Saukenuk

Original Author: Matthew Morrison, A&S195 SP10 Revision Author: The Quad Cities is full of rich history. One piece of that history is that of a unique tribe known as the Sauk (Sac) Indians. The Sauk Indians have a deep history, culture, and lifestyle that led them to be the first settlers in the Quad Cities. It is not quite known where the Sauk Indians originated from, but o ral history explains that the tribe possibly originated near the Saint Lawrence Seaway in Canada (   Accessgenealogy.com ). The Sauk Indians were members of the Algonquin Nation, which came from the Alligewinenk meaning “to come together from distant places” (Salisbury 1). The nation was made up of tribes and clans that all shared a very similar language and similar cultures. This nation also had another dominate tribe known as the Fox (Mesquakie) Indians. The Sauk Indians were known as “the people of the yellow earth”, and the Fox were known as “the people of the red earth” (Salisbury 1). “T he Sauk and Fox people believe that long ago the Great Spirit chose a fertile valley and the land around it to be their home. He commanded that the Sauk and Fox must think of themselves as brothers. But, each would have their own sacred things” (Mnsu.edu). These two tribes migrated down from Canada to Green Bay, Wisconsin, where they banded together and formed a confederation. After much conflict with surrounding Indian tribes, the Sauk and Fox Indians traveled down the Rock River and eventually made their homes along the Mississippi. The Sauk tribes settled in a village known as Saukenuk, which was located two miles above the joining of the Rock and Mississippi Rivers, which they occupied until 1831 (Salisbury 1-2). When the Sauk Indians established the village known as Saukenuk, they lived in two different types of shelters. The first type of house that the Sauk people used was known as wickiups. Wickiups were used during the winter hunting season when the Sauk Indians would make their homes in the forest. These structures were mainly temporary and were simple to construct. The wickiups were round, and approximately 12 to 18 feet in diameter (Salisbury 2). They were domed structures, resembling a simpler form of a wigwam. They were made from reeds, grass, brushes, or hides that were fashioned onto a simple frame of bent branches. There was a cooking fire that was located in the center of the structure that helped provide warmth ( Aaanativearts.com ). The second type of shelter that the Sauk used was known as long houses. The long house was a more permanent structure that they lived in from April to October. The long houses were approximately 25’ by 60’ with rounded roofs. The houses were constructed by intricately weaving mats made of river rushes and with overlapping long shingles of bark fastened to wooden poles to create a weather proof house (Salisbury 2). Each Long house would hold several families, each with their own section and cooking fire, although only one was normally needed. Holes were created in the roof to allow smoke to escape. The inside was structured with sleeping benches, which were covered in animal hides, and the walls were covered with blankets to further protect them from the elements (Salisbury 2). The long houses were surrounded by the fields that the Sauk used for crops, and helped make up the village of Saukenuk. Saukenuk, which means “ River of the Rock”  was the largest village of the Sauk people. The population of the village was estimated to be around 3,000 people. The long houses were arranged in straight streets that helped create a large center square (Salisbury 2). This village was also the birth place and home to the great Sauk Chief, Chief Black Hawk. For the Sauk Indians, Saukenuk was a social, spiritual, and economic center for the tribes. The tribes considered Saukenuk as sacred ground (  Lincoln.lib.niu.edu ). “Saukenuk's location at the intersection of two major waterways made it the center of the Sauks' trading network. Whether the traders came to them or they went to the traders, the rivers made possible relatively easy transportation of their furs and lead, and the Europeans' guns, powder, cloth, and metal goods”(  Lincoln.lib.niu.edu ). This area proved to be a great location. The Saukenuk valley greatly impacted the lifestyle and culture of the Sauk Indians. In the valley, there was an abundance of wildlife, waterways, and very fertile land for agriculture. “[D]eer, buffalo, bear, and smaller game provided food and skins, which could be traded or made into clothing. Beaver and muskrat lived in the many streams, which were also filled with fish. North of the valley there was a great source of lead. Since it was close to the surface it could be dug out easily. At first it was used to make ornaments, later white traders taught them how to make lead musket balls to use in their guns. Soon they traded lumps of lead for goods” (Mnsu.edu). The Saukanuk valley also provided the Indians with an island summer resort, which is now known as the Arsenal Island. The Sauk Indians often traveled there to enjoy the strawberries, blackberries, gooseberries, plums, apples, nuts, and fish that were found there. All of these resources helped create the family structure which was very strong and important in the Sauk culture, and also defined their social roles. The roles and structure of the Sauk Indians society were clearly defined. The women created the clothes for the family. The traditional garments that were worn by the Sauk were the same type as other woodland Indians. “Decorative beading and quillwork was popular on moccasins as well as on shirts and dresses.” “The [Sauk] Indians were proud of their dress clothes and took hours primping for special occasions” (Salisbury 14). Everyday clothing was kept simple, convenient, and minimal though since the process of tanning leather was a long and difficult process. Winter clothing consisted of mooseskin boots worn over their moccasins, and a fur robe or