The Oorang Indians were a traveling team in the National Football League from LaRue, Ohio (near Marion). The franchise was put together by Walter Lingo to promote his Oorang dog kennels.  All of the players for the team were Native American, with Jim Thorpe serving as its leading player and coach.  The team played in the NFL in 1922 and 1923.

Of the 20 games they played over two seasons, only one was played at "home" in nearby Marion. With a population well under a thousand people, LaRue remains the smallest town ever to have been the home of an NFL franchise, or probably any professional team in any league in the United States.

Jim Thorpe served as a player-coach and recruited players for the team. In keeping with Lingo's wishes that franchise be an all-Indian team, Indians from all over the United States traveled to LaRue to try out for the team. Many of the prospects were from Thorpe's alma mater, the Carlisle Indian School. Several of the candidates looking to make the team had not played in years and were older than 40.

Every team member had to prove to have at least some Indian blood. The Oorang Indians consisted of members who were Cherokee, Mohawk, Ojibwe, Blackfeet, Ho Chunk, Mission Indian, Caddo, Meskwaki, Seneca, and Penobscot. The team roster included such colorful names as Long Time Sleep, Woodchuck Welmas, Joe Little Twig, Big Bear, War Eagle, Thunder, and Thorpe. 

The team finished the 1922 season with a record of 5–8 overall. In 1923, they won 2 games and lost 12.  

While the  Oorang Indians were an excellent gate attraction, Lingo didn't renew the franchise in 1924 due to a lack of financial backing.

Notably, John Baptiste Thunder (February 23, 1891 - December 17, 1935), a member of  the Red Lake Nation played Tackle for the Indians during the 1922 season.  Baptiste was the son of Joseph Thunder and Nancy Greely.  

In about 1808, on the same day that the Dakota attacked the Ojibwe at Long Prairie (Minnesota) a large war party of Sisseton, Wahpeton, and Yankton attacked the Ojibwe village near Pembina, who were encamped under the leadership of Aise-ance (Chief Little Shell I).

The battle was quite fierce and despite being outnumbered, the Ojibwe made a firm resistance and succeeded in forcing the Dakota away from their encampment and the women and children there. As the fight raged on, the oldest son of the Aise-ance was killed and his body was stripped on a large British peace medal. The Dakota warrior then held up the medal and made a great war cry, shaking the medal in defiance of the Ojibwe.  Aise-ance, who had not noticed the death of his beloved son, turned and saw what had happened. With a blood-curdling cry he rushed forward into the midst of the gathered Dakota warriors and shot down the warrior holding the medal at point blank range!  The shocked Dakota stepped back and Aise-ance proceeded to cut of the entire head of his enemy. He then shook the head at the terrified Dakota, retreated holding it up in triumph, and soon reached a secure shelter behind a tree. The Dakota were so awe-struck that none of them were able to raise enough courage to shoot at Aise-ance until he was back to safety. Aise-ance then rallied his warriors and they fought with unusual fierceness, soon routing the Dakota who started a general retreat despite still outnumbering the Ojibwe.[1]

The firefight lasted until midnight. A constant barrage of bullets was kept up between the Indians up until the very end.  At midnight, the Dakota finally fled the house and rushed about two hundred feet to the river, and were compelled to wade across the river on foot.
 
When the fighting stopped, six Ojibwe, three Dakota, and two Assiniboine were killed. Wilkie's daughter was severely wounded in the thigh by an arrow. The Sioux left behind them thirty-two horses, (in addition to the twelve stolen ones). The Ojibwe cut up the bodies of their foes and burned them.

The Metis had refrained from taking any part in the fight and afterwards sent emissaries to the Dakota at Devils Lake to assure them they still honored the treaty. The Dakota accepted their peace, but promised that they would return to settle accounts with the Ojibwe in numbers like the mosquitoes.

In response to this brazen escalation in hostilities, the US Congress appropriated $50,000 for the erection of a fort at Pembina River to help keep the peace.

During the middle of summer in 1851, a group of Ojibwe and Métis departed Pembina and headed west for their annual buffalo hunt. On the first night out they waited for the contingent of Métis from Grant Town (St. Francois Xavier) to meet them. Once the second group rendezvoused, the combined force elected two captains to lead them on the expedition. The Grant Town group selected Jean-Baptiste Falcon as their leader, while the Pembina group chose Pascal Breland.

