Gchi-Ogaa The Great Pickerel

Transcription

1 Gchi-Ogaa The Great Pickerel Kinoomaadiwag Cultural & Historical Research Ogaa: Debassige Ancestor By Alan Corbiere For generations, the Nishnaabe name of Ogaa has been carried in the Debassige family. One of those known to carry that name was late chief Joseph P. Debassige, who was known as Ogaa. It was Joe P., who passed on the legend of Gchi-Ogaa to his grandchild Lewis Debassige. In this issue Lewis Debassige shares the story of Ogaa that he received in the oral tradition (see below). Lewis heard these stories as a child but always thought that Ogaa and Chief Niibaakhom were one in the same man. However, archival research has uncovered the fact that Chief Ogaa was Niibaakhom s father and Chief Taibosegai s (treaty signer) grandfather. Chief Ogaa is therefore the great-great grandfather of anybody with the surname Debassige. Through the passage of time, Chippewa (Ojibwe) Chief Ogaa has become Gchi-Ogaa: The Great Pickerel and his memory immortalized in legend by his descendants. In fact, in 1877, Chief Louis Taibosegai (Debassige) stated in a petition that Oga was an ancestor of mine. More marvellous stories are told about him than any other. This latter ancestor Oga is the most important in history. Chief Ogaa s importance was corroborated by Chief Wakegijig. During an 1877 council held in Manitowaning at the Indian Agent s house he stated, Ogah, Taibosegai s grandfather, was a great chief of the Ojibways and best understood the Indian Laws. There was another who understood the Indian law named Sahgahkee an Indian chief. They knew all the Indians rights and the land that belonged to them. There was another Chief Maitosauga who remained at the Sault Michigan. These were all the chiefs who understood cont d p. 3 Volume 3, Issue 2 August 12, 2005 Fig. 1: Okaw Chippewa Chief s Doodemic signature on the 1798 St. Joseph s Island Conveyance Inside this issue: Ogaa: Debassige Ancestor 1, 3 Gchi-Ogaa: The Great Pickerel Told by Lewis Debassige Transcribed & Translated by Alan & Ted Corbiere My Grandfather (Joe P. Debassige) used to talk of a person called Gchi-Ogaa (Great Pickerel). There was a big war then, I hear; there was a big war. The Americans tried to kill us. They tried but failed to round up all the Nishnaabeg in order to kill them. So I guess this Gchi-Ogaa fought back. He came across and he led his fellow Nishnaabeg across to escape. Then he ended up getting captured. The Americans captured him and [placed him on] a large boat, one that sails. So he was tied up. He was bound in shackles; he s tied to the floor there, he was tied up on the big boat. So they came to see cont d p.2 Gchi-Ogaa: English Version 1 2 Gchi-Ogaa: Ojibwe Version 2 Chief Debassige s Petition of 1877 Lakeview School Junior Grades Art Contest Hand Drum Gathering Tentative Agenda, Aug / 05 Kinoomaadwag mission and contact info

