One Person's Look at the Ho-Chunk NationBy Edward Barlow, Section Historical Perspectives
To have "Peace and Understanding" in this world, it is important to learn and know more about our neighbors. The Ho-Chunk Nation, a good people, have a very interesting, heroic, and at times, sad history.
more in the full story...
For centuries the Winnebagos (officially Ho-Chunk Nation after 1994) lived in the Wisconsin region. They are said to be descendants of the Mound Builders of long ago. In 1816, the Winnebagos (Ho-Chunks) signed a Peace Treaty with the United States. They had favored the British during the Revolutionary War. They sided with the western Indians against President Washington in his ethnic cleansing Northwest Indian war (1791-1794). They fought against Gen William Henry Harrison when he invaded and destroyed the Indian Capital at Tippecanoe, Indiana (1811). They fought on the side of the British in the War of 1812 and helped win several famous battles. In 1825 another "Peace Treaty" was signed at Prairie Du Chien. This treaty firmly established the borders of the Winnebagos (Ho-Chunks) and other tribes (Sioux, Chippewa, Sacs, Fox, Menomonie, Iowa, Ottawa and Potawatomie). At this time the Winnebagos had 8.5 million acres of tribal land in southern Wisconsin and northern Illinois. In 1827 Winnebago Chief Red Bird and others became concerned when 30,000 lead miners and family farmers moved onto treaty protected land in Southwestern Wisconsin Territory. The lead miners (and others) routinely treated the Indians badly, chased them off their own land, and killed some. He then went to war and was quickly defeated in the Winnebago (Red Bird) War of 1827. Because of the "war", the United States in the Treaty of 1827, took land from them and gave it to lead mining companies and family farmers. As further punishment the United States, in the Winnebago (Ho-Chunk) Treaty of 1828, took all their tribal land in Illinois from them. And yet further, in order to get Chief Red Bird and others released from prison the Winnebagos (Ho-Chunks) agreed to "cede" all their land south of the Wisconsin River and East of the Fox River. Before the Treaty of 1829 was issued Red Bird had died in prison under harsh conditions. Because some of the Winnebagos (Ho-Chunks) supported Black Hawk in the so-called Black Hawk War of 1832, the resulting Winnebago (Ho-Chunk) Treaty of 1832 further reduced their lands to what is now present day Vernon, Crawford, Richland, LaCrosse, Monroe, Sauk, Juneau, Clark, Jackson, Trempeleau, and Wood counties. In 1836 over 1/4 of the Winnebagos (Ho-Chunks) died in a smallpox epidemic. The following year the United States fraudulently issued the Winnebago (Ho-Chunk) Treaty of 1837. This treaty took all their land in Wisconsin. It also gave the entire Winnebago (Ho-Chunk) Nation 8 months to leave "Wisconsin" and live in Iowa. Although many moved, many managed to stay by hiding out and living marginal existences. In 1846 when Moses Decker was "axing his way" through the wilderness (once Ho-Chunk land) to found present day Viroqua, the Winnebago (Ho-Chunks) were being removed by the Winnebago (Ho-Chunk) Treaty of 1846 from their reservation in Iowa to a reservation in Northern Minnesota (Long Prairie). The United States moved them there to keep peace by being a buffer between the warring Sioux and Chippewa. The Winnebago (Ho-Chunk) Treaty of 1855 "removed" them from their Long Prairie Reservation to Blue Earth Reservation in Southern Minnesota where they started all over again. Being "removed" from their Long Prairie Reservation led to huge debts. They had to "sell off" half their Blue Earth reservation in the Winnebago (Ho-Chunk) Treaty of 1859. In Minnesota, because of the heroic and righteous uprising of the Santee Sioux and because "Indian Hating" by Minnesota residents was so intense, in 1864 Abraham Lincoln issued an Executive Order to remove the Winnebagos (Ho-Chunks) from the rich land of the Blue Earth reservation. They were moved to barren Crow Creek Reservation in South Dakota. Because it was in the middle of winter and because the government issued spoiled food, almost 1/3 of the Winnebagos (Ho-Chunks) died en route. They were mostly women, children, and the elderly. Most men were volunteers off fighting in Lincoln's Union Army. (Lincoln was never a friend to the American Indian).