The Council of Three Fires

The the Council of Three Fires , also known as a People of Three Fires , the Confederation of Three Fires , the the Indian United Nations of Chippewa, Outaouais, and Potawatomi , or Niswi-mishkodewin in Anishinaabe language, is an alliance Anishinaabe Amerindian tribes Ojibwé, Outaouais and Potawatomi.

Origin

At the origin only one people, or a gathering of very close groups, the Ojibwé identities, Outaouais, and Potawatomi developed after Anishinaabe had reached Michilimackinac in their tour towards the Atlantique coast. According to their scriptural rollers of birch bark Potawatomi date the constitution from the Council of Three Fires with approximately of 796 with Michilimackinac.

Within the Council, Ojibwé were the “big brothers”, Outaouais the “juniors”, and Potawatomi the “youngest children”. This is why the three Anishinaabe nations are mentioned in this order Ojibwé, Outaouais then Potawatomi. Moreover Potawatomi are indicated “guards of the fire” ( boodawaadam ), which forms the root of their name Boodewaadamii (in Ojibwé language) or Bodéwadmi (in Potawatomi language).

Although Three Fires had several meeting rooms, Michilimackinac became preferred to them because of its central situation. The council met there to discuss political and military subjects. It is from this place that the council maintained the relations with the other people Anishinaabe, the Ozaagii (Sac), Odagaamii (Fox), Omanoominii (Menominee), Wiinibiigoo (Ho-Chunk), Naadawe (Iroquois), Ni' inaawi-Naadawe (Huron-Wendat), Naadawensiw (Sioux), Wemitigoozhi (France), Zhaaganaashi (Britannique) and the Gichi-mookomaan (the United States).

Thanks to the system of the totem S and with the promotion of the exchanges, the Council was in general in peace with its neighbors. However some occasional arguments were transformed into wars. Thus the Council fought the Iroquois and the Sioux, at the time of the Guerre Seven Year old, the Council fought the Britannique S and at the time of the Guerre of 1812, the the United States. After the formation of the United States in 1776, the Council became the heart of the Confédération of the lakes of the west (also known like the “Confederation of the Large-Lakes”), which gathered Wyandots, Algonquin S, Nipissing, Sacs, Meskwaki and others.

Treaties

The council signed or took part in several treaties with the British, France and the United States.

With the British

Treated of Strong the Niagara (1764) - implied,

With the United States

Treated of Strong Harmar (1789) - implied,
Treated of Greenville (1795) - implied,
Treated of Strong Industry (1805) - not implied but the 3 nations is present,
Traité Strait (1807) - not implied but the 3 nations are present,
Traité of Brownstown (1808) - implied,
Traité of Springwells (1815) - implied,
Traité St Louis (1816) - implied,
Traité of Strong Meigs (1817) - not implied but the 3 nations are present,
Traité Meadow of the Dog (1825 and 1829) - implied.

External bond

Confederation of Three Fires: History of the Nation Anishinabek

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