Saulteaux

History
They are a branch of the Ojibwa people (aka Algonquin, Anishinabe, Bungee, Chippewa, Little Shell, Nez Perce, Ojibway, Ojibwe, Pembina, Saginaw, Sac, and Sauk. Their land was located just east of Lake Superior when the English and French first met them in the early 17th century. It was the French who probably named these eastern Lake Superior Chippewa District people the Saulteaux. It means "People of the Falls" in French. In Montana, the Gros Ventre are known as the People of the Falls or People of the Waterfalls or simply the Waterfalls People or Falls People. They are the Chippewas who moved from the west to the east, after the whites began to settle the land. They are also the Montana Saulteaux. They originally lived in the Great Falls, Montana region and still do. The correct pronunciation of Saulteaux is Soo as in "Sioux" and toe as in "your big toe." "Sootoe."

Their original land was located in the immediate surrounding region of Sault Ste. Marie. Ojibwa authors from the 19th century wrote about Chippewa's from the west forcing their way to the east, after the whites began to settle in the area. According to George Copway, the Chippewas from northern Wisconsin and Minnesota, settled the region where Sault Ste. Marie is. They then worked their way further east. Copway wrote that these Chippewa settlers colonized the region east of Lake Superior and east of Lake Huron, after 1634 and 1635.

Surprisingly, Copway wrote that Minnesota served as a starting off point. Copway learned that a general council was held where Minneapolis-St. Paul is (Falls of St. Anthony) to distribute land to the Ojibwa's. He also wrote that the Ojibwa east of Lake Superior, considered the Minnesota region to be the land of their forefathers.

Not very long after the western Chippewas colonized the region east of Lakes Superior and Huron, they began to move westward. It was their Seven Fires Prophecy which forced them to leave for western lands. Among them were the Amikwa Chippewas who are also known as the Nez Perce. They are the Nez Perce of Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington. Amikwa means Beavers in Anishinabe. The Beaver Tribe including the Kaska, Sekani and Tahltan of British Columbia, are the Amikwa Chippewas.

According to the 1832 Edinburgh Encyclopedia, the Athabascan People or Dene People including the Apache, Chipewyan, and Navajo, are Algonquin. They speak Algonquian. Click this books.google.com/books link to read the 1832 Edinburgh Encyclopedia. A website about the Algonquin's is www.wilkesweb.us/algonquin/nations.htm here. You'll find the information about the Amikwa Chippewas at their website.

Our focus will be on the Saulteaux Indians of the Lake Superior region and exactly where their migration ended. From the Sault Ste. Marie region, they followed an old road north of Lake Superior which led to where Winnipeg, Manitoba is now situated. This same road led into what is now Saskatchewan then to what is now Edmonton, Alberta. It then branched off to where the Saulteau First Nations are located in British Columbia. That is where Moberly Lake is. Before the road reached Moberly Lake, it branched off where Dawson Creek, British Columbia is. It led up to where Fort Nelson, British Columbia is now.

Another branch of this same old road, branched off near Dawson Creek and extended into central British Columbia. From there, it led to where Prince Rupert, British Columbia is. The whites now call this old road the Highway of Tears. The Chippewas probably named the road Trail of Tears. Similar to the Trail of Tears in the United States which is now known as route 66.

Other branches of the Ojibwa Nation are the Little Shell, Pembina, and Saginaw. The Saulteaux lived north of them, excepting the Pembina who historians probably classify as being Saulteaux. To identify the Saulteaux Indians, information about the Little Shell, Pembina, and Saginaw must be separate so the information about the Saulteaux can be distinct.

The Saulteaux District bordered the Pembina Band of Chippewa Indians District and the Little Shell Band of Chippewa Indians, Montana District. It starts just north of Lake Huron and includes land to the south in southern Ontario and Michigan, Ohio, and Wisconsin. It includes northern Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and extends into Alberta. It includes land in northern Montana, east of the Rocky Mountains. It also included much of British Columbia, particularly northern British Columbia. Another Chippewa District was probably located in southern British Columbia.

