Life of Black Hawk

“He now presented the great medicine bag to Na-nà-ma-kee, and told him, that he cheerfully resigned it to him-it is the soul of our nation—it has never yet been disgraced—and I will expect you to keep it unsullied!”

In Black Hawk’s story, the medicine bag was a significant cultural object that was given to a war leader and had national symbolism. A Sauk man would earn the status of a war leader after proving himself in battle as the bravest warrior. The medicine bag as a symbol represented the war leader’s responsibility to protect and preserve the nation against its enemies. The passage highlights the importance of Black Hawk’s status as a war leader.

“Soon after this, a leading chief of the Muscow nation, came to our village for recruits to go to war against the Osages, our common enemy. I volunteered my services to go, as my father had joined him; and was proud to have an opportunity to prove to him that I was not an unworthy son, and that I had courage and bravery. It was not long before we met the enemy, when a battle immediately ensued. Standing by my father’s side, I saw him kill his antagonist, and tear the scalp from his head. Fired with valor and ambition, I rushed furiously upon another, smote him to the earth with my tomahawk—run my lance through his body—took off his scalp, and returned in triumph to my father! […] This was the first man I killed! The enemy’s loss in this engagement having been great, they immediately retreated, which put an end to the war for the present. Our party then returned to our village, and danced over the scalps we had taken. This was the first time that I was permitted to join in a scalp-dance.”

Black Hawk describes his years as a young warrior. For a young Sauk man, earning the status of the brave warrior was also a passage into manhood. Black Hawk strived to prove himself in battle and make his father proud. The passage demonstrates the patrilineal ethics of the Sauk tribe. Black Hawk looked up to his father and was by his side in war to learn the skills of a warrior. A Sauk man would ground his masculine identity in defending the nation against its enemies and proving himself superior to them.

“The American chief told them he wanted land—and they had agreed to give him some on the west side of the Mississippi, and some on the Illinois side opposite the Jeffreon. When the business was all arranged, they expected to have their friend released to come home with them. But about the time they were ready to start, their friend was let out of prison, who ran a short distance, and was shot dead! This is all they could recollect of what had been said and done. They had been drunk the greater part of the time they were in St. Louis. This is all myself or nation knew of the treaty of 1804. It has been explained to me since. I find, by all our country, east of the Mississippi, and south of the Jeffreon, was ceded to the United States for one thousand dollars a year! […] I could say much about this treaty, but I will not, at this time. It has been the origin of all our difficulties.”

The passage refers to the Treaty of 1804 by which the Sauk ceded their land to the United States government.