Mooningwaanikaanig
“Many of our treaties were signed at Mooningwanekaaning”
Anishinaabe Mooningwaanikaanig Renaissance
We are people of this island, this is our sacred homeland. Most of us were driven from this place of spirits, in the l850’s, with the mass starvation of our people at Sandy Lake (Minnesota). A few of us have returned, and more Anishinaabe are returning to the capital of the Anishinaabe. Akiing is interested in the renaissance of the Anishinaabe on Madeline Island, the restoration of Anishinaabe cultural well being, Anishinaabe knowledge, and Anishinaabe farming.
Over the upcoming two years, we intend to increase our farm and food production on Mooningwaanikaanig, promote more cultural events on the island, and begin development of a land trust conservancy on Mooningwaanikaanig.
We also believe that a Madeline Island CSA could be supported by the Indigenous Farmers Cooperative regionally.
We have began to plan this work.
Moving Forward
Background
The Chequamegon Bay Area surrounding the former Capital of the Ojibwe Nation at Mooningwanaakaning Minis, known more profoundly as Madeline Island holds a unique history and geography for Indigenous peoples, lands filled with Manoomin (wild rice), berries, fish, maple and medicines, deep forests with elk, deer and moose - a place of spiritual and economic interest at the crossroads of the ancient water trade-routes for 11,000 years of known activity. Many of our treaties were signed at Mooningwanekaaning. They were signed at Treaty Hall, located on the island. We wish to restore our regional capital and our way of life.
The Island has largely become a place for the very wealthy, and few Anishinaabe remain. The Bad River Tribe retains 200-acres of land in the north of the Island, which was recently reclaimed from non-Native lessors, who had the benefit of the land for 50 years under a Bureau of Indian Affairs lease. This return happened in 2018, and now a renaissance of Anishinaabe on the Island has begun. Akiing is a big part of the return.
2022
Akiing 8th Fire has assisted in sponsoring several regional community events, including the 3rd annual Communities United by Water, Ashland, Wisconsin waterfront park gathering, several community potluck meetings in the southern portion of Ashland County in support of clean water activities in the Penokee Mountains Heritage Park range, the annual 1854 Treaty Days celebration of culture, sports, music and art as part of our developing Indigenous Market.
Our work featured at least two historic firsts on the island in the last two years, the 1st Snow Snake on ice competition held in perhaps a hundred or more years and held during the winter of 2022, and the engineering of the 1st dugout canoe carved out of a White Pine block on the island in as many years during this last summer. A 2nd dug-out was roughed out and will be finished in 2023 on the island. The dug-out canoe project was a six-week project that had over 200 individuals put their hands on the carving at the historic Chief Buffalo/Oshoga burial site aside Madeline Island’s Marina.
The dug-out will be allowed to stay on the island as long as caretakers are available to host the canoe and provide it for use by island residents.
Photos above
