The Council of Three Fires (in Anishinaabe: Niswi-mishkodewinan, also known as the People of the Three Fires; the Three Fires Confederacy; or the United Nations of Chippewa, Ottawa, and Potawatomi Indians) is a long-standing Anishinaabe alliance of the Ojibwe (or Chippewa), Odawa (or Ottawa), and PotawatomiNorth American Native tribes.
Originally one people, or a collection of closely related bands, the ethnic identities of Ojibwe, Odawa, and Potawatomi developed after the Anishinaabe reached Michilimackinac on their journey westward from the Atlantic coast.[1] Using the Midewiwinscrolls, Potawatomi elder Shup-Shewana dated the formation of the Council of Three Fires to 796 AD at Michilimackinac.[2]
In this council, the Ojibwe were addressed as the "Older Brother," the Odawa as the "Middle Brother," and the Potawatomi as the "Younger Brother."[3] Consequently, whenever the three Anishinaabe nations are mentioned in this specific and consecutive order of Ojibwe, Odawa, and Potawatomi, it is an indicator implying Council of Three Fires as well. In addition, the Ojibwe are the "keepers of the faith," the Odawa are the "keepers of trade," and the Potawatomi are the designated "keepers/maintainers of/for the fire" (boodawaadam), which became the basis for their name Boodewaadamii (Ojibwe spelling) or Bodéwadmi (Potawatomi spelling).
Though the Three Fires had several meeting places, Michilimackinac became the preferred meeting place due to its central location. From this place, the Council met for military and political purposes. From this site, the Council maintained relations with fellow Anishinaabeg nations, the Shawanoe/Shawnoo (Shawnee), the Ozaagii (Sac), Odagaamii (Meskwaki), Omanoominii (Menominee), Wiinibiigoo (Ho-Chunk), Naadawe (Iroquois Confederacy), Nii'inaawi-Naadawe (Wyandot), and Naadawensiw (Sioux). Here, they also maintained relations with the Wemitigoozhi (Frenchmen), Zhaaganaashi (Englishmen) and the Gichi-mookomaanag (the Americans).
^Warren, William W.; "History of the Ojibway People"; St. Paul, Minnesota Historical Society Press; 1984.
^Loew, Patty; "Indian Nations of Wisconsin: Histories of Endurance and Renewal"; Madison, Wisconsin Historical Society Press; 2001.
^Rubenstein, Bruce A.; Ziewacz, Lawrence E. (2014). Michigan: A History of the Great Lakes State. Hoboken: NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. p. 3. ISBN978-1-118-64972-5.
External linksedit
November 16, 2023
council, three, fires, other, uses, three, fires, council, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, new. For other uses see Three Fires Council This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Council of Three Fires news newspapers books scholar JSTOR September 2012 Learn how and when to remove this template message The Council of Three Fires in Anishinaabe Niswi mishkodewinan also known as the People of the Three Fires the Three Fires Confederacy or the United Nations of Chippewa Ottawa and Potawatomi Indians is a long standing Anishinaabe alliance of the Ojibwe or Chippewa Odawa or Ottawa and Potawatomi North American Native tribes Contents 1 History 2 Treaties 2 1 With Great Britain 2 2 With the United States 3 See also 4 Notes 5 External linksHistory editOriginally one people or a collection of closely related bands the ethnic identities of Ojibwe Odawa and Potawatomi developed after the Anishinaabe reached Michilimackinac on their journey westward from the Atlantic coast 1 Using the Midewiwin scrolls Potawatomi elder Shup Shewana dated the formation of the Council of Three Fires to 796 AD at Michilimackinac 2 In this council the Ojibwe were addressed as the Older Brother the Odawa as the Middle Brother and the Potawatomi as the Younger Brother 3 Consequently whenever the three Anishinaabe nations are mentioned in this specific and consecutive order of Ojibwe Odawa and Potawatomi it is an indicator implying Council of Three Fires as well In addition the Ojibwe are the keepers of the faith the Odawa are the keepers of trade and the Potawatomi are the designated keepers maintainers of for the fire boodawaadam which became the basis for their name Boodewaadamii Ojibwe spelling or Bodewadmi Potawatomi spelling Though the Three Fires had several meeting places Michilimackinac became the preferred meeting place due to its central location From this place the Council met for military and political purposes From this site the Council maintained relations with fellow Anishinaabeg nations the Shawanoe Shawnoo Shawnee the Ozaagii Sac Odagaamii Meskwaki Omanoominii Menominee Wiinibiigoo Ho Chunk Naadawe Iroquois Confederacy Nii inaawi Naadawe Wyandot and Naadawensiw Sioux Here they also maintained relations with the Wemitigoozhi Frenchmen Zhaaganaashi Englishmen and the Gichi mookomaanag the Americans Through the totem system and promotion of trade the Council generally had a peaceful existence with its neighbours However occasional unresolved disputes erupted into wars Under these conditions the Council notably fought against the Iroquois Confederacy and the Sioux During the French and Indian War and Pontiac s War the Council fought against Great Britain and during the Northwest Indian War and the War of 1812 they fought against the United States After the formation of the United States of America in 1776 the Council became the core member of the Western Lakes Confederacy also known as Great Lakes Confederacy joined with the Wyandots Algonquins Nipissing Sacs Meskwaki and others Treaties editWith Great Britain edit Treaty of Fort Niagara 1764 as part of the Western Lakes Confederacy With the United States edit Treaty of Fort Harmar 1789 implied Treaty of Greenville 1795 implied Treaty of Fort Industry 1805 not implied though all 3 nations present Treaty of Detroit 1807 not implied though all 3 nations present Treaty of Brownstown 1808 implied Treaty of Springwells 1815 implied Treaty of St Louis 1816 Treaty of Fort Meigs 1817 not implied though all 3 nations present Treaty of Chicago 1821 not implied though all 3 nations present First Treaty of Prairie du Chien 1825 implied as well as individually with the Ojibwe and Odawa Second Treaty of Prairie du Chien 1829 Treaty of Washington 1836 with the Ojibwe and Odawa Treaty of Chicago 1833 all 3 nations party to treatySee also editMackinaw City MichiganNotes edit Warren William W History of the Ojibway People St Paul Minnesota Historical Society Press 1984 Loew Patty Indian Nations of Wisconsin Histories of Endurance and Renewal Madison Wisconsin Historical Society Press 2001 Rubenstein Bruce A Ziewacz Lawrence E 2014 Michigan A History of the Great Lakes State Hoboken NJ John Wiley amp Sons Inc p 3 ISBN 978 1 118 64972 5 External links editConfederacy of Three Fires A History of the Anishinabek Nation Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Council of Three Fires amp oldid 1174954862, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