Only Reservations and Reserves, in Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Northwest Territories, Yukon, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, North Dakota, Montana, Idaho, Washington, and Oklahoma will be included. Historians have written that the Cree Indians made no use of totems or clans. If that was correct it will signify that they are not Algonquian. However, it is known that the Swampy Cree and Woodland Cree used totems or clans. Woodland Cree are obviously Saulteaux. Their history is a fragmented one.

17th century:
As a result of the white settlements into the area east of Lake Huron, many were sent east to support the eastern Chippewas in the wars against the whites and their Indian allies. By the 1660s, the Saulteaux Ojibwa's had forced their way east of Lake Huron. They began to drive the whites and their Indian allies east. They then colonized the region by sending settlers east, south, and north. They are known as the Wabanaki or Abenaki, Shawnee, and Chipewyan. Not Ojibwe, Ottawa, and Potawatomi. However, in the 16th century, an earlier migration of Chippewa's from the Montana region, had already forced their way to this same region. It was not as massive an invasion as the 17th century invasion.

18th century:
Wars between the First Nations Peoples and the European white settlers became more frequent and more deadly. By 1795 (after the Battle of Fallen Timbers) the Saulteaux living east of Lake Superior and north of Lake Huron, began leaving the area. Some migrated up to northern Quebec. Most migrated north of Lake Superior then to the west.

19th century:
Many Saulteaux Indians had migrated into northwestern Ontario then southern Manitoba. They probably participated in the Pemmican War which was a part of the War of 1812. By the 1860s, they were realizing they had to migrate again. Under the leadership of Saulteaux leaders Chief Yellow Quill, his sub-chief Chief Kinistin, Chief John Smith and his brother Chief James Smith, the diasporas commenced. From southern Manitoba, they migrated into southeastern and central Saskatchewan. Other Chippewa leaders who followed prophecy and led migrations were Chief Kahkhagooguns and Chief Napaneegwan. Both leaders did as instructed and led the Saulteaux people to northern British Columbia, from southern Manitoba.

Chief Kinistin led many Saulteaux people up to northern Manitoba and northern Saskatchewan. They merged with the Chippewa's native to those regions. They also migrated into Alberta then British Columbia and the Northwest Territories, including what is now Nunavut.

Chief Pontiac:
He was an important Sauteaux Ojibwa leader of the eastern Great Lakes region. His influence ranged from north of Lake Superior, to the southeastern part of what is now the United States. His family was an important family. His father was from the military totem of the Ojibwa's, while his mother was from the merchant totem of the Ojibwa's who are known historically as the Odawah or Ottawa. The military totem of the Saulteaux Ojibwa's were known as the Noka. It's probably short for Nakawe.

During the early 1750s, both the English and French were agitated about the powerful Saulteaux Ojibwa's preventing them from advancing west. They conspired to instigate trouble and that trouble erupted into the 7 years war (aka French and Indian War). Saulteaux Ojibwa soldiers launched massive military campaigns against their French enemies which led the English to send soldiers to Quebec to prevent the powerful Saulteaux Ojibwa's from defeating the French.

By 1759, the English had helped the French halt the powerful Saulteaux Ojibwa military. However, the war continued on. Chief Pontiac became an important Saulteaux Ojibwa military commander early in the 7 years war. By the early 1760s, chief Pontiac was the highest ranking Saulteaux Ojibwa military commander.

He sent 1,000s of Saulteaux Ojibwa soldiers to launch massive raids against English settlers. They killed and wounded 1,000s during the war including the 1763 war known as Pontiac's War. By 1763, the English no longer wanted war. A peace treaty was had yet the Saulteaux Ojibwa's knew from prophecy, the whites had evil intentions. The whites only advanced as far west as what is now central Pennsylvania. They had fortifications further west but it was dangerous. They advanced further west down south.

After 1763, little had changed since 1670. Whites had advanced to what is now eastern New York State, parts of Vermont, parts of New Hampshire, and parts of Maine. Chief Pontiac's war strategy was successful. His soldiers kept the white advance limited.

