Treaty Support

WHEN FRENCH EXPLORERS ARRIVED in northern Wisconsin in the 17th century, they came across Chippewa Indians spearing fish from canoes at night. The Chippewa used torches to attract the fish, leading the voyagers to dub one village Lac du Flambeau ("Lake of the Torch"). When the Chippewa ceded land to the United States in the mid-1800s, they signed treaties retaining off-reservation harvesting rights for fish, deer, and timber.

But protests have arisen over the so-called "special treatment" the American Indians are being given. The protests took on a more ominous tone when The Milwaukee Sentinel revealed the formation of a death squad armed with land mines and hand grenades. Red Cliff Chippewa activist Walt Bresette, the target of dubious legal actions initiated by the state as the 1990 spearing season began, said, "The only Indians out there spearing fish are those who are willing to risk their lives."

Agriculturally poor northern Wisconsin has for decades been dependent on mining, logging, and tourism, all of which have been in decline in recent years. Instead of joining with the American Indians for job development and ecological protection, working-class white people have been turned against their natural allies. Says Bresette, "I think, in fact, we have more things in common with the anti-Indian people than we have with the state of Wisconsin."

Witness for Nonviolence is a support group that has arisen to prevent, deflect, and document the violence at the boat landings. Milwaukee organizer Sierra Powers said, "We were asked, If we can witness in Central America [with Witness For Peace], why not in our own backyard?" Thousands of non-Indians, including many from the north, have been trained in nonviolence and are providing a presence near the lakes where the Indians fish. Many support groups, including the Witness, HONOR, Wa-Swa-Gon, and the Midwest Treaty Network, are educating people in churches and schools about the reality of treaty-rights issues.

Support rallies were held the first weekend in April in Midwest and European cities. And on the first two nights of spearing near the St. Croix reservation, the number of witnesses matched or exceeded the number of anti-treaty protesters each night. A carload of treaty supporters, however, was run off the road by another car driven by an anti-treaty activist. The anti-Indian demonstrators also placed a bounty for the theft or destruction of the drum the Indians use as a calming influence at the boat landings.

"One glimmer of hope resides in the changes of heart some people are experiencing," says Witness co-founder Sarah Backus. "Some sportsmen who last year were at the docks protesting the treaties have seen that they were being manipulated by the mining interests and the state government. This year at least one protester plans to turn out as a witness to stand with the Indians."

Zolton Grossman was an Indian support activist and freelance writer in Madison, Wisconsin and co-founder of the Midwest Treaty Network when this article appeared.