Anishinabe of Mexico

Beginning in the 1760s the Three Fires Confederation would look upon the land of the Illini people of the Illinois region, with great desire which would lead to the demise of the Illini tribe. Pontiac's War had concluded by 1765 but not the Three Fires Confederations intense will to defend their homeland from the invading English who they knew (prophecy) would continue their westward march into their homeland. Since France no longer was involved with the daily affairs of the Anishinabek, the Anishinabek were hard pressed to deal with English traders, which the Anishinabek obviously resented having to go through with. In 1762 France signed over their famous Louisiana colony to the Spanish, and that was definitely well understood by the Anishinabek. In 1767 Pontiac decided to move to the Three Fires Confederations lands around the Chicago area to, according to many, attempt to reorganize the many tribes of the Great Lakes region who were likely dominated by the more powerful Three Fires Confederation. However, all leaders from the Three Fires Confederation, including Pontiac, were enticed to the Illinois region simply because of the Spanish presence.

They all knew they much rather carry on trade conduct with the Spanish, rather than the English, so Pontiac's move to the Illinois region was possibly deployed to eventually flex the might of the Three Fires Confederation in the Illinois region, to eventually open up an pass to the Spanish in nearby St. Louis and much further down southward, to what is now Louisiana and Texas. In fact, Pontiac's assassination may have been staged by the Three Fires Confederation, whose leaders were probably hoping for an dramatic event to occur so they could commence to send their settlers to colonize Illinois Mississippi river region. Yet the English were already by the late 1760s, intruding in the St. Louis region, and they likely knew what the Three Fires Confederation were up to, so Pontiac may have been singled out by the English to have assassinated. It really didn't matter because once Minababana received the news of Pontiac's assassination at the hands of an Illini man, Minababana and all other high ranking leaders from the Three Fires Confederation, were probably a bit relieved (if Pontiac was truly assassinated) and they likely commenced to plan for their invasion of the Illini country, shortly after learning of Pontiac's so called assassination. What followed was truly horrible for the Illini people.

Minababana and his warriors swarm down into the Illini country, and then commenced to wage a war of extermination on the Illini people of Illinois. After it was over, only a few Illini survived. With the conclusion of the Anishinabek-Illini War, the Anishinabek and their Kickapoo allies, commenced to colonize the once homeland of the Illini tribe. After the Three Fires Confederation forcefully took the Illinois lands of the Illini, they likely commenced to extend their trade with the Spanish, or initiated trade relationships with the Spanish, if they hadn't done so already. They likely constructed large sailing vessels to send their tradesmen down to Louisiana and Texas, to trade their produce to the Spanish, for European trade goods, especially the European weapons of war. It wouldn't be surprising if the Anishinabek made their first visits to what is now the modern country of Mexico, during the 1770s. Anyway, by the end of Black Hawks War, the Three Fires Confederation of southern Wisconsin and Illinois were rounded up by the Americans, then forced to leave for Iowa and Missouri, then eventually to Kanasas.

While in Kansas, the Anishinabek felt resentful at the conduct of the United States, which was centered on the untrustworthy American actions over their land. With each time the Americans stabbed the Kansan Anishinabek in the back, many Kansan Anishinabek got up and left for Mexico. From the mid 1830s to the mid 1860s, possibly as many as 5000, if not more, Kansan Anishinabek fled to Mexico with other Kansan tribes, especially the Kickapoo. In 1864-1865 alone, possibly as many as 2500 or more of the Kansan Anishinabek fled to Mexico. After the whites became well established in Kansas they began to call for the removal of all Kansan Indians to Oklahoma, including the Anishinabek, which found great approval among white political leaders. That is what forced the Kansan Anishinabek to flee to Mexico. On their way to Mexico in 1864-1865 they actually got into an battle with the Texan whites or Confederates (the Battle of Dove Creek), which the Anishinabek won.

Obviously the whites did not want anymore Kansan Indians making to Mexico. They didn't want them going to Mexico because of the Anishinabek, Kickapoo and other Kansan tribes who were already living in Mexico, and using Mexico as an safe haven after they returned back from Texas, after waging their war of retaliation on the Texans. After the Anishinabek, Kickapoo and other Kansan tribes safely made it to Mexico in 1865, their war of retaliation against the white Americans increased dramatically. More a war of destroying as much white property as they could, than a war of killing as many whites as they saw fit, the guerilla war they waged against the United States from the 1830s to around 1880, was yet very costly to the citizens of the United States. Mexico was willing to aid the Anishinabek, Kickapoo and other Kansan Indians during that time period. Mexico aided the Anishinabek and their allies by allowing them to live in the mountains of Coahuila, as well as supplying them with the necessary weapons of war. Mexico also set aside an Reservation in Coahuila, which is considered to be Kickapoo, but does include the Anishinabek, Commanche and other tribes as well.

There are also landless Anishinabek and Kickapoo currently living in Mexico, particularly in Sonora and Zacatecas, but in probably a few other Mexican States as well. We need to contact them in order to attempt to get them Reservations in Mexico, if the Anishinabek currently living in Mexico haven't lost their identity that is. If there are currently Anishinabek living in Mexico, who are yet claiming to be Anishinabek, it is extremely important for the Anishinabek of both Canada and the United States, to contact their Anishinabek kin living in Mexico. If they are in Mexico they need your assistance.