(One interesting issue was that Winnebago men fought on the side of the US army in the early years of the following Plains Wars.) Conditions were horrific on the Crow Creek reservation. By the time the young men returned from their voluntary military service, the entire population had fled to Northeastern Nebraska and took refuge with the Omaha Indians. The United States, in the Treaty of 1865, allowed them to receive 40,000 acres from the Omaha Indians. Sadly, by 1934, because of massive land fraud authorized under the General Allotment Act of 1887 (Dawes Act), their reservation in Nebraska had been reduced to 13,000 acres. As noted, many Ho-Chunks "hid out" in the remotes of Wisconsin. During the years, the army conducted several "Indian Removal" roundups searching for Ho-Chunks ("illegal aliens") and "removing" them back to their reservation(s) west of the Mississippi. Sometimes they were shipped back in cattle cars; and other times marched off in chains. Many, after they were released on the reservation, fled back to Wisconsin. They persistently repeated this dangerous cycle. The last "Indian Removal" round up of the Ho-Chunks was in 1873/1874. Shipped off in winter and in cattle cars, many Ho-Chunks (men, women, and children) died enroute. And sadly too in the following year many died in an epidemic on the Nebraska reservation. Around 1880 the Ho-Chunks hiding out (or living a very marginal existence) in Wisconsin were given amnesty and were allowed to homestead under an amended Homestead Act. Many others were allowed to work as migrant farm workers on the vast lands that were once theirs. Others entertained tourists visiting Wisconsin Dells by performing "Indian" dances and and explaining Indian culture and customs. We must always remember that it is because of the truly heroic "illegals" who loved their Wisconsin homeland and refused to leave that the Ho-Chunks are a Nation in Wisconsin today. They are truly some of America's greatest heroes. After 1887 many Ho-Chunk children (some as young as six years old) were removed from their families and communities for years at a time and put into harsh Indian Boarding Schools. They were not allowed to use their language, engage in Indian ways, or learn about their culture and heritage. They were being "assimilated" into "white" society. Assimilation of all Indians into white society was official national policy. In June 1924, because 25,000 American Indians volunteered to fight in World War I, Congress "gave" the Ho-Chunks (and all other American Indians) US citizenship (actually dual citizenship) and the rights that go with it. Sadly, during and after World War I Indians were still being cheated out of land, and their children were still being taken from them and put into Indian Boarding Schools. However, in 1934 the Federal Indian Reorganization Act had to be passed. Assimilation was not working. Indians could now own land tribally again; and they could have their own tribal government. It became a bit more difficult to cheat Indians out of their land. Their children could attend Indian Boarding Schools - voluntarily. Their language, culture, customs, and heritage now had to be taught. (The Veteran's Hospital in Tomah was once an Indian Boarding School). In 1963 the Federal government recognized the Ho-Chunks as a sovereign Indian Nation in Wisconsin separate from the Winnebagos in Nebraska. Under the Indian Claims Commission Act of 1946 the Ho-Chunks of Wisconsin and the Winnebagos of Nebraska sued the United States for fraudulently issuing them treaties. In 1975 they were awarded 4.8 million dollars for 8.5 million acres that was taken by coercion or deception. It would seem the ICC reimbursed them 50 cents an acre for all the land lost. The Ho-Chunks have no formal reservation in Wisconsin. They have 4,600 acres of Tribal Trust Land in 12 counties in southern Wisconsin and one in Minnesota. Their headquarters is near Black River Falls. The land they now have was purchased, homesteaded, or given to them and put into Tribal Trust. In December 2000 they were "given back" 1,200 acres of their original land in the Kickapoo Reserve. They are presently negotiating with the Federal government to get 1,550 acres of the highly contaminated Badger Ammunition Plant in Baraboo. It has been closed for many years. They want to raise buffalo and also turn the acreage into prairie grass. Since diabetes and other health issues are a serious problem, they are working hard to return to a more natural and native diet. Buffalo meat is one step. They now have a 642 acre tribal buffalo ranch in Muscoda Wisconsin. Today gaming revenue is enhancing their well being. They are building schools, establishing health care systems, social programs and, in general, greatly improving their lives. Also they are planning and building for the day when gaming will not bring in the large revenues it does now. Presently the State of Wisconsin wants to collect revenue and other money from the Ho-Chunk Nation to help the state's budget shortfall. Since the Ho-Chunks are a sovereign nation (Article one Section 8 of the US constitution), no state, only the federal government, can legally negotiate with them. . However, by mutual agreement the states and Indian nations can enter into compacts. Presently Wisconsin wants millions of dollars from them. This is being hotly contested in the courts And there is much more to their very interesting and heroic story. To learn more the Ho-Chunk website (www.ho-chunknation.com) is an excellent place to start. (And hopefully all the above is appropriately written). The books Wisconsin Indians by Nancy Oestreich Lurie, Wisconsin Historical Society Press and Indian Nations of Wisconsin by Patty Loew, Wisconsin Historical Society Press are two excellent source books.
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