After what happened in those two long months, I have never hated anyone more than I do the white men. I never understood fear, until September 4. I have never had such a heavy heart for my family and the other Potawatomi people. I will never forget that day, the day my life was turned upside down.
My family and I lived near Twin Lakes village. My husband, Elan, was a skilled hunter. He helped with gathering food for people in the village and helped protect our home. We had three kids together, two daughters and one son. My son, Beshkno, is my eldest. He was quite the little man, and was taking after his father. Next comes my daughter, Wawetska. She was a very independent girl, and was very wise. Wawetska helped many times with work around …show more content…
I knew something bad was happening when Chief Menominee told us that we were not signing any treaties with the white people. I didn’t understand why he wouldn’t have wanted us to be peaceful with them. I hadn’t heard anything of the other tribes that had been taken away from their homes. I also didn’t understand why the white men wanted to do this to us, but now it all makes sense.
Because Menominee was making us refuse to sign any treaties, Governor David Wallace had to send people to force us to leave. That is when the horror began. There was a large militia of white men who came to the village. They began to round us up. When the people were all gathered from their homes, the soldiers would burn them so we had nothing to go back to. Everyone was crying and screaming. I saw my children’s lives flash before my eyes. I never wish that on my worst enemy. It was time to stop fighting, so we gave in. We began the march.
The white men took us away. We started the two month journey quickly. We would start trekking at around eight in the morning. We would stop at four in the afternoon. When we stopped, we would rest and eat the only meal we were given for the day. Everyone was beginning to get restless of the journey, and it hadn’t even started yet. I had no idea what was in store for me
My family and I lived near Twin Lakes village. My husband, Elan, was a skilled hunter. He helped with gathering food for people in the village and helped protect our home. We had three kids together, two daughters and one son. My son, Beshkno, is my eldest. He was quite the little man, and was taking after his father. Next comes my daughter, Wawetska. She was a very independent girl, and was very wise. Wawetska helped many times with work around …show more content…
I knew something bad was happening when Chief Menominee told us that we were not signing any treaties with the white people. I didn’t understand why he wouldn’t have wanted us to be peaceful with them. I hadn’t heard anything of the other tribes that had been taken away from their homes. I also didn’t understand why the white men wanted to do this to us, but now it all makes sense.
Because Menominee was making us refuse to sign any treaties, Governor David Wallace had to send people to force us to leave. That is when the horror began. There was a large militia of white men who came to the village. They began to round us up. When the people were all gathered from their homes, the soldiers would burn them so we had nothing to go back to. Everyone was crying and screaming. I saw my children’s lives flash before my eyes. I never wish that on my worst enemy. It was time to stop fighting, so we gave in. We began the march.
The white men took us away. We started the two month journey quickly. We would start trekking at around eight in the morning. We would stop at four in the afternoon. When we stopped, we would rest and eat the only meal we were given for the day. Everyone was beginning to get restless of the journey, and it hadn’t even started yet. I had no idea what was in store for me