2 Page 2 Gchi-Ogaa The Great Pickerel Gchi-Ogaa: The Great Pickerel continued from page 1 him, those who are in charge there. Then, it was said, When the sun is at its highest, your eyes will be taken out, and you ll be fed those, he was told. Then this, Ogaa, he prayed to his spirit. He prayed fervently. The next day, this was just before noon, when the sun is about to hang high. I have heard two versions of this, the first was that those shackles just broke away. Then he dove into the water, they say. The fire was just blazing in a row from the guns as they tried to kill this big man. Apparently he was a big man [physically]. Others have said, they [the shackles] slipped away as he became a fish, a giant pickerel. That is what he became. Then those shackles just slid off, then he dove. Fire just blazed in a line from them trying to kill him. Under the boat over there, he swam back and forth there. Eventually before it got dark when the sun hangs the very lowest, when it is really blinding to look at, that s the direction he swam off to, straight towards where the sun is. And so he survived, they say. When he went ashore there, he searched for a way to save himself. Gchi-Ogaa: Anishinaabemong Fig. 2 a British medal that may have been given at Niagara to Ogaa & others So, supposedly, he found clothes hanging on a line, someone had just finished doing laundry. A big dress is hanging there, so that s what he wore [as he escaped]; he wore those women s clothes -- a big dress. This woman is really ugly, they say the woman that went about gchi-kwe (a big woman). And so he actually succeeded and he went back to return and help those fellow Nishnaabeg of his again. That s Ogaa, the man who was called Great Pickerel. M Chigeeng First Nation Mii ko wi gii-dbaadang wi nahaa, wa Niibaakhom ezhnikaazod, miinwaa Gchi-Ogaa, mii go bezhgod go ngii-zhi-noondam -- yaawid wa nishnaabe. Gii-gchi-miigaadim giiwenh; giigchi-miigaadim. Gchi-mookmaanag gii-gweji-nsigonaanig. Kina go Nishnaaben aanwi-maawndoonaawaan wii-nsaawaad. Mii-sh giiwenh maaba Gchi-Ogaa gii-naakwiid. Gii-bitkambowewaan-sh niwi ya aa wiijinishnaaben. Mii-sh gaa-bmi-zhidkonigaazod. Gchi-mookmaanan giidkonigoon, gchi-jiimaan, bemaasing, gchi-jiimaan. Gii-dkobjigaaza-sh. Gii-dkobjigaaza nihiin biiwaabkoon; btaakbijgaaza. Mchisag maa giidkobjigaaza gchi-jiimaaning. Mii-sh giiwenh gii-bi-waabmigod, mii giwi maa naagaanzijig. Mii go giiwenh emaawnji-shpiming goojing wa giizis, mii ji-mmigaadegin shkiinzhigoon, ga-shamgoo-sh niwi, gii-jigaaza giiyenh. Mii-sh maaba nahaa, gewii Ogaaba, gii-bgosenmaan giiyenh mindooman. Getin go gii-bgosendam. Mii yaazho-waabang, mii go jibwaanaawkwemgak, maanda shpiming wii-goojing wa giizis -- niizhing maanda ngii-zhi-noondam -- mii go gaa-zhi-paksegin niwi biiwaabkoon. Mii-sh giiwenh gii-googiid. Mii go gaa-zhi-niibde aabiigmok nahaa shkode, gii-kidwag, baashkzignan, gweji-nchigaazod maaba gchinishnaabe. Gchi-nini gewe gii-aawi. Miinwaa-sh go ngoding aanind giikidwag, gii-gdisksenoon maa. Giigoonh gii-bi-yaawi maa - Gchiogaa gii-bi-yaawi maaba. Mii-sh gaazhi-gdisksegin niwi biiwaabkoon, mii-sh gii-googiid. Giiniibde aabiigmod shkode aanwigweji-nsigaazod. Naami-jiimaan ooshto oodi, aa aazhoog oodi giinaadge. Gmaapii-sh go jibwaa- dbikak, mii wa giizis maawaanjidbashiish go goojing -- aapji maa go naa zaasaabzom maa gnawaamjigaadeg wi, mii giiwenh oodi gaa-ninaadiged, zhi-gwek oodi giizis yaad. Mii-sh giiwenh gii-zhaabwiid. Pii gaa-gwaayaadiged oodi, giindawaamdaan waa-zhi-zhaabwiidzod. Nahaa-sh giiwenh gii-mkaanan gwinan goodegin, waya gaa-shkwaagziibiigniged. mjigoodenh -- gchimjigoodenh, mii-sh giiwenh gaa-nibiiskang; gii-biiskaanan niwi kwegwiwnan -- gchi-mjigoodenh. Aapji giiyenh maanaadzi kwe, kwe gaabbaayaad, gchi-kwe. Mii-sh go wi gaa-ni-zhi-gshkitood wi, neyaab wii-bskaabiid neyaab wiiaanji-naadmawaad niwi wiijinishnaabeman. Mii wa Ogaa, Gchi-Ogaa gaazhin kaajgaazod. M Chigeeng First Nation

