Leelanau County Michigan was first inhabited by Native Americans prior to French and English settlements. Leelanau County was specifically home to the Anishinaabe, which is the name given to the three tribes who called this area their home. The Ottawa, Ojibwe and Potawatomi are the three tribes who lived here prior to colonization. These peoples were all nomadic, but had semi-permanent residences set up in what is current day Omena Point, Leland and a high bluff just north of what is now called Peterson Park. Chief Onominese, was the chief of the tribe that resided in current day Leland, and if you go there today, you will see his name on many geographical markers, including their cemetery which still remains there although it would be very easy to miss as the undergrowth has claimed much of the markers and many of the sites are not marked. These tribes of the Ottawa and Chippewa and Potawatomi make up what is called the Three Fires Confederacy. These tribes moved here from the Eastern Coast of Turtle Island and settled in this area after their spiritual leader told them to travel west until they found food growing on the water. They traveled until they found rice growing on the water and they knew they were home. These tribes became great traders and had trade routes as far west as the Rocky Mountains, east to the Atlantic Ocean, north to Northern Canada and south to the Gulf of Mexico. When French and English settlers first came to the area, they sought them as trading partners. Sadly, as we know, over time the white settlers began to want and fight over the native peoples lands and many treaties ensued. Each treaty resulted in fewer rights for the native peoples and eventually one treaty, according to the white men, dissolved their rights as a tribe altogether. However, these tribes did not give up, they continued to stay in their land and fight for their rights as a people. In 1934, under the leadership of Ben Peshaba the tribe applied for tribal recognition, but were denied. The tribe persisted, numerous times and eventually, in 1980, the tribe was re-recognized by the federal U.S. government as the Grand Traverse band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians. The tribe has drafted a constitution and formed their own government, and today Peshawbestown can be found in Leelanlau County. The tribe own and operate several businesses here including the Leelanau Sands Casino & Lodge. I am glad to know that these peoples still have a chance to live in their original lands and can take ownership and pride in their accomplishments. One story I have always liked is regarding how the Sleeping Bear Dunes got their name, and it is from an old Chippewa Indian legend. The story, although varies a little bit, goes something like this, ‘a mother bear and her cubs were fleeing from a fire on the shore of the Wisconsin coast and needed to get across the big water to the other side. They set out on their journey and as it was rough and it was a long way, the mother finally reached the other side and collapsed when she got to solid land. She looked back and saw that her 2 cubs had not made it, they were just off the shore a little ways. The mother bear is now the Sleeping Bear Dune and her two cubs are the North and South Manitou Islands’.