Fort Necessity exhibit emphasizes Native Americans' importance in battle
Native Americans' participation in the Battle of Fort Necessity will be recognized on Saturday as the National Park Service opens a yearlong exhibit, "Zhimaagnishak Miikaanhs: The Odawa Warriors Journey to Fort Necessity."
The purpose of this exhibit, said park Ranger Mary Ellen Snyder, is to help visitors understand the role that Native Americans, including those from the Odawa Tribe, played in the battle of Fort Necessity.
"If the Native Americans hadn't allied with the French, the French would not have defeated George Washington at this battle," Snyder said.
About the people
Eric Hemenway, cultural preservation assistant of the Little Traverse Bay Band of Odawa Indians, which is working with the park service on the exhibit, said that a warrior's training began at an early age.
"It would begin with children's games, such as footracing and wrestling," Hemenway said. "Tribal elders would watch young people closely to see who had an aptitude for fighting and who would make better hunters. Warriors would learn the ethics of warfare. They never would wage war indiscriminately. All battles should serve a specific purpose. Warriors realized that what they did was for the benefit of the whole community, as well as being an initiation into adulthood."
The Odawas hail from the coastal regions of Michigan and the surrounding areas. They were noted for their business acumen, which enabled them to build close economic ties with the French fur traders who worked in the area.
In June 1754, soon after Joseph Coulon de Jumonville was killed during the Battle of Jumonville, Jumonville's brother, Louis Coulon de Villiers, acted upon orders to avenge his brother's death. De Villiers assembled a group of Native American allies from throughout the Ohio Valley and the Great Lakes region, including members of the Huron, Odawa and Iroquois tribes.
After a march to Chautaqua, N.Y., then to Fort Duquesne, de Villiers and his allies attacked the British troops stationed at Fort Necessity, where the French and their allies were victorious. The Odawas would aid the French again in 1755, as General Braddock made his ill-fated march toward the Ohio Valley.
Hemenway said that the Odawas became involved in the French and Indian War to protect their homeland.
"They saw what was happening to tribes in the east; they were being pushed west or annihilated entirely. The Odawas felt compelled to take action."
Hemenway said that the eventual defeat of the French affected the Odawas in several ways.
"The French didn't have that strong a permanent presence here," Hemenway said. "The British had a policy of occupation. They occupied huge tracts of land, and expanded."
He said that even after the war was over, Native Americans faced a battle of a different kind. "We dealt with treaty issues and court cases." he said.
Snyder said that the exhibit would be displayed throughout several cases.
"The first case will have weapons from that time period, including a French musket, spear points and other battle items. The second case in entitled the 'Village Case' and will have items pertaining to everyday life, such as awls for working with leather, a replica of an ash basket, items for quill working and even a Jesuit ring."
Paintings by Robert Griffing will be displayed. Griffing hails from the Pymatuning Lake region of northwestern Pennsylvania, where he spent his childhood collecting stone artifacts. After graduating from the Art Institute of Pittsburgh, Griffing launched a 30-year career in advertising. He now paints scenes of the Eastern Woodland Indians, focusing upon their struggles to survive in light of European encroachment on their lands.
Local artist and former Fort Necessity Ranger Fred Threlfall will exhibit his work that focuses on the fur trade and how it connected two very different cultures.
Additional Information:
If you go
The schedule of events at Fort Necessity National Battlefield, Farmington, for Saturday is as follows:
11 a.m.: Opening ceremony
11:30 a.m.: Traditional Odawa feast
Noon : Odawa Warrior Program, presented by Eric Hemenway
Noon-4 p.m.: LTBB cultural demonstrations, soldier memorial program, weapons demonstrations
Open House : Mt. Washington Tavern, 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. and 2 to 5 p.m.
Admission to the exhibit is $5. For more information, call the park office at 724-329-5811.