3 Volume 3, Issue 2 Page 3 Ogaa: Debassige Ancestor cont d from page 1 about the Indian Laws and their property. All the Ojibway, Ottawah and Pottawottomie Indians were under these Chiefs. They made a law that all the Indians of the Ojibways, Ottawahs and Pottawottomies had a right to use and occupy the land whether they lived in the States or in Canada. According to Chief Debassige and Chief Wakegijig, Chief Ogaa was a principal chief who maintained Anishnaabe law and customs and oversaw land transactions because of his knowledge. This appears to be somewhat corroborated by the fact Chief Ogaa signed Treaty Number 1 in 1781 ceding the Island of Michilimackinac. His name does not appear in the text of the treaty as a claimant to the island but his Caribou clan signature is appended at the bottom. The first chief to sign this treaty is Chief Kitchie Negou (The Grand Sable). Both Chief Ogaa and Chief Kitchi- Negou are listed in the 1791 Michilimackinac Post Journal as Chefs Saulteux des Isle de Manitouwalin (Ojibwe Chiefs of Manitoulin). Of course Chief Ogaa s name may have just been omitted on this treaty as an oversight, however, lending further evidence to Chief Ogaa s role as land overseer is the fact that Chief Ogaa signed the St. Joseph s Island Conveyance in 1798 as an Indian witness (see Fig. 1) as opposed to a claimant chief. It may be that Chief Ogaa was recognized as a chief overseer of land transactions among the Anishnaabeg and not by the British authorities. However, it appears that the British did recognize Chief Ogaa s influence and apparently gave him a medal. At the same council where Wakegijig explained Chief Ogaa, Wakegijig stated At the time the law was made by the Indian Chiefs, a great Officer, named Johnston, agreed to it on behalf of the British Government, this was 110 years since. There was a great meeting at Niagara Falls at which time the medal now produced was given to the Chief (medal bore date 1764, see fig. 2) of twenty four nations of Indians as an emblem of authority. The man who held this medal was a great and good man. At that time the chief was very rich now I am very poor. The chiefs who were bestowed with medals often passed down the medals as symbols of their alliance, as chiefs, to the British. At this point it is unclear if this medal was Ogaa s or Maitsauga s, although the records appear to indicate that Chief Ogaa indeed went to Niagara and received a medal, this has yet to be positively confirmed. The archival records reveal that Ogaa remained and died at Drummond Island (refer to fig. 3). He passed his chieftainship to his son Niibaakhom who passed his chieftainship to Debassige. At this point more research is required to give a more complete picture of Chief Ogaa s accomplishments. Ogah, Taibosegai s grandfather, was a great chief of the Ojibways and best understood the Indian Laws. Chief Wakegijig, 1877 Fig. 3: Map of Drummond Island showing location of various buildings and the burial grounds where Chief Ogaa is likely buried. Burial ground is located between two hills lower left corner.

4 Page 4 Gchi-Ogaa The Great Pickerel Chief Debassige s Petition of 1877 In 1877, the Chiefs of Manitoulin had gathered for council because they wanted every member of their respective bands to receive the Robinson- Huron Treaty annuities. Chief Debassige based his claim to annuities for all his band members upon the war time service of his father and grandfather. Chief Debassige had Father Choné draft up a petition in French and submitted it to the Governor General for his consideration. The following is a translation of Chief Louis Debassige s petition. Oga was an ancestor of mine (Debassige). He was one who worked for you. More marvellous stories are told about him than any other. This latter ancestor Oga is the most important in history. Here is a final fact about my ancestor. When you finished the war with your neighbour the White, when you were in battle with the Frenchman in full view of the ships floating out in the open in front of your city, all the Indians were drunk. There were members of several nations who were overcome by liquor, and he started crawling along the ground to escape the French ships. He was overcome by drink when arriving there. He was found stretched out along the water s edge by people out looking for firewood and was captured. He was taken on board by a subordinate officer and clapped in irons. The bridge of the vessel was covered with lead. He remained crouched there all day. The principal officer didn t know that he had been taken prisoner. A cannon shot at noon let him know where the principal officer was. He was made to suffer cruelly where he was. For a whole day, he was only given a piece of crusty bread and a tea cup full of water to keep him alive. On the second day, the officer told him: Tomorrow at noon, Oga, you will eat your own eye. This is what the officer said, in the presence of a great number of soldiers guarding the prisoner. All right, I will eat it, he replied to this French officer who was guarding him. Thus, at noon this officer came on to the bridge, holding a small earthenware plate and a little knife with a very sharp point. Here, it is said, is what he did: He made little cutting motions that created a sound indicating that he would eat his eye. Then he addressed these words to the sun: he therefore said to it, today I will eat my eye! Be brave! I will break my chains. He then rose straight up from the place he had been lying. At this point the principal officer came down the stairs Cont d next page Ogaa was told: So long as you live, you will want for nothing. Whatever you ask me for, I will give you without delay. The grandchildren that come after you will benefit from your labours. Junior Art Contest: Kindergarten to Gr. 3 In an effort to bring these stories and legends into Lakeview school, an art contest was organized by Ojibwe language teacher Elaine Debassige and sponsored by Kinoomaadiwag. The topic of the contest was Chief Ogaa s exploits. The students covered the legend in class using Lewis Debassige s Ojibwe version for study. The winners of the contest were: 1st: Tiffany Migwans ($ 20) 2nd: Logan Debassige ($ 10) 3rd: Billie Jean Debassige ($ 5) Thanks to judges Lenore Harvey, Adam Debassige, and Elaine. 3rd Prize Winner of the Junior Art Contest Billie Jean Debassige, depicts the giant pickerel swimming away form the boat.

