This article explores the life and diet of Chief John Smith, a Chippewa (Ojibwe) Native American, also known as Ga-Be-Nah-Gewn-Wonce, who lived near Cass Lake, Minnesota. While controversy surrounds his exact age at death, his long life provides insights into the lifestyle and dietary habits of Native Americans during the 19th and early 20th centuries.
The Enigma of Age
John Smith's birth year remains uncertain, with estimates ranging from 1787 to 1826. While he claimed to be seven or eight years old during the Leonid meteor shower of November 13, 1833, some accounts suggest he participated in the War of 1812, making him potentially older. The 1918 French annual periodical Almanach Vernot noted his name as "Fleche Rapide" or "Rapid Arrow," and the Ojibwa called him "Ba-be-nar-quor-yarg". Federal Commissioner of Indian Enrollment Ransom J. Powell attributed Smith's aged appearance to disease rather than advanced age, suggesting he was 88 years old based on records. Regardless of his exact age, John Smith's longevity was remarkable.
A Life at Division Point
John Smith lived on Division Point of Cass Lake in later years, spending most of his life in northern Minnesota. His original home was where Tom Smith lived in Cass Lake. He was also known as Kah-be-nag-wii-wIss, or "Wrinkle Meat" in English. He fished, rode horses, and traveled extensively. He was a well-known figure, respected and liked by many. He was a nice old man.
Traveling and Sustenance
Smith was known for traveling extensively, often by train, steamboat, or even by foot. He would often sell pictures of himself for five cents, using the money to support himself. He wrote his Indian name, his "white person" name, the location, and his age on the pictures. He was respected and often traveled for free. People liked to talk to him and ask him questions.
When traveling, John Smith often slept on the floor, even in hotels. He preferred the hard ground to soft beds, claiming it was healthier. He would put his blanket on the floor, and took his sack for a pillow. He was used to sleeping out in the woods that way.
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He would visit lumber camps, where he was always welcomed and fed. They'd offer him tea, donuts, and bread. He talked to the lumber men and railroad workers in English.
Diet and Food Habits of John Smith
John Smith had specific food preferences and habits. He was known to enjoy tea, which he often made himself using gathered herbs. He liked milk. He also liked bread, especially when it was baked by his mother. He enjoyed spinach. He carried tea, sugar, and tobacco in little bags in his pack.
He would often camp in the woods, building a small fire to cook tea and prepare his meals. He would add maple sugar and herbs to his tea for extra flavoring. He was careful not to make a big fire because he was afraid something would sneak up there to his camping spot if it noticed a fire. He would have his tobacco, wild rice, and tea.
Traditional Native American Diet
To understand John Smith's diet, it's important to consider the traditional diet of Native Americans in the Great Lakes region. This diet varied depending on the season and available resources.
Seasonal Eating
The Powhatan Indians recognized five seasons, all apparently based upon their diet. The first season, early and mid-spring (cattapeuk), was, according to John Smith, when the Indians “feed on fish, Turkeys and squirrels.” The late summer (nepinough) brought the harvest, although ripe corn, by Indian standards, was still green. Food also was plentiful during the autumn and early winter (taquitock), which was the major time of feasts and religious rituals. Late winter and early spring (popanow) was a time of hunger for both people and animals.
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Animal Foods
Animal foods were a significant part of the Native American diet, providing protein and essential fats. Large game like deer, moose, and bear were hunted, as well as smaller animals like beaver, rabbit, and squirrel. Fish and shellfish were also important, especially in coastal areas.
The Indians preferred the older animals because they had built up a thick slab of fat along the back. This fat was saved, sometimes by rendering, stored in the bladder or large intestine, and consumed with dried or smoked lean meat. Beaver was highly prized, especially the tail because it was rich in fat.
All the insides, such as heart, kidneys and liver, were prepared and eaten, roasted or baked or laid out in the sun to dry. The brains were eaten raw. If the animal was a female, they would prepare the teats or udders by boiling or barbecuing-these were never eaten raw. If the animal carried an unborn young, this was fed to the older people because it was so tender.
Plant Foods
Plant foods provided carbohydrates, vitamins, and fiber. Corn and wild rice were staples in many regions. Other plant foods included beans, squash, tubers, nuts, and berries.
Dry corn was first soaked in lime water (water in which calcium carbonate or calcium oxide is dissolved), a process called nixtamalizacion that softens the corn for use and releases vitamin B3, which otherwise remains bound in the grain.
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Staples like corn and beans were stored in underground pits, ingeniously covered with logs and leaves to prevent wild animals from finding or looting the stores.
Preparation Methods
Native Americans used various methods to prepare their food, including boiling, roasting, drying, and smoking. Birch bark was used to make trays, buckets and containers, including kettles. Water was boiled by putting hot rocks into the containers.
Health and Longevity
The traditional Native American diet, rich in animal fats and organ meats, provided fat-soluble vitamins A and D, which Weston Price recognized as the basis of healthy primitive diets. These nutrients are catalysts to the assimilation of protein and minerals. Without them minerals go to waste and the body cannot be built tall and strong. Certain fatty glands of game animals also provided vitamin C during the long winter season in the North.
The Indians of Canada revealed to Dr. Price that the adrenal glands in the moose prevented scurvy. When an animal was killed, the adrenal gland and its fat were cut up and shared with all members of the tribe.