Chief Minavavana:
He was an important leader during the 1754-1763 War. Though not as powerful a leader as chief Pontiac, chief Minavavana held his own. In 1763, chief Minavavana led a force of Saulteaux Ojibwa soldiers against the white fort at Michilimackinac and captured the fort. Chief Minavavana kept up the war with the white invaders and was killed by the English in 1770.

Chief Agushaway:
He was of near the same age as chief Pontiac. Chief A-ga-sha-way was a Saulteaux Ojibwa from the Eastern Great Lakes region. His home was in the southern Michigan, southern Ontario, and Ohio region. Historians claim he was Odawah or Ottawa but they are a totem of the Saulteaux Ojibwa People. Since he was a military commander, he was not from the merchant totem of the Saulteaux Ojibwa's. He was from the Saulteaux Ojibwa military totem who are the Noka or Nakawe.

He fought in the 1754-1763 War. He does not show up in history until the commencement of the so called Revolutionary War, in 1774. He supposedly granted an island to the English in 1774 yet that may be misleading. The island was not far from Fort Detroit which means chief Agashaway was preparing to lay siege to Fort Detroit. Saulteaux Ojibwa leaders were preparing to war upon the whites who were letting known their intentions of trying to advance west again.

It is believed that chief Egushawa or Agashaway, was possibly related to chief Pontiac. Chief Agashaway may have been the highest ranking Saulteaux Ojibwa military commander during the 1774-1794 War. He may have sent the Indian soldiers to the Virginia region to fight the whites, in 1774. After the 1768 Treaty of Fort Stanwix, white settlers crept into the Kentucky region. Saulteaux Ojibwa leaders knew what their future foretold and were anxious to retaliate.

Saulteaux Ojibwa soldiers killed and took captive, many of the white invaders. In 1774, the whites rose up in open rebellion. It's known as the American Revolutionary War. Chief Agashaway led the war from the Michigan region. The strategy of the Saulteaux Ojibwa military was to kill as many of the whites as possible. Both civilian and military. Saulteaux Ojibwa military commanders sent their soldiers east to fight the whites. Their weapons were bows and arrows.

However, they used gun powder during their wars. They probably learned early on how to make their own gun powder. They may have had cannons (probably taken from the whites) yet they knew gun powder could be used in other ways. So during the 1774-1794 War, they frequently attacked locations where the whites had ample supplies of gun powder. They did so for two reasons. To increase their gun powder supplies and decrease the gun powder supplies of their white enemies.

Chief Agashaway led the Saulteaux Ojibwa's during the duration of the 1774-1794 War. During the latter part of the war, chief Agashaway continued to lead Saulteaux Ojibwa soldiers into battle. He led them during the November 4, 1791 St. Clairs defeat which is also known as the Battle of the Wabash.

During the August 20, 1794 Battle of Fallen Timbers, chief Agashaway was seriously wounded. He knew during the latter stages of the long 1774-1794 War, that his people were tired of the conflict. Some of them began to act on their own. They allowed chief Blue Jacket to become one of their principle military commanders. It enraged the Saulteaux Ojibwa's. Chief Blue Jacket was white. He raised Tecumseh.

Shortly after the Battle of Fallen Timbers, chief Agashaway agreed to sign the peace treaty with the English or the English colony of the United States. He was among the last of the Saulteaux Ojibwa military leaders to agree to peace. After signing the 1795 Treaty of Greenville, chief Agashaway died. He may have died from his injuries sustained during the Battle of Fallen Timbers.

Chief Sassaba:
An important Saulteaux Ojibwa military commander during the War of 1812, chief Sassaba is known historically for his participation in the War of 1812. He was one of the Saulteaux Ojibwa military commanders at the Battle of the Thames. Tecumseh, who was a spy who worked for the whites, supposedly fought and died in the Battle of the Thames. If he was actually killed in that battle, he was killed by Indians.