blanket. <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Besides providing the clothes, the women had other responsibilities too. “ <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">The Sauk women tilled the soil, raised the crops, gathered the harvest, prepared and stored the food and reared the children” (Mnsu.edu). Agriculture was very important to the Sauk, and provided most of their diet: corn, beans, squash, and tobacco. The women were considered the owners of their fields (T <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">olatsga.org). “ The mother was [also] in charge of the family home and everything in it. If the mother belonged to the Sauk people then all of her children were Sauk. The women had an important part in tribal government. Unless the women approved, a son could not take his father’s place as a sacred clan chief” (Mnsu.edu). <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">The roles of the men were clearly defined as well. The men’s responsibilities were to protect their family, the fields, the town, and the hunting grounds. They were also expected to go out into the forests and plains to hunt and provide food and skins for the family. The men were also defined by their position in the tribe, such as clan chiefs, war chiefs, warriors, and heads of families (Salisbury 3). Depending on which clan you came from often determined what role you would serve. For example, chiefs often came from either the Trout or Sturgeon clan, while war chiefs came from the Fox clans (Accessgeneology.com) Children in the family were cherished. To show their appreciation to the Great Spirit for the blessing of a child, the parents would make an offering of food to the eldest person of the father’s clan (Salisbury 3). In the Sauk culture it is obvious how important the family structure and social roles were to them. <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Another important aspect of the Sauk culture was their strong religious beliefs. “Religion played an important part in their daily life. The Sauk believed that every person, animal, and thing had its own "manito", or guardian spirit. When a hunter killed a bear, a deer, a buffalo, or any animal he thanked the "manito" of the animal for the gift it was giving to the people. Children began learning the religion of their people at an early age. Boys were taught to fast and to keep holy vigils to bring their soul closer to the Great Spirit. When the boy was old enough he made a special vigil quest. The Great Spirit would show him his personal manito, which would stay with him the rest of his life. At that time, he chose his manhood name and began to collect the sacred things that would go into his medicine bag” (Mnsu.edu). Story telling was also an important aspect of their religion, which kept alive the oral tradition and history of their people (Salisbury 8). <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">The Sauk Indians lived relatively peacefully in the Saukenuk valley. There were occasional raids from the Osage tribes, which meant that the Sauks would have to defend themselves. “The Sauk were noted for their courage, and they believed that every raid should be answered by a counter raid to uphold the honor of their people. When other tribes invaded Sauk lands, a council was called to decide what action to take. Often war parties were sent out to meet the enemy” (Mnsu.edu). The Sauk also began facing troubles with American settlers who had begun migrating into Illinois. With them came the American Government which wanted to force the Sauk off of their precious land. This struggle over the land eventually led to up to the great Black Hawk War. Black Hawk did all he could to try and defend the land he loved, but eventually he was forced to surrender. The Sauk Indians were run out of the Quad Cities area, and were placed on reservations in western Iowa and Kansas (Mnsu.edu). <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">The Sauk Indians were the first group to discover this wonderful area that is now known as the Quad Cities. They were able to realize how rich this land truly is, and set up and ran a very large and successful village. Their history is colorful, and full of accomplishments. Their way of life is one that we can learn from. “The Sauk … culture is based upon respect for the life within themselves, their families', their community, and all of creations'” (Mnsu.edu). **<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Works Cited ** <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">"Black Hawk War of 1832." //Abraham Lincoln Historical Digitization Project//. Web. 12 May 2010. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">[] <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">"Indian Housing - Wickiups -Native American Indian Tribes - Over 2,000 Articles on Native American Indians, Their Culture & Traditions." //- Native American Topics -Native American Indian Tribes - Over 2,000 Articles on Native American Indians, Their Culture & Traditions.// Web. 12 May 2010. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">[] <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Salisbury, Jacquie. //Mesquakie: the Sauk and Fox Indians of Illinois//. Moline, Ill.: Illinois Writers' Guild, 1987. Print. <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">"Sauk and Fox." Web. 12 May 2010. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">[] <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">"Sauk Indian Tribe History." //Access Genealogy: A Free Genealogy Resource//. Web. 12 May 2010. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">[] <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Sultzman, Lee. "Sauk and Fox History." 24 Nov. 1999. Web. 12 May 2010. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">[] <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Return to Native Americans <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Return to Home
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Saukenuk **