Chapter 15: The Great Peacemaker
Niswinibi Boodooswagon, the Three Waters Confederacy, was the largest and longest lasting of any classical period Budus. The Three Waters were Lake Gichigami [Lake Superior], Lake Inogami [Lake Michigan], and Lake Karegami [Lake Huron]. Even before the foundation of the confederacy, the peoples around these three great lakes had always had more religious and cultural similarities to one another than the other Menominee peoples.
Map of the Mishigami and Ohiyo Valleys in the Early Classical Period. The Three Waters Confederacy is colored in Red.
[1]
The Confederacy’s founding is generally dated to between 250 and 200 BCE. In the same time period, the First and Second Punic Wars raged in the Mediterranean. Emperor Ashoka of the Mauryan Empire was converting to Buddhism. The first emperor of China was building a terra cotta army for his tomb.
The typical story of the Confederacy’s founding goes something like this. For as long as the three waters existed, the people on their shores had fought for control of the trade and resources in and around them. Cities were burned down. Fields went untilled as farmers were killed or went campaigning. Sunflowers were planted along every path and stream as soldiers died on the march. Wendigo went from town to town, causing chaos and feasting on the dead.
In all this destruction, only Sacred Mackinaw remained a place of peace. As the destruction continued this became more and more untenable. Some priests supported one Oodena over the others. Most wished to remain neutral.
Aandeg, the Mide and Sagamos of Mackinaw, tried to make peace between Baawatigong [Sault St. Marie, MI/ON] and Poonchikit [Green Bay, WI]. Both sides made extraordinary promises but were only deceiving each other. As Aandeg sailed back to Mackinaw Island, the fleets of the two cities attacked each other in the straits. This would come to be known as the First Battle of Sacred Mackinaw.
Both Baawatigong and Poonchikit blamed the other for starting the battle. The truth may never be known. At the very least, both sides agreed that once battle was joined neither one had been solely responsible for the death and destruction on the sacred island. Aandeg was killed and the temples on Mackinaw Island were damaged by both sides.
The Straits of Sacred Mackinaw
[2]
In the aftermath, one voice spoke up, demanding peace between not just Baawatigong and Poonchikit but all the Oodena of the Three Waters. That voice was from Nipisii, a woman who had become a priest. In an unprecedented move, she was elected the new Mide, the first woman to hold the priesthood of Mackinaw.
The Sagamos and the Mide of the other cities considered an attack on sacred Mackinaw to be an unforgivable violation. One by one, Nipisii convinced each one to come to Mackinaw to talk peace.
They met in Mackinaw itself, in a temple dedicated to Asibikaashi, the Spider Grandmother, who symbolically protected everyone who entered from harm. To do violence in a temple Asibikaashi was sacrilege of the highest order. It had been damaged in the battle, underscoring the problem that needed fixing.
After much debate, rules for the Boodooswagon were agreed. These rules were called the Great Law of Peace. They represent the oldest known law code and constitution known from Minisia.
A Grand Council was made. The Nine Great Oodena would each have a single vote. The representatives of the Nine Great Oodena would gather every year at midsummer on the island of Mackinaw.
The Grand Council would continue to meet in the temple of Asibikaashi. It was kept in its damaged state so that everyone remembered why they spoke with words instead of warring with clubs. The damage also meant that winter would bring the bitter cold, placing a time limit on the meetings. In later years, if a group arrived in heavy furs, it signaled that they were willing to drag out negotiations as long as necessary.
Any disagreements between members would be mediated. If no agreement could be made, members would formally declare war on each other. Warfare would be limited, with their conduct subject to rulings by the Grand Council. Battles would take place at chosen sites and chosen times and would only be between zhimaaganish warriors.
At any time, either member could sue for peace. Both sides would agree to terms and the Grand Council would approve. Then, there would be peace. If the peace was broken without an attempt for mediation and a formal declaration of war, all members would join together to force a resolution.
Warfare between members of the Three Waters Confederacy became increasingly ritualized. As time went on, there were an increasing number of so-called “Mourning Wars”. These were wars fought to satisfy honor. Usually they were fought to avenge the death of warriors in the previous Mourning War. No territory exchanged hands. Honor and trade goods were all that victory brought. By the end of the classical period, many Mourning Wars were entirely stage managed. There were no or very few casualties and winners were known before battle was joined.
All members of the Three Waters Confederacy would use the same weights and measures, as approved by the Grand Council at Mackinaw. Taxes and tolls were agreed at the Grand Council. In times of famine or drought, all cities would pool their resources to avoid starvation. An attack on one member by an outsider would be considered an attack on all.
Future generations would deify Nipisii as the Great Peacemaker in a similar way to Medweginoonind. She was considered the perfect mediator and a servant of Asibikaashi. People would pray to her during negotiations or arguments. She was invoked with each new session of the Grand Council.
Next time, we will discuss the Middle Kingdoms of the Mishigami. But first, we will have a supplemental on the members of the Three Waters Confederacy.
[1] Three Waters Confederacy in Red. Kingdom of Gakaabikaang in orange. Kingdom of Cahokia in dark red. Kingdom of Miyamee in brown. Kingdom of Minesing in yellow. Ontario Confederacy in green. Black Swamp Confederacy in grey. Kingdom of Hoshalaga in pink. Miscellaneous city states in purple.
[2] Taken from:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Straits_of_Mackinac#/media/File:Straits_of_Mackinac_crx.jpg
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