designated to fill this office because the legal claimants adopted the manners and pursuits of civilization, and will probably never permit their names to be proposed as successors to their father's position. When the chief of the tribe dies and leaves a minor son, the second or war chief acts as regent until the heir attains an age at which he is deemed competent to govern.

The present divisions or bands of the Menomini are named after the heads of each band, and number eleven, viz: (1) Osh'kosh; (2) Aia'miqta; (3) Sha'kitok, at present under Ni'aqtawa'pomi; (4) Mä'nabŭ'shō; (5) Le Motte; (6) Piwä'qtinet; (7) Pesh'tiko; (8) O'hope'sha; (9) Ke'shok, or Ke'so; (10) Äqkâ'mot, now under charge of Mä'tshikine'u; (11) Shu'nu'ni'u', or Shu'nien.

In addition to the several chiefs, there was formerly more need of the services of a spokesman or orator, upon whom devolved the duties of promulgating the wishes of the supreme chief; or, in the event of a

council or treaty with another tribe or with a civilized nation, his ser vices as orator and diplomat were demanded in behalf of the tribe. The incumbent of such an office was not eligible for, nor in line of, promotion to the office of either war chief or grand chief, although such an accession could be accomplished at the desire of the tribal council, or by the tribe itself, in the event of the legitimate heir being a minor or an idiot, or in case there was no direct heir, or perhaps even when the incumbent had gained a following in the tribe sufficiently influential and powerful to insure him safety in his promotion.

From the following genealogies of the two lines of chiefs, the so-called Carron family and the Osh'kosh family, it will be observed that the former gained their hold on the affairs of the tribe during the last century, although the ancestors of the present chief, Nio'pet, are the legitimate heirs, from both traditional and historical evidence, to the office of grand chief, an office which has always been one of the prerogatives of the Owä'sse dodä'mi, or Bear totem.

"The

Tshekâ'tshake'mau-or Shekâ'tshok we'mau "Old Chief," or Old King," as he is generally designated in literature-was chief in 1763, when Carron, a French half blood trader, was his spokesman, and subsequently became his successor (see Carron's genealogy). A number of the headmen of the tribe, as well as descendants of Carron, affirm that he was the offspring of a French Canadian father and an Abnaki woman. Be this as it may, they all acknowledge that Tshekâ'tshake'mau was chief when Carron appeared at Green bay.

The late Mr Draper, in his compilation of historical data relative to the settlements at Green bay, says:

Cha-kau-cho-ka-ma sickened and died, while temporarily at Prairie du Chien with some of his family, about 1821; he was then nearly blind, and I think he was at least one hundred years old. He was a man of good sense, but no public speaker, and was highly esteemed by his nation. His certificate as Grand Chief of the Menomonees, given him by Gov. Haldimand, of Canada, August 17, 1778, which has been preserved by his family, is now in the Cabinet of the Historical Society.1 It is believed that Tshekâ'tshake'mau was about a hundred years of age at the time of his death, but for this impression no reliable data are at hand. The name of "Old Chief" was without doubt applied to this man late in life, and as the above-mentioned diploma bears the name of Chawanon (Sha'wano), "Southerner," it is probable that he may have been so named in his earlier life, or that, perhaps, the Canadian authorities may have so designated him at the time of naming him chief of the Menomini, because he came from a more southerly tribe. A facsimile of his certificate as grand chief of the Menomini is presented herewith as plate III.

The genealogy of the Oshkosh family is as follows:

1. TSHEKÂ'TSHAKE MAU, "Old Chief," head of the Owä'sse dodä'mi, married (name of wife unknown) and had issue.

(2) I. Ä'kwine'mi.

1 Coll. Hist. Soc. of Wisconsin, vol. iii, p. 226, note.

2. Ä'KWINE'MI (Tshekâ'tshake'mau) of the Owa'sse dodä'mi, married (name of wife unknown) and had issue.

(3) I. Oshkosh.

(4) II. Oshkiq'hinä'niй.

3. OSHKOSH (Ä'kwine'mi) "Bear's Claw;" of the Owa'sse dodä'mi, born 1795, died August 21, 1858. Oshkosh was a celebrated character; Mr Grignon, who knew him personally, says: 1

1

Osh-kosh, and his brother Osh-ka-he-nah-niew, or The Young Man, are grandsons of Cha-kau-cho-ka-ma, or The Old King, so long the grand chief of the nation, and whose place Osh-kosh, by inheritance, has possessed since 1827. As we have seen, Osh-kosh was upon the war-path in 1812-14, under the special superintendence of Tomah, and under Stambaugh in 1832. The word Osh-kosh signifies brave, and such this chief has always proved himself. He is now sixty-two years of age, while his brother, The Young Man, whose name begins to be a misnomer, is now fifty-one. Oshkosh is only of medium size, possessing much good sense and ability, but is a great slave to strong drink, and two of his three sons surpass their father in this beastly vice.

Referring to the treaty of Butte des Morts, in 1827, General Albert G. Ellis' says:

It was at this treaty, that Oshkosh, the present head Chief of the Menomonees, was first recognized. After the Council was open, Gov. Cass said: "We have observed for some time the Menomonees to be in a bad situation as to their chiefs. There is no one we can talk to as the head of the nation. If anything should happen, we want some man, who has authority in the nation, that we can look to. You appear like a flock of geese, without a leader, some fly one way and some another. Tomorrow, at the opening of the Council, we shall appoint a principal chief of the MenomoWe shall make enquiry this afternoon, and try to select the proper man. We shall give him the medal, and expect the Menomonees to respect him."

nees.

The following note respecting Osh'kosh, is quoted at second hand from Lyman C. Draper, and relates to the time of the same treaty:

On August 7th, two young men were called in front of the commissioners (one named Oiscoss, alias Claw, the other was called Carron). Col. McKinney then addressed them, and put medals around their necks. Oiscoss or Oskoshe, was made head chief, and the future organ of communication with the Commissioners. A short story, will show who Oiscoss was, and what a "proper person" was found in him. One morning, at dawn of day, about a year previous to the treaty of Butte des Morts, a young half breed Indian, who was a distant relative of Mrs. Jourdan, was paddling in his canoe down Hell Creek, a branch of the Fox River. It was still dark, so that objects could not be distinctly discerned. As he glided by the tall rushes growing near the bank, he observed them move, as if some animal was among them. Supposing it to be a deer, he fired at the spot where he saw the motion, and then paddled through an opening in the reeds to see the effect of his shot. To his inexpressible horror, he

Seventy-two years' Recollections of Wisconsin, in Rep. and Col. Hist. Soc. of Wisconsin, vol. iii, 1857, p. 285.

2 Coll. Hist. Soc. of Wis. for 1855, vol. ii, 1856, p. 430, note.

Ibid., pp. 430, 431; quoted from Hanson's Lost Prince, or Life of Rev. Eleazer Williams.

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