Departing the rendezvous site for the hunting grounds in the west, each group advanced – separated by several miles – using a standard formation with mounted scouts out front and on both flanks of the two groups. These scouts would “float” around the field, keeping contact between the two groups using various signals, while the captains led from the front center of the line of Red River carts that followed along. 
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After about a week, both parties were in sight of the Missouri Coteau and the Souris (Mouse) River. The more northerly group was near present-day Minot, while the other was off to the southeast of Minot in the vicinity of present-day Sawyer, near Maison du Chien (Dogden Butte). It was likely that they would be able to find buffalo within a few days, as the region was rich with game. However, unbeknownst to them their enemy the Cut Head (Yanktonais) Dakota had observed them and were planning to attack them. 

That evening, the Métis scouts of the northern group spotted a large encampment of Dakota. Knowing that they were in danger of attack, the group immediately went into a defensive posture and circled their wagons, creating a fortress from where they could defend themselves if needed. Within this makeshift fort, the Ojibwe and Métis dug a large hole in the center for the women and children to hide themselves. The animals were secured within the enclosure as well. Then, the men worked through the night digging trenches and foxholes outside of the ring of carts to serve as defensive rifle pits, with the excess dirt acting as berms for added protection.  

The next morning, they saw the Dakota approaching. Estimates are that somewhere between 2,500-3,000 warriors were in the enemy force. A head count of the Ojibwe and Métis was made. They only had 77 men – including several young boys who could handle a rifle – with which to defend themselves. Two men were sent out to ask for a truce, but the Dakota rejected it and the next day the battle started.

The Dakota attacked the encampment throughout the day, but the defenders were able to hold position without a single life lost.  In turn, they killed eight Dakota warriors and wounded over twice that many. The next day, it was hoped that a retreat could take place so that they could join the group near Dogden Butte, but they were quickly cut off and they were forced to retreat back to the wagons. The Dakota, angry that they could not break through, fought with increased intensity but the Ojibwe/Métis force again fought them off with the help of some of the women loading their spare guns so that they always had a ready firearm to shoot. They suffered three minor casualties and only one man died. Again the Dakota suffered worse and lost a few dozen warriors in their attack.

That afternoon, the sky darkened with an impending thunderstorm on the horizon. A Dakota emissary was sent to parlay. He announced that the Dakota would stop their attack, then a group of several hundred warriors circled the wagon fort and fired a final volley into the sky.  The Dakota departed and the storm came. With the storm came 300 men from the group at Dogden Butte. These men were ready to take the fight to the Dakota, but Father Laflèche and Father Lacombe, the attending Catholic priests present, begged the warriors from pursuing the Dakota. 
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Later that fall, the Ojibwe and Métis sent a peace offering to the Dakota. It was agreed that they would thereafter share the hunting grounds of the Missouri Coteau. 

Notes taken by the Lewis & Clark expedition, in which they reported on the origins and territories of various Indian tribes in the region, including the various Ojibwe bands they encountered. These are described as follows: 

Chippewa of Leach Lake—Claim the country on both sides of the Mississippi, from the mouth of the Crow wing river to its source, and extending west of the Mississippi to the lands claimed by the Sioux, with whom they contend for dominion. They claim, also, east of the Mississippi, the country extending as far as Lake Superior, including the waters of the St. Louis. This country is thickly covered with timber generally; lies level, and generally fertile, though a considerable proportion of it is intersected and broken up by small lakes, morasses and small swamps, particularly about the heads of the Mississippi and river St. Louis. They do not cultivate, but live principally on the wild rice, which they procure in great abundance on the borders of Leech Lake and the banks of the Mississippi.

Chippewa of Red Lake Claim the country about Red Lake and Red Lake River, as far as the Red river of Lake Winnipeg, beyond which last river they contend with the Sioux for territory. This is a low level country, and generally thickly covered with timber, interrupted with many swamps and morasses. These, as well as the other bands of Chippewa, are esteemed the best hunters of the northwest country; but from the long residence of this band in the country they now inhabit, game is becoming scarce; therefore, their trade is supposed to be at its greatest extent.

Canadian Geographer, Alexander Jamieson Russell wrote (in 1869) about the Ojibwe of the Red Lake Band making regular fishing expeditions to the Rainy River district of Ontario to harvest sturgeon and visit with their relatives residing in that region.

