Wikipedia:United States Education Program/Courses/American Culture 204 (Frank Kelderman)/Sandbox Sketches of a Tour to the Lakes

Sketches of a Tour to the Lakes
Thomas Mckenney documents his travels to the Great Lakes of the United States in this journal, where he took part in observing with the Ojibwe Native Americans. These negotiations were necessary so that he could form a treaty with the Chippewas and other surrounding tribes. The resulting treaty is known today as the Treaty of Fond du Lac. Along his journey, McKenney learned a great deal about Ojibwe culture, as well as their native Ojibwe language. The United States Secretary of War, James Barbour, appointed McKenney to deal with these affairs, as he was a superintendent of the United States. According to Sketches of a Tour to the Lakes, McKenney is a firm supporter of negotiating with the Native Americans rather than eliminating them. Later in 1830, he became a supporter of the Removal Act, which contradicted his original beliefs regarding the support of Native American education.

McKenney’s View of Native Americans
Throughout his journal, McKenney often suggest that the Native Americans were treated by the French, British, and other “white” settlers in the New World. His tone of voice and descriptive imagery he had a soft spot in his heart for the protection of the Native American people. Support of this theory can be seen in that he often seemed almost disgusted with how white settlers would treat the natives, as he consistently used words like "savages" when describing the whites' actions towards the Native Americans.

A further example of McKenney’s respect for Native Americans is exemplified when he states in his journal, “There is every reason for believing that had the English commenced with a policy different from that which characterized their intercourse with the aborigines, and the United States followed it up, less would have been experienced, and less said of Indian ferocity and barbarity. It would have rescued these hapless people from the imputation of lovers of torture and of blood; elevated their character, and preserved them as a race”

In his journal, McKenney frequently refers to his background and upbringing in the Christian faith, and it has been suggested that perhaps this influenced him to display more compassion towards the Native Americans. McKenney says, "Yes, human beings; for, after all, they are just like ourselves, and had it pleased God that you and I should have been brought up as these poor ignorant savages have been." The way he words "savages" is stating that these Native Americans were not blessed or raised the same as the "white" people were in the United States.

Early Journal Entries
In the early letters that McKenney sent to Secretary of War James Barbour, his respect for the Secretary is apparent. He stated that he would document everything on his tour in detail, and that he was eager to help the United States government with their negotiations with the Chippewa tribe.

McKenney also exchanged letters about his journey, as he explored territory that had rarely been visited at that point in history. He proclaimed that his journey may be dangerous, “Indeed, it would be hardly possible to travel though a country, and especially over a public highway, which has been so often and so minutely described, as has so much of the way lies before me, and between Washington and Buffaloe, by the way of the North river, without recurring to place that every body knows by heart, and even in the order in which they have hitherto been written about; and noting also the very incidents themselves which have been so often heretofore recurred to. Do not look for anything new, at least until I shall get without the limits of the states.” McKenney is showing how the United States have a lack of knowledge about Native American culture and that with him visiting the Ojibwe culture it will bring information to the United States about forming a treaty with the Ojibwe's.

McKenney discusses his encounters with barging boats. Barging boats were the boats that brought people through the Great Lakes and transported heavy items that couldn't be transported without barging boats. He explains in detail, “You have seen steam boats. This barge, in all respect, except breadth of beam and the machinery, resembles the finest you would see. It took me the first half hour to look through this floating palace”. The details Mckenney uses to describe these “floating palaces” emphasize the fact that many Americans at the time had not been to the surrounding states and territories to experience the budding technology developments.

Another interesting aspect of McKenney's journey is that each fort and landmark he came into contact with was a representation of various points of American history. Throughout his documentation, McKenney explained several different stops with stories that he had heard that corresponded with the different American wars, including the Revolutionary War. One of the most interesting tales he explained was the “bloody pond" or Lake Sinnipink which was located behind Fort Clinton. The "bloody pond" was available to see from higher elevated areas. During the Revolutionary War several British and American soldiers that were slain would be thrown into this lake, which led to the nickname "bloody pond".

Native American Cultures
After leaving Buffalo, McKenney arrived in Detroit and was in awe of Lake Erie -- his descriptive imagery showed how much he appreciated the Great Lakes and their natural beauty. Leaving Detroit and passing through Pontiac, McKenney was traveling in a canoe when he had his first encounter with the Chippewa Indians. He heard a loud, beating drum, which was later explained to be going off as a Chippewa doctor attempted to cure a fellow tribe member. The drum would be continually beaten until the sick person was either dead or cured.

Upon entry into present-day Mackinac Island, McKenney found himself in the presence of a tribe of drunken Amieways Indians, who were screaming and sending out cries. McKenney described these faces of drunken Native Americans as hundreds of "hateful Indians that came from the whiskey." With this encounter of drunken Indians shows that Ojibwe's used alcohol as an act of rebellion. After he left the Mackinac region, he came into contact with an Odawa Native American, who was looking for gifts from the British king on Drummond Island. McKenney’s crew gave him gifts such as salt, tobacco, and pork. When arriving in the Sault Saint Marie area, McKenney encountered several older Native Americans smoking out of their pipe and watching the military come in. Meanwhile, the Native American children were playing a game that McKenney described as, “a stick, with a pocket attached, with twice the sized ball”. In modern day this game is called lacrosse.

Mckenney came into contact with many different types of Native Americans and seemed to truly enjoy their company. He learned different Ojibwe songs, which he ultimately wanted to bring back to the civilized United States for the society to enjoy. When the crew was traveling through Lake Superior, they come into contact with a group of Chippewas. Here, one of the chiefs explains about the reason for smoking pipe is because it represents “life” in their culture. A Native American piece pipe is meant as a symbol of spirituality and when being used, it must be respected by everyone involved. McKenney was offered a chance to smoke from the pipe, and although he didn't want to, he did anyway out of respect for the Chippewa culture.

Mckenney learned from many of the Chippewa tribe's customs, and grew to respect their everyday life, while on his tour to Fond du Lac. When in the “Fur Trading Company in Fond Du Lac,” McKenney adapted to the culture of the Native Americans, and took knowledge out of their customs to bring back to the modernized parts of the United States. His sketches of various canoes, tents, and hunting tools eventually helped the United States understand the Native American culture throughout the Great Lakes region. The way McKenney respected, identified, and learned from the Native Americans helped him gain the Native Americans trust, which in turn made them feel comfortable helping him and giving him knowledge about their land, food, and customs. This can be supported by the Treaty of Fond du Lac being established, and how the Ojibwe people created a relationship with McKenney.