Chief Sassaba may have been the actual military commander of the Saulteaux Ojibwa soldiers at the Battle of the Thames and possibly the principle Saulteaux Ojibwa military commander during the War of 1812. Not much historical information about chief Sassaba is available. Historians tend to ignore Ojibwa leaders. They even consider chief Pontiac to have been an Ottawa leader rather than an Ojibwa leader.

Chief Sassaba survived the War of 1812. In 1822, chief Sassaba was canoeing with his family and drowned with his family after an accident.

Cuthbert Grant:
An important Saulteaux Ojibwa leader during the War of 1812, Cuthbert Grant was one of the higher ranking Saulteaux Ojibwa militar commanders in the Manitoba-Minnesota-North Dakota region during that conflict. Hudson Bay Company commenced to send white settlers to southern Manitoba in 1812. English policy during that war was to expand west. In 1774, the English forced their way to the Cumberlnd House region of Saskatchewan which brought an escalation to the war being fought between the Saulteaux Ojibwa's and the English and their Eskimo allies.

By 1812, the English had established other forts in the Alberta, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan region. After the 1811 Battle of Tippicanoe, Saulteaux Ojibwa leaders commenced to organize for another war against the invading whites. Southern Manitoba was well known by the English well before the War of 1812. They knew the land along the Red River was rich agriculture land and wanted it. Thus, one of their goals was to commence a colony in southern Manitoba.

Though the battles fought in southern Manitoba during the War of 1812 were not numerous, a few were fought. The most famous of the battles is the June 19, 1816 Battle of Seven Oaks. Historians actually claim the war fought in southern Manitoba was not a part of the War of 1812 but they are wrong. As usual, the whites established fortified settlements in the south of Manitoba.

Saulteaux Ojibwa soldiers were sent to the fortified settlements to try and destroy them. Cuthbert Grant became well known for leading Saulteaux Ojibwa soldiers at the Battle of Seven Oaks. The Saulteaux Ojibwa soldiers defeated the whites at that battle. It unofficially ended the War of 1812.

After the conflict, Cuthbert Grant became attracted to agriculture including the building of a watermill. In 1828, Grant was selected to rule the white colony in southern Manitoba known as the Red River Colony (aka Selkirk Colony) by the Saulteaux Ojibwa's. Historians ignore the Saulteaux Ojibwa's of southern Manitoba. That's for a reason. More information about that is below.

Reserves &amp; Reservations
Manitoba

Berens River

Black River

Bloodvein

Brokenhead

Buffalo Point

Chemawawin

Cross Lake (Cree and Saulteaux)

Ebb and Flow

Fort Alexander (Sagkeeng)

Fox Lake (Cree and Saulteaux)

Fisher River (Cree and Saulteaux)

Gamblers

Garden Hill

Gods Lake (Cree and Saulteaux)

Gods River (Cree and Saulteaux)

Grand Rapids

Hollow Water

Lake Manitoba

Lake St. Martin

Little Saskatchewan

Keeseekoowenin

Little Grand Rapids

Long Plain

Marcel Colomb (settled by chief KInistins Saulteaux)

Mathias Colomb (settled by chief KInistins Saulteaux)

Mosakahiken (Cree and Saulteaux)

Nelson House (Cree and Saulteaux)

Norway House (Cree and Saulteaux)

O-chi-chak-ko-sipi

O-Pipon-Na-Piwin (Cree and Saulteaux)

Opaskwayak (Cree and Saulteaux)

Oxford House (Cree and Saulteaux)

Pauingassi

Peguis

Pinaymootang

Pine Creek

Poplar River

Red Sucker Lake

Rollin River

Roseau River

St. Theresa Point

Sandy Bay

Sapotaweyak (Cree and Saulteaux)

Shamattawa (Cree and Saulteaux)

Skownan

Swan Lake

Tataskweyak (Cree and Saulteaux)

Tootinaowazibeeng

War Lake (Cree and Saulteaux)

Wasagamack

Waywayseecappo

Wuskwi Sipihk (Cree and Saulteaux)

York Factory (Cree and Saulteaux)

