HHMT 4: Anishnabeg Traditional Cache

If you want a longer paddle on the river, put in can be at the Native Tree Cache (GC1BHGY). You will have one downed tree to cross on the river. This may be hard for young children or beginner canoe people. It is a great part of the river to do though. Quiet and lots of trees and wildlife. We saw three HUGE turtles here.

First To Find prize is an unactivated Geocoin.

No written records exist of the first inhabitants of the Huron River and the surrounding area. However, we do know the location of its headwaters, which is located in Springfield Township, Oakland County, Michigan. From this location the Huron River can be traced southwest to Milford, Michigan. Archaeologists and anthropologists working with artifacts and other scientific findings have painted a possible scenario that would have taken place about 9,000 years ago along the banks of the Huron River, beginning with the Paleo-Indian (hunters) later jointed by migratory Indian tribes. The combination of these two groups would be called Aqua-Planos. A nineteenth century farmer, plowing his field in the Milford area, found discarded spearheads along the Huron River bank. These spearheads were used to confirm the existence of this particular group of Indians in that time period. Six thousand years ago the Archaic Boreal Indians moved into the Great Lakes region to pursue hunting and fishing on the Huron River. This culture lasted approximately 2,500 years. During both periods, climatic changes were taking place which started the process of evolution. This period would eliminate animals, game, fish, plant-life, and some tribes, making room for new growth in all aspects of this circle of life-form. The Woodland Indian period began to take shape. Again, traces of their existence in the Milford area remains elusive. However, the Wilbert B. Hinsdales’ Archaeological Atlas of Michigan places Indian Villages in Oakland County at Walled Lake, Highland, Bald Eagle Lake, Rochester and along the Paint Creek, South Lyons, Lakeville, Kent Lake, Pontiac, Southfield and Grass Lake. Ancient burial grounds have been discovered in Pontiac, Birmingham, Walled Lake, and Novi Corners.
The arrival of French explorers in 1600 was greeted by descendants of the Woodland Indian tribes. These modern day Indians were known collectively as the “ANISHNABEG”. They were composed of the Ojibway, elder brother, the Ottawa, next older brothers, and the Potawatomi, the younger brother. These three tribes were the “people of the place of the fire" This loosely organized group spoke similar dialects of the same Algonquian language and shared many cultural beliefs. The “Anishnabeg” had adapted their lifestyles to this woodland area with its abundance of wildlife, rich soil, stately forest, transversed by rivers and lakes. An outstanding example of their use of local materials, and their craftsmanship is the birch bark canoe. The new arrivals would enjoy many foods that this group of Indians used in their daily lives, such as wild rice, maple syrup, and the “Three Sisters” (corn, beans, squash). The Pottawatomie were very helpful to the “Che-mo-ko-man” in raising their wigwams (house).
Information from: HRWC.org, Charlotte McKeough, author.