5 Volume 3, Issue 2 Page 5 Chief Debassige s Petition of 1877 cont d because he was so upset. If I had something in my hand I would kill everyone on this vessel. And the soldiers made ready to jump in the water in order to flee, so afraid were they. But then the officer came back up the stairs. He had nothing in his hand, and came to make friends with the prisoner. The officer took a cup and gave him water to drink. The captive took it. He had a large burn caused by the heat of the lead on which he had been lying. When the principal officer heard that the Indian had been tormented, and that he had broken his chains, he was very angry. Entering the ship, he ordered him to be given water. He was surprised to see the quality of the irons that the prisoner had broken. The latter asked for something to eat. He was given as much as he wanted to restore his strength. He was asked the following question: Are you a man? Most certainly, I am a man. And then the officer spoke to him, asking him all sorts of questions about his life. As long as you live, you will not be in want. When I take you to my possessions, you will have half of them and half of my money. As for him, he did not think that way. I will most certainly not go, he told himself. His thought was: I will go back, but I am now ready to leave. No. This imbecile will not take you. You will go back in my canoe. Tomorrow morning someone will come get you to take you back in my canoe. That evening he began walking back and forth on the bridge in every direction, examining the vessel, waiting for night. His intention was to leave the vessel under cover of darkness. The soldiers who were watching over him were numerous, but for a moment they let up, and he went into the water alongside the vessel, and dived underneath to the rudder. The soldiers let down a light over this spot, and seeing his blanket on the water, began to fire off shots. However, the only cries to be heard were those of the people swimming after him. For his part, he stuck his nose out of the water near the rudder in order to breathe a little. It took him a long time to swim along the side of the vessel as far as the anchor and it was from there that he swam towards land, and arrived on shore. He couldn t get up, being horribly tired. If only there had been something to resuscitate him. A large fish would have been a lucky thing, if he had been capable of catching it. It was only after a considerable time that he was able to get up. He started to walk towards the fort, where he arrived before daybreak. Fearing that the soldiers would fire on him, he hid in the bushes. He saw something through the darkness and headed in that direction. He was shivering with cold, having nothing to cover him. It was a barrel. He stuck his head in and found to his shock that it was a wasp nest. He was bitten. His movements in the bushes were heard by soldiers who started shooting in that direction. (here the narrative ends). He was no doubt recognized, and brought into the fort, where the Chief spoke to him in the following manner: So long as you live, you will want for nothing. Whatever you ask me for, I will give you without delay. The grandchildren that come after you will benefit from your labours. This is what was said to him when they let him go. What bothers me is not being 1st Prize winner of Junior Art Contest Tiffany Migwans, depicting the officer approaching Ogaa with a knife. Ogaa is chained to the deck. remembered by you. For too long a time I have counted on you, knowing that the Indian has always been ready to obey when you give him orders. This is why I ask you to remember the labours of my ancestor, because I am in need. You who are called the Great Chief, you are generous. This is why I remind you of these things, hoping that you will remember the work that my forefathers have done for you. When making your promises, you used the sun as an example, saying: so long as the earth is covered with light, you will never want for a reward. If I say that I am miserable, it is a sign that I am incapable of working. This is all that I wish to say, and I give you my hand I, Debassige (Translated from French by James Morrison) This letter provides an opportunity to compare the oral tradition that has been passed down through the generations to the archival record. It is remarkable how the story of Ogaa has been maintained by the Debassige family.

6 Kinoomaadiwag Cultural & Historical Research P.O. Box Tikmeg Road M'Chigeeng, ON P0P 1G0 Phone: Fax: They are Teaching Each Other Kinoomaadiwag s mission is to research M Chigeeng Anishnaabeg history, customs, language and rights in order to broaden, restore, strengthen and teach Anishinaabe Bmaadziwin (equated with self-determination) to the present and future generations. Kinoomaadwag is funded by M Chigeeng First Nation. We re on the web kinoomaadoog An Art Contest was held in February in the Ojibwe class at Lakeview School with contestants depicting scenes from the legend of Chief Ogaa. Above Ogaa jumps overboard, thus escaping certain maiming or even death. 2nd Prize Winner: Logan Debassige Hand Drum Gathering M Chigeeng, Aug , 2005 Tentative Agenda Saturday 6:00 Sunrise Ceremony 9:00 Registration 9:45 10:15 Welcome Visitors & Grandmother drums 10:30 11:45 Sacred Bundle/ Medicine Teachings 12:00 1:15 Lunch 1:30 2:15 Cedar Bath/ Moon time teachings 2:30 3:45 Singing & Drumming 4:00 5:15 Eagle Feather Teachings/ Seven Grandfather 5:30 6:45 Supper 7:00 Storytelling & Sweat lodge Sunday 6:00 Sunrise 9:00 Registration 9:45 10:15 Language Teaching 12:00 1:00 Lunch 1:15 2:15 Arbour & Tipi teaching 2:30 3:30 Big Drum/ Hand Drum Teaching 3:45 Give Away Call Pat Migwans for info at (705)