Wawatam
Encyclopedia
Wawatam was an Ojibwa
chief at Michilimackinac
. He is known through his rescue of British trader Alexander Henry from the Ojibwas' capture of Fort Michilimackinac
in June 1763 during the Pontiac War. Wawatam, the leader and patriarch of an extended family of Ojibwa or Anishinaabe
Native Americans, initially claimed Henry as his share of the spoils resulting from the capture of the fort. He then advised Henry to take refuge in a shelter on nearby Mackinac Island
, Skull Cave
, and still later enlisted Henry as a member of his clan group's extended family. In this role Henry wintered with the Wawatam family in 1763-1764 in a hunting ground located near the eastern shore of Lake Michigan
. Henry's observations of the hunting and living practices of his friendly captors became a significant contribution to Algonquian
anthropology
.
Henry later returned to "civilization." Successful as a fur trader in later life, he always credited Wawatam with saving his life. The 18th century fort, scene of Wawatam's rescue of Henry, was reconstructed on its original site in the second half of the 20th century. The site is located near Mackinaw City
, Michigan
.
Ojibwa
The Ojibwe or Chippewa are among the largest groups of Native Americans–First Nations north of Mexico. They are divided between Canada and the United States. In Canada, they are the third-largest population among First Nations, surpassed only by Cree and Inuit...
chief at Michilimackinac
Michilimackinac
Michilimackinac is a name for the region around the Straits of Mackinac between Lake Huron and Lake Michigan. Early settlers of North America applied the term to the entire region along Lakes Huron, Michigan, and Superior. Today it is mostly within the boundaries of Michigan, in the United States...
. He is known through his rescue of British trader Alexander Henry from the Ojibwas' capture of Fort Michilimackinac
Fort Michilimackinac
Fort Michilimackinac was an 18th century French, and later British, fort and trading post in the Great Lakes of North America. Built around 1715, it was located along the southern shore of the strategic Straits of Mackinac connecting Lake Huron and Lake Michigan, at the northern tip of the lower...
in June 1763 during the Pontiac War. Wawatam, the leader and patriarch of an extended family of Ojibwa or Anishinaabe
Anishinaabe
Anishinaabe or Anishinabe—or more properly Anishinaabeg or Anishinabek, which is the plural form of the word—is the autonym often used by the Odawa, Ojibwe, and Algonquin peoples. They all speak closely related Anishinaabemowin/Anishinaabe languages, of the Algonquian language family.The meaning...
Native Americans, initially claimed Henry as his share of the spoils resulting from the capture of the fort. He then advised Henry to take refuge in a shelter on nearby Mackinac Island
Mackinac Island
Mackinac Island is an island and resort area covering in land area, part of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is located in Lake Huron, at the eastern end of the Straits of Mackinac, between the state's Upper and Lower Peninsulas. The island was home to a Native American settlement before European...
, Skull Cave
Skull Cave (Mackinac Island)
Skull Cave is a small and shallow cave on the central heights of Mackinac Island in Michigan, USA. The cave was carved during the Algonquin post-glacial period by the waters of Lake Algonquin, a swollen meltwater ancestor of today's Lake Huron....
, and still later enlisted Henry as a member of his clan group's extended family. In this role Henry wintered with the Wawatam family in 1763-1764 in a hunting ground located near the eastern shore of Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan is one of the five Great Lakes of North America and the only one located entirely within the United States. It is the second largest of the Great Lakes by volume and the third largest by surface area, after Lake Superior and Lake Huron...
. Henry's observations of the hunting and living practices of his friendly captors became a significant contribution to Algonquian
Algonquian peoples
The Algonquian are one of the most populous and widespread North American native language groups, with tribes originally numbering in the hundreds. Today hundreds of thousands of individuals identify with various Algonquian peoples...
anthropology
Anthropology
Anthropology is the study of humanity. It has origins in the humanities, the natural sciences, and the social sciences. The term "anthropology" is from the Greek anthrōpos , "man", understood to mean mankind or humanity, and -logia , "discourse" or "study", and was first used in 1501 by German...
.
Henry later returned to "civilization." Successful as a fur trader in later life, he always credited Wawatam with saving his life. The 18th century fort, scene of Wawatam's rescue of Henry, was reconstructed on its original site in the second half of the 20th century. The site is located near Mackinaw City
Mackinaw City, Michigan
Mackinaw City is a village in Emmet and Cheboygan counties in the U.S. state of Michigan. At the 2000 census the population was 859. The name "Mackinaw City" is a bit of a misnomer as it is actually a village...
, Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
.
External links
See also
- Wawatam Township, MichiganWawatam Township, MichiganWawatam Township is a civil township of Emmet County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the township population was 705.The village of Mackinaw City is located mostly within the township....