Barren Lands (Chipewyan)

Churchill (Chipewyan)

Nothlands (Chipewyan)

Sayisi Dene (aka Tadoule Lake - Chipewyan)

Saskatchewan

Crooked Lakes Reserve (Cowessess, Kahkewistahaw, Ochapowace, Sakimay) - Saulteaux largely from chief Yellow Quills subjects

Cumberland House (Cree and Saulteaux)

File Hills Reserve (Little Black Bear, Okanese, Peepeekisis, Star Blanket) - Cree and Saulteaux

Grizzly Bears Head-Lean Man-Mosquito-Red Phesant Reserve (Cree-Dakota-Saulteaux)

Qu' Appelle Reserve (Muscowpetung, Pasqua, Piapot, Standing Buffalo) - Saulteaux

Day Star-Kawacatoose Reserve (Cree and Saulteaux)

Gordon-Muskowekwan Reserve (Saulteaux)

Little Pine-Poundmaker Reserve (settled by chief Big Bears Saulteaux - Little Pine is a part of Moosomin and Saulteaux) - Cree and Saulteaux

Saulteaux-Moosomin Reserve (Cree and Saulteaux)

Cote (Saulteaux largely from chief Yellow Quill's subjects)

Fishing Lake (Saulteaux largely from cheif Yellow Quill's subjects)

James Smith (settled by Saulteaux Ojibwa's from St. Peters Reserve in Manitoba)

Keeseekoose (Saulteaux)

Kinistin (Saulteaux largely from chief Yellow Quill's subjects)

Lac La Ronge (Cree and Saulteaux - settled by chief Kinistins Saulteaux)

Montreal Lake (Cree and Saulteaux - settled by chief Kinistins Saulteaux)

Muskoday (settled by Saulteaux Ojibwa's from St. Peters Reserve in Manitoba)

Ocean Man (Saulteaux largely from chief Yellow Quill's subjects)

Onion Lake (Cree and Saulteaux - settled by Saulteaux Ojibwa's from Montana)

Peter Ballantyne (Cree and Saulteaux - settled by chief Kinistins Saulteaux)

Red Earth (Cree and Saulteaux)

Shoal Lake (Cree and Saulteaux)

The Key (Saulteaux largely from chief Yellow Quill's subjects)

Thunderchild (Cree and Saulteaux - settled by chief Big Bears Saulteaux)

Waterhen Lake (Cree and Saulteaux)

White Bear (Saulteaux)

Witchekan Lake (Saulteaux)

Black Lake (Chipewyan)

Birch Narrows (Chipewyan)

Buffalo River (Chipewyan)

Clearwater (Chipewyan)

English River (Chipewyan)

Fond Du Lac (Chipewyan)

Hatchet Lake (Chipewyan)

La Loche (Chipewyan)

Alberta

Alexis (Assiniboine-Cree-Saulteaux)

Beaver Reserve (Amikwa Chippewas)

Heart Lake (Beaver or Amikwa Chippewas)

Horse Lake (Beaver or Amikwa Chippewas)

Montana Reserve (settled by Saulteaux Chippewas from Montana)

O'Chiese-Sunchild Reserve (Saulteaux)

Paul (Assiniboine-Cree-Saulteaux)

Athabascan Chipewyan

Chipewyan Priaire

Cold Lake (Chipewyan)

Dene Tha' (Chipewyan-Slavey)

Fort McKay (Chipewyan)

Fort McMurray (Chipewyan)

Northwest Territories

Behchoko (Chipewyan-Dogrib)

Behdzi Ahda (Chipewyan-Slavey)

Colville Lake (Chipewyan-Slavey)

Deline (Chipewyan-Slavey)

Deninu K'ue (Chipewyan)

Dettah (Chipewyan-Dogrib)

Fort Good Hope (Chipewyan-Slavey)

Fort Laird (Chipewyan-Slavey - aka Acho Dene Koe)

Fort Norman (Chipewyan-Slavey)

Fort Providence (Chipewyan-Slavey)

