Wisconsin Roots Too; 108; Mann

[Bonita Cornute] Although they are the second indigenous tribe to Wisconsin there were no permanent Winnebago villages in Madison after 1832. To rectify the situation they say they were given a parcel of land on the shores of Lake Monona after the turn of the 19th century. This land was reserved for the exclusive use of the Winnebago tribe. Ralph Mann is 70 years old and he remembers some of the time spent in that area during his youth. Tell me a little bit about the make up of the warrior clan. You're all family. Warrior clan goes way back. my clan... When I was young we had a lot of older men sitting in with us. [unclear] teaching we have when they have when we have our feast in the winter, spring, summer fall. You have to sit in and learn these things. They wouldn't write them for you. They wouldn't put [unclear] of course they didn't have those when I was a kid. When I was young they didn't have those. So today I had a tape recorder. [unclear[

He died here a few years back. I asked him if he would kindly put it down. I had one of those big tape recorders. You know I couldn't get him to do it. Is it then your responsibility to teach the younger members. It's supposed to be but nobody comes. What do you mean? And then they do come they don't listen anyway. You have to be right there to listen [unclear] maybe I didn't do enough of that. So what little I have maybe I lost half of it. [unclear] It's kept coming down anyway from way back I got the history beginning of the world [unclear] you could one song you could sing all day [unclear] cutting it down because they kept losing it.

What little left we got now. So you know it sounds like you have history classed for the young people? Yeh, we used to have years ago but they don't understand our language so we don't have them anymore either. Is that important to Indian culture that you... Oh yes it was at one time. but now it is don't sound like it important to them. To us important. It's important to us. Why? But not to them. Why? Because they don't believe it. Why is it important to you though? I like to carry through. Like Winnebago is the first standing tribe that came to this dear mother earth. From above God made man, woman, and he made a Winnebago. That's my history. And all the other tribes came out of Winnebago tribe. So if we lose our tribe we have nothing left. They always told us that would lose

our own language [unclear] we won't be here anymore. And it's your job to make sure they... It's my part of my job... i don't know Get to work [unclear]. My language they can't talk it How they gonna bring it back. [unclear] When I was 9 years old I couldn't speak a word of English. It was all Indian. That's different today. A 9 year old today... A 9 year old today don't understand Indian. They bring em up that way. You told me earlier about a Governor Zimmerman who established a camp community outside of Madison for

a group of Indians is that correct. Tell us a little bit more about that. This one indian that told me the story So. From Black River they came through But they stopped at Wisconsin Dells which now is the Lower Dells. The Indians were living there. It must have been in the spring of the year because they were fishing. [unclear] they bring the sturgeons back. And said some of em were over six foot long they be dragging them on the ground. They stayed overnight there with them. And I have relatives that visit there and they come down to Baraboo and they could see on top of the hill. They didn't bury him. Chief Yellow Thunder died just

before they got there. And they put him just the way he wanted it. In your opinion what do you consider the contribution made by Winnebago Indians to Wisconsin as a whole? Well contribution was trying to make survival for people that they never saw before. They came to this country and they needed help. I think that's where the first helping hand came from. They shared what they had with them. They had [no talking] Any kind of fruit. They had the dried it and preserved it so can have it later in winter. So they shared it with them what they had. [unclear] They shared

alike you know. And the men folk they took them out for the meat they go hunt bear one day. They go hunt dear one other day Have you got it. How do Winnebago Indians respond to treaties? [unclear] in a book. Treaties. [unclear] of the American Indian. I would like that bring that up someday. But it doesn't I don't think it does any good anymore [unclear] It's written but Indian can't claim it because he doesn't have nothing to show he made the treaty. White men made it. Because Indian has nothing to fight back with. He don't have a the treaty. He don't have nothing. He lucky he have himself I guess.

Thank you very much Mr. Mann. We are out of time. [no audio]