Interview with Spoon Decorah, cousin of Spoon I

I read an amazing account from the cousin of Spoon I, also named Spoon.  Spoon I was GOM's grandson who signed the treaty of 1825 and Spoon was the son of Big Canoe who was GOM's son.  Without going into too much detail it was just another witness to me that the Ho Chunk were not a waring nation as a whole.  Oral history says they didn't back down from a fight wherein their women and children or hunting grounds were in danger, but they did not seek to fight as some historical accounts indicate.  Also there were several villages each with their own