Fort Simpson (Chipewyan-Slavey)

Fort Rae (Chipewyan-Dogrib)

Gameti (Chipewyan-Dogrib)

Hay River (Chipewyan-Slavey)

Jean Marie River (Chipewyan-Slavey)

Liidlii Kue (Chipewyan-Slavey)

Lutsel K'e (Chipewyan)

Nahanni Butte (Chipewyan-Mountain Dene)

N'Dilo (Chipewyan-Dogrib)

Norman Wells (Chipewyan-Slavey)

Salt River (Chipewyan)

Sambaa K'e (Chipewyan-Slavey)

Smith's Landing (Chipewyan)

Tulita (Chipewyan-Slavey)

Wekweeti (Chipewyan-Dogrib)

Wha Ti (Chipewyan-Dogrib)

Wrigley (Chipewyan-Slavey)

Yellowknife (Chipewyan-Yellowknife)

British Columbia

Kwadacha (Sekani or Beaver who are Amikwa Chippewas)

McLeod Lake (Sekani or Beaver who are Amikwa Chippewas)

Takla (Sekani or Beaver who are Amikwa Chippewas)

Tsey Keh (Sekani or Beaver who are Amikwa Chippewas)

Fort Nelson (Chipewyan-Slavey)

Prophet River (Chipewyan-Slavey)

Blueberry River (Beaver or Amikwa Chippewas)

Doig River (Beaver or Amikwa Chippewas)

Halfway River (Beaver or Amikwa Chippewas)

Saulteau (aka East Moberly Lake) Saulteaux

West Moberly Lake (Beaver or Amikwa Chippewas)

Dease River (they are Kaska who are Beaver or Amikwa Chippewas)

Iskut (Tahltan or Beaver who are Amikwa Chippewas)

Kaska (they are Beaver or Amikwa Chippewas)

Tahltan (they are Beaver or Amikwa Chippewas)

Yukon

Liard (they are Kaska who are Beaver or Amikwa Chippewas)

Lower Post (they are Kaska who are Beaver or Amikwa Chippewas)

Ross River (they are Beaver or Amikwa Chippewas)

Montana

Blackfeet Reservation (Cree and Saulteaux)

Crow-Northern Cheyenne Reservation (Cheyenne Ojibwa's, Dakota, Saulteaux)

Flathead Reservation (Cree, Flathead including the Pend d'Oreilles and Spokane, Nez Perce or Amikwa Ojibwa's)

Fort Belknap Reservation (Assiniboine and Saulteaux)

Fort Peck Reservation (Assiniboine, Dakota, Saulteaux)

Little Shell Saulteaux Ojibwa's

North Dakota

Turtle Mountain Reservation (Saulteaux)

Minnesota

Bois Forte Reservation

Fond du Lac Reservation

Grand Portage Reservation

Leech Lake Reservation

Red Lake Reservation

White Earth Reservation

Oklahoma

Cherokee Reservation (Saulteaux from Michigan)

South Dakota

Cheyenne River Reservation (Saulteaux from Montana)

Wisconsin

Bad River Reservation

Lac Courte Oreilles Reservation

Lac du Flambeau Reservation

Menominee Reservation

Mole Lake Reservation

Potawatomi Reservation

Red Cliff Reservation

St. Croix Reservation

Stockbridge Reservation

Michigan

Bay Mills Reservation

Grand Traverse Reservation

Hannahville Reservation

Huron Potawatomi Reservation

Isabella Reservation

Keweenaw Bay Reservation

Lac Vieux Desert Reservation

L'Anse Reservation

Little Traverse Reservation

Matchebenash Reservation

Pokagon Reservation

Soo Tribe of Michigan

Records
The majority of records of individuals were those created by the agencies. Some records may be available to tribal members through the tribal headquarters.They were (and are) the local office of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and were charged with maintaining records of the activities of those under their responsibility. Among these records are:


 * Allotment records
 * Annuity rolls
 * Census records
 * Correspondence
 * Health records
 * Reports
 * School census and records
 * Vital records