September 30 marks an important anniversary for both the Ojibwe peoples and the Northland as a whole.

On September 30, 1854, 170 years ago, the 1854 Treaty of La Pointe was signed. This agreement ceded all Lake Superior Ojibwe lands in the arrowhead portion of Minnesota to the United States in exchange for the establishment of reservations in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan.

The treaty was signed in La Pointe Wisconsin on Madeline Island – considered the spiritual homeland of the Ojibwe.

For the 170^th anniversary, a gathering was held on the island to commemorate the signing of the treaty. Among the native signatories on the 1854 treaty was the famed Ojibwe leader Chief Buffalo, who signed many treaties with the Federal government. Ahead of the 1854 treaty, the Chief, then in his 90s, traveled to Washington DC to meet with then President Millard Fillmore.

“The president would actually be so moved by the presence of the man and his company that he would actually rescind the Indian Removal Order Act, allowing the Ojibwe – the Anishinaabe – to retain their traditional hunting grounds, their fishing rights, as well as establish reservations within the 1854 treaty.” Says Michael Charette, an Ojibwe cultural demonstrator.

In addition to the ferry from Bayfield, many made the trip out to the island by kayak, a stand in for traditional canoes. Among of the kayakers was Madosin Barningham, who has a personal connection with the Madison Island’s history.

“I’m kind of a direct descendant of Chief Buffalo. It just means everything to be part of the seventh generation to come out here, whether it’s canoe, paddle, just to get out on the water and get over there and enjoy Treaty Day.”

Chief Buffalo’s treaty efforts were key in maintaining a permanent homeland for the Lake Superior Chippewa.