Autobiography of Ma-ka-tai-me-she-kia-kiak, or Black Hawk — John Shaqi
Autobiography of Ma-ka-tai-me-she-kia-kiak, or Black HawkBlack Hawk, Sauk chief
History
Autobiography of Ma-ka-tai-me-she-kia-kiak, or Black Hawk
Black Hawk, Sauk chief
Black Hawk War, 1832; Black Hawk, Sauk chief, 1767-1838; Sauk Indians -- Biography
After a long time the British overpowered the French, the two nations
being at War, and drove them away from Quebec, taking possession of it
themselves. The different tribes of Indians around our nation, envying
our people, united their forces against them and by their combined
strength succeeded in driving them to Montreal, and from thence to
Mackinac. Here our people first met our British father, who furnished
them with goods. Their enemies still wantonly pursued them and drove
them to different places along the lake. At last they made a village
near Green Bay, on what is now called Sac river, having derived its name
from this circumstance. Here they held a council with the Foxes, and a
national treaty of friendship and alliance was agreed upon. The Foxes
abandoned their village and joined the Sacs. This arrangement, being
mutually obligatory upon both parties, as neither were sufficiently
strong to meet their enemies with any hope of success, they soon became
as one band or nation of people. They were driven, however, by the
combined forces of their enemies to the Wisconsin. They remained here
for some time, until a party of their young men, who descended Rock
river to its mouth, had returned and made a favorable report of the
country. They all descended Rock river, drove the Kaskaskias from the
country and commenced the erection of their village, determined never to
leave it.
At this village I was born, being a lineal descendant of the first
chief, Nanamakee, or Thunder. Few, if any events of note transpired
within my recollection until about my fifteenth year. I was not allowed
to paint or wear feathers, but distinguished myself at an early age by
wounding an enemy; consequently I was placed in the ranks of the Braves.
Soon after this a leading chief of the Muscow nation came to our village
for recruits to go to war against the Osages, our common enemy.
I volunteered my services to go, as my father had joined him, and was
proud to have an opportunity to prove to him that I was not an unworthy
son, and that I had courage and bravery. It was not long before we met
the enemy and a battle immediately ensued. Standing by my father's side,
I saw him kill his antagonist and tear the scalp from off his head.
Fired with valor and ambition, I rushed furiously upon another and smote
him to the earth with my tomahawk. I then ran my lance through his body,
took off his scalp and returned in triumph to my father. He said nothing
but looked well pleased. This was the first man I killed. The enemy's
loss in this engagement having been very great, they immediately
retreated, which put an end to the war for the time being. Our party
then returned to the village and danced over the scalps we had taken.
This was the first time I was permitted to join in a scalp dance.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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