In the rare occasion where any individual broke away from the band and hunted by himself, scaring the herd before the call to hunt was given, no notice was taken at the immediate time, but that night a party of ogichidaag would approach the man’s lodge and call him out. When he came, he was grabbed and his shirt was cut to shreds. He would then be flogged by the leader of the ogichidaag. When the punishment was over, the man would be asked if he would ever again violate custom by hunting ahead of the party. If he said no, he was freed. If he said he would, he would be driven from the camp. If a man violating the rules agreed to follow the rules, but failed to honor his word, he might be killed or else his property would be smashed and destroyed, his lodge cut up, and he would be shamed publicly. If, after this chastisement, he truly repented, at the end of a few days the ogichidaag would go about the camp and collect new items for the man and restore his property so that he could take care of his family. This system was learned and used by the Metis of Red River – most who came from Ojibwe families and spent significant time living and hunting with them. Much like their Ojibwe family, the Metis would elect hunt leaders and eventually enacted “laws of the hunt” which were based on the Ojibwe rules. The Metis rules of the hunt were as follows:
For more information:
Ross, Alexander (1855) The Fur Hunters of the Far West: A Narrative of Adventures in the Oregon and Rocky Mountains, Volume 1. Smith, Elder and Company, Skinner, Alanson (1914) Political Organizations, Cults, and Ceremonies of the Plains-Ojibway and Plains-Cree Indians. the University of California
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorA collaborative effort of members of the Ojibwe and Metis communities Archives
January 2020
Categories |