| Summary: | TURTLE MOUNTAIN HERITAGE II At the same time trading posts are being established on the Park and Pembina Rivers, in what was to become the state of North Dakota, Indian groups from different bands of Ojibwe and few members of other tribes as well, combined to form what was to become known as the Pembina Band. By this time, these migrants from the woodlands had successfully changed their culture from one developed to fit lake and forest regions to one very well adaptable to life on the Plains. Originally, the people who were to become residents of the Turtle Mountain Reservation were a people free to travel. At this time the camp locations are determined by the seasons. An elderly sub-chief of the Little Shell Band, Charles Cree explained the changes of location. "The prairie and river sites were the summer locations to enable hunting and fishing. The winter encouraged a timber location where wood for the fires would be readily available." The Ojibwe later called the Chippewa changed their mode of transportation. Instead of the travois, a load carrier on poles dragged by a horse or a person, they used the Red River Cart. The Red River Cart greatly increased the ease of moving about because of its load capacity was greater than the travois. Because the buffalo and pronghorn antelope of the Plains replaced the deer, moose, beaver and other woodland animals as the main source of sustaining life, the Plains-Ojibwe had to develop new methods of hunting, mainly the buffalo chase. The village housing was arranged in a circle with police in the middle. In early days this was necessary for the protection of the camp from the enemy according to Mr. Cree. Internal acts of crime were rare. Indians lived by the axiom that no single person should endanger the people. Most property was commonly owned and theft was unheard of. The practice of medicine also aided in promoting the welfare of the Chippewa people. Charles Cree describes the powerful bundles of medicine. These medicine bags were fur sacks, one for good medicine and one for bad medicine. "Yes, called fur sacks.one bag for bad medicine. one doctor with is another bag." This medicine was used exclusively among the tribal members, and Charles Cree told us why this was. “The medicine doesn't work or goes back on you if you use it on whites.” Much of Indian medicine is being used even today by modern medicine. Dr. Lionel de Montigny, a native of Turtle Mountain Reservation and the only Indian Medical doctor from North Dakota. He comments on the Indian high aptitude which successfully developed the effective Indian medicine. "I think one of reasons. occur by.in family." Dr. de Montigny, who is presently director of the Indian Medicine Program at University of North Dakota, sees an advantage in the Indian approach and thought process in which relationships are drawn and other the emphasis on how things differ, "It's quite obvious.relationship.American way. how conflict.related." Many Indian medicines are commonly used today. Dr. de Montigny discusses the accompanying religious procedures which increase the effectiveness of the medicine, “There are a lot of medicines.remember ties to religion. not just symptom. heart failure.” "Goes into all sociological aspects of life. treat Indians …in total environment." The religion of the Chippewa people was not only closely related to their medicine, but also to every other phase of life. Confusion in the minds of non- Indians resulted when a deep respect for all of nature was viewed as a sacrilegious worship. Saying that certain animals and symbols are thought of as sacred can only be a product of partial understanding. In the large sense, the Indian people held the whole universe as sacred and worthy of respect. As a result, much discretion was used by the Indian hunters. For example, the people would only kill as many animals as needed for food, shelter, clothing, and tools. Even today many ceremonies of respect are retained and followed. Charles Cree shared some traditional Chippewa ceremonies of respect and worship. From Charles Cree's boyhood, he recalls the annual Spring custom of a Sun Dance ceremony often called a thirsty dance because of the fasting. He explained that the worship of "Great God" was expressed in the Sun Dance in which the people, both men and women, fasted for several days and several nights. Today, younger generations follow this same one god concept and several of the ceremonies. Practices and customs which are unfamiliar can be readily misinterpreted. Mr. Cree explains the ceremony for the buffalo, for example, was not worship but was respect. A nest was made on one end of a log and a buffalo head was placed in the nest. Next the log was put up. This wasn't an act of worship but out of respect for what God had given them. The buffalo furnished the Indian people with meat, clothing, tools and teepees and for that reason they showed their respect and gratitude. With the arrival of the non-Indian and his religion, there was an attempt made to replace the Indians religion. Ken Davis, a Turtle Mountain native, comments on the success of this attempt, ".Indian religion is coming back strong even urban realize back home." A priest who has serves at Belcourt, Father Wilfred, shares an observation he has made of the fundamental spiritual atmosphere of that reservation often missed by the earlier church people. "More fundamental faith.here to greater belief…in spirit world which exists.the real Christianity." Metha Bercier and Charles Cree explain that this atmosphere is evident in a deep respect shown in many traditional dances. For example, the Horse Dance which was given for the Great Spirit and the appreciation of the horse. A Round Dance has definite purpose too. The Turtle Mountain Culture has been touched by the white man's religion. Father Wilfred tells how the federal government, during Grant's administration, assigned churches to the reservations, "One thing.here develop of church and culture together.Grant assigned churches.silly thing to do.suffer these things as time passes on." "Fortunately, he had assigned to Catholic group. was developing since French traders came in." As early as 1612, the Ojibwe tribe, or Chippewa tribe, began trading with the non-Indians. Mr. Cree relates the advantages of the trading practices for his people. From trading with the Hudson Bay Trading Company during the early 1800's the Chippewa’s obtained guns and ammunition. This enabled them to retain their campsites when the pressure of the white migration necessitated a westward move by the Sioux and other tribes. The trading activity affected the tribe in several other areas of their life. Being un-accustomed to the "money part" of the trading post the Indians found they had little use for money and used trade for goods instead. Hides and later, bead work was traded for items Mr. Cree describes. As