A short drive past the Casino, is the "Mino Mi'Ku" which is the ceremonial grounds for their annual intertribal Pow Wow.
The three tribes have gathered and are getting ready for their tribal dances.
The Odawa (Ottawa) and Potawatomi called the Ojibwa "older brothers."
The Odawa (Ottawa) and Potawatomi called the Ojibwa "older brothers."
The Ojibwa, a tribe of approximately thirty thousand people, lived along the southern shore of Lake Superior. They maintained a large fishing village at the rapids of the St. Mary's River (present-day Sault Ste. Marie) and were renowned hunters and fishermen.
The costumes worn by the Indians were made mostly of animal pelts, rawhide, and bird feathers.
The costumes worn by the Indians were made mostly of animal pelts, rawhide, and bird feathers.
Display of the animal pelts from the animals they trapped. This was hard on me as I love animals and its sad to think if the killing and trapping of animals. In earlier times, this was necessary to provide for clothing and food.
They like us, worried about homeland security.
They like us, worried about homeland security.
The Odawa were next born and the Potawatomi were the "younger brothers."
Together, these three tribes formed the Three Fires Confederacy, a loose knit alliance that promoted their mutual interests.
The Odawa, a name that means, "to trade," were skillful intertribal traders.
The Odawa, a name that means, "to trade," were skillful intertribal traders.
The Odawa also excelled in making bark canoes, which enabled them to trade all over North America.
The woman are the first group of Ceremonial dancers to take to the dance grounds. Announcements are made in the Indian language and in English.
The woman are the first group of Ceremonial dancers to take to the dance grounds. Announcements are made in the Indian language and in English.
In 1650 the Iroquois pushed the Odawa from Canada to the Straits of Mackinac. They gradually settled along the shores of Lake Michigan in the Lower Peninsula.
When the French arrived in the Great Lakes, the Odawa had approximately three thousand people.
When the French arrived in the Great Lakes, the Odawa had approximately three thousand people.
The men's costumes are very elaborate and the details of the costumes are amazing.
The men danced next and they were the largest group to take to the ceremonial grounds.
The men danced next and they were the largest group to take to the ceremonial grounds.
The boy's dance was last and this boy had the most elaborate costume and dance of all.
These two boys also gave a wonderful performance. The Ceremonial grounds were away from all other civilization and surrounded by forest on all sides. A sense of pioneer days and large Indian tribes could be imagined upon hearing the Indian cries and drum beats to their dances .
A contest where two people have to "dance" around the Ceremonial circle while holding a potato between their foreheads. A number of couples held out for a long time before that potato took a dive. These two were practicing, but for the actual contest they could not touch each other--so no hands to guide one another.
This couple were one of the last holdouts; however, one other couple prevailed.
A contest where two people have to "dance" around the Ceremonial circle while holding a potato between their foreheads. A number of couples held out for a long time before that potato took a dive. These two were practicing, but for the actual contest they could not touch each other--so no hands to guide one another.
This couple were one of the last holdouts; however, one other couple prevailed.