One of the first known inhabitants of the area that is now Minnesota were Indians of the Dakota branch of the Sioux nation (others include the Crow, Cheyenne and Cree). For the next two-hundred years the Indian peoples were in a constant state of war; the coming of whites was considered of minor importance by the Sioux, who were more concerned with the Ojibwa intrusion.
Long before the Anishinaabe became aware of the white man’s presence on this continent, their coming was prophesied by one of their old men, whose great sanctity and oft-repeated fasts, enabled him to commune with spirits and see far into the future. He prophesied that the white spirits would come in numbers like sand on the lake shore, and would sweep the red face from the hunting grounds which the Great Spirit had given them as an inheritance. It was prophesied that the consequence of the white man’s appearance would be, to the Anishinaabe, an “ending of the world.”
During the middle of the 17th century, Anishinaabe became known to European explores. A religious leader dreamed a dream where he beheld spirits in the form of men, but possessing white skins and having their heads covered. They approached him with hands extended and with smiles on their faces. Although his people tried to dissuade him, firm in his belief, he was occupied a whole year in making preparations for his intended journey. With his wife for a companion, the religious leader started on his travels in quest of the white spirits whom he had seen in his dream.
Throughout his unexplored travel, the religious leader began to see signs of the work of the spirits. He began to see old huts and clearings which though deserted, had been built and occupied during the previous winter. Much encouraged, he paddled on down the stream until he discovered another hut from the top of which arose smoke. It was occupied by the “white spirits,” who, on his landing, cordially welcomed him with the shake of a hand.
When about to depart to return home, presents of a steel ax, knife, beads and a small strip of cloth were given him, which, carefully depositing in his medicine bag, as sacred articles, he brought safely home to his people at La Pointe. Here he collected the principal men of his tribe, displayed his curious presents and gave a full narrative of his successful journey and the fulfillment of his dream. The following spring a large number of his people followed him on his second visit to the supposed “white spirits.” They carried with them many skins of the beaver, and returned home late in the fall with the dread fire-arm, which was to give them power over their much feared enemies. It is on this occasion also, that they first procured the fire-water which was to prove the most dreadful scourge and curse of our race.