knives, spoons, stockings and a prize possession, yard goods. The trading helped the Chippewa people by bringing guns and useful goods which would enable the people to maintain their camp sites. Within these camp sites a system of control was organized. According to the present tribal judge, Mr. Fredricks, the first one to try offenses is the chief. "First one to try anyone.chief superintendent.next.tribal police.bureau offices and tribal offices." In an interview with the Curriculum Development Researchers, Charles Cree further explains the system, "When a disagreement occurred a meeting of the chief and council was called to obtain a decision. A peace pipe was smoked at the end of this meeting. As far as jails are concerned; none existed. Problems were solved quickly for the children's sake, so they would not experience unpleasantness. According to the elderly resource people, incidents of stealing never occurred years ago because of the close life of a village. An offender would never escape justice because all peoples, lived together helped each other. Marie de Montigny, a native of the Turtle Mountain Reservation, describes the changes of law and order system about 1900, a system having a judge, a chief of police and at least one policeman in each of the four reservation sections. "My father was judge.chief of police. 4 or 5 others.policeman in each section.stayed at agency." The subcommittee on Civil Rights found little resemblance between tribal court and those courts of the State and federal government. In earlier days a jury was not present at the trial, punishment is not the usual type involving periods of incarceration. Father Wilfred, a priest at Belcourt remarks, "According to some norms.according to Christ .it was beautiful." Possessiveness and materialism are not characteristics readily found on the reservation. The inclination to share on the reservation is explained by Metha Bercier, an American Indian Curriculum Development Program researcher at Turtle Mountain who recalls this sharing spirit among the people. "People were very poor. neighbors gave freely. we would help them to.everything was helping other person." Charlie Cree describes the rule of sharing even in the buffalo hunt. One man would take the pipe and look for the herd. After the kill they shared so everyone could get meat so no one had to go without. This Indian way of life had already been altered by the westward migration but the arrival of the Indian agent and the establishment of the reservation in 1884 by executive order made a drastic change of life style necessary. Ernst Patnaude, a native of the Turtle Mountain Reservation, describes how his people could be allowed to retain their guns. However, guns or not their life as hunters had ceased, and their land area was now restricted. "But they let them have guns here. (Not military reservation).here they didn't do it." I suppose must have been a terrible change when had to give up hunting. Easier days did not come when the reservation was formed. The co-operative residents of the Reservation found that little assistance was given them even though they had made 42 treaties with the United States and had never rebelled against this new government. Mary Cornelius, a member of Turtle Mountain Tribe, explains the way of life she remembers: "I can remember.never.my people were starving in 1930's. In addition to designating a limited area on which to live, restricting the hunting for livelihood, the dominant white society decided on the form of education for the Indian people. Ernst Patnaude recalls how wagons came in the fail for the school children and returned the children in the spring. The main goal of the schools was to teach the English language. Metha Bercier depicts the method and result of much of this type of education. "Biggest change.kids going to school we were in conflict.our feelings were all mixed." Metha recalls that at age 5 she was sent to the Wahpeton Boarding School with two older sisters. The evening they arrived they were separated from each other to encourage a more rapid use of the English language and customs of the educators. "We learned.marching.after a while.confusion .actually in army.language.crying nights.didn't feel.forget everything Indian.Why didn’t my skin turn white?" According to the History of the Turtle Mountain Band by Patrick Gourneau, local schools were slow to come to the reservation and boarding schools were the only available schools. Father Bellecourt established a school at present day Walhalla, North Dakota in 1850. In 1885 he set up the first school on the reservation. Twenty -one years later in 1906 the government built four day schools on the reservation. Even the reservation day schools presented many students with a real problem, no common language. Marie de Montigny describes her first day at school as she meets this problem. "The first day of school.I didn’t know what he said.had to learn English first. little schools (Not mission schools) no.had 3 or 4 schools." The effects of the foreign people were not confined to only religious practices but also worked to alter the language. Marie de Montigny explains the language changes she experienced. "I have learn prayers in French.French priest. mass Latin sermon French.when time to be confirmed .turning to English then." Before this time Mrs. de Montigny recalls Cree as being the language used by her father. "My dad was able to write in Cree.I have seen alphabet.starts like a. (Alphabet sounds) .could read Cree." In the anthology of American Indian Literature, The Way, Shirley Hill Witt suggests "that it is important for us to know the traditions which even now dictate the quality and quantity of Indian speech. Without an effective writing system, man seems yet to feel a need for some kind of perfected communication mode or technique. Man must educate his children with the knowledge of their forebears.” From the early goal of teaching the English language and teaching a new way of life, the schools have changed. Enrollments show nearly 2,000 individuals of school age on the Turtle Mountain Reservation. A young educator from this reservation, Twilla Martin, sees a great need for making education relevant to these 2,000 students and to the Indian college students. "Income for Reservation.is nice.where are they teaching.writing proposals.where are they teach it. relevant.as far as teachers go.not offering essentials of living on Reservations as an Inc. person." Both Cree and Chippewa cultures were affected by the non-Indian, pressures by the government, educators and religious leaders to forsake their meaningful heritage created a cultural conflict results. Ken Davis shares his views of the pressures on his culture and a new trend he observes. "The young Indians.brainwashes Ind. band.only Indians change the thing."
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