He mentions that, in addition to fishing, that the Red Lake people were teaching the Indians at Rainy River how to negotiate with the Crown when it came to protecting their land rights in the face of colonial pressure. Russell noted:

​“Some of those who assemble at Rainy River for the sturgeon fishing, in summer, come from Red Lake, in the neighboring State of Minnesota, where they possess hunting grounds; and, among these latter, are some who have being parties to treaties with the United States for relinquishing certain tracts for settlement, for which they are now in receipt of annual payments. The experience they have thus gained has rendered them expert diplomatists, as compared to Indians who have never had such advantages, and they have not failed to impress on their kindred and tribe, on Rainy River, the value of the lands which they hold on the line of route to Red River.”

One day, in the early 1800s, three law officers from the Red River settlement in Manitoba arrived at Red Lake, Minnesota, on a mission. They had been sent by the governor of the Hudson's Bay Company, bearing a letter from him stating that one of the Red lake men had stolen $1500 from the company a few weeks earlier. The letter acknowledged that the officers had no authority to arrest the guilty party, but that they were respectfully requesting that the leaders at Red Lake would accept their plea to recover the money.
 
The old headman named Way-win-che-gnon met with the officers and listened as the letter was read to him. He thought for a while afterwards and then gave his reply through the missionary, who acted as interpreter. He said, “Yes, that is true. A distant relative of mine has the money and he shall deliver it up to you.”  The accused man was across the lake at Ponemah. Way-win-che-gnon sent two other headmen after him, asking that he to report at once at the Mission at Red Lake with the money. He then called the other headmen of village together at his house. 

When the suspected thief arrived, Way-win-che-gnon said to him, “Lay the money on the table cousin.” The man did what he was asked. Way-win-che-gnon then asked him, “Now stand up; hold up your hand and swear by the Great Spirit that you will tell us the sober truth as to how you got this money.”  To this, the man arose, held up his hand and said, “Ningah-dag-gay-de-kit-o-yan; nin-gah-ta-be-way-dush.” (or “The Lord of all shall hear what I shall say ; and I will tell the whole truth”). The man then proceeded to relate how he had stolen the money.

According to his statement, while at the Red River Settlement, he was visiting with two French half-breeds.  They had been admitted into the Hudson Bay Company's store, where they noticed a large package of new bank notes lying in the office. When they came out they began to consult how they might get possession of the money. They noticed that the window was open, so they grabbed a ladder and waited until nightfall.  With the ladder they were able to enter the store and snatch the money bag. However, as they were descending the ladder they were noticed. The Red Lake man was the last to come down, and he was holding the money.  The two Metis men quickly ran away, leaving him holding the proverbial bag. Finding himself deserted by his companions, the Red Laker prudently ran in the opposite direction and quickly left the Settlement. He reached Ponemah a few days later with the money. His accomplices were arrested, and told the authorities that they could find the man at Red Lake, which is what led the governor to dispatch his officers to recover the money if they could.

Hearing this, Way-win-che-gnon suggested that the money be carefully counted to see if it was all there. The missionary, serving as an honest party counted the bag. The exact sum fifteen hundred dollars was recovered and the men left to go back to Red River Settlement.

In his 1851 book, Traditional History and Characteristic Sketches of the Ojibway Nation, George Copway describes a few of the species hunted by the Ojibwe at Red Lake and how successful they were in their endeavors.  Copway wrote:

“Moose and Deer are taken, chiefly however in the northern parts of Lake Superior and in the vicinity of Red Lake. The Moose is one of the largest animals found, and the hunters have quite a merry time when three or four are taken at one time. It is considered best to take them before they leave their yard in the winter. If they are not thus taken, it is very difficult to secure them, as they are very fleet [and are usually found in boggy areas].

The Reindeer [Caribou] is also taken…it is the hardiest animal in the country. They are often chased for days in succession by the Indians, and a coat of ice is seen to cover them, caused by their perspiration; at the same time a thick steam arises from them. They go in droves, and when they are on the run, the light snow rises in clouds in every direction.”

In speaking about the Buffalo, Copway describes hunting incorporating Red River carts, skilled horsemen, and well-trained horses being part of the annual event:

“The Buffalo are taken at the head of Red River, where the Chippewa and the half-breeds kill between eight and ten thousand every year. The Indians form into companies and take their wagons with them when they go on a Buffalo hunt. The drove of Buffalo is very large, and grazing they blacken the prairie as far as the eye can reach.

The tread of the Buffalo makes the earth to tremble. The hunters are mounted on ponies whom are so taught that when a wounded animal falls they immediately start for an encounter with another. The Indian gathers his arrows from the grass while he is riding at full speed—a feat which is considered very dexterous, but which is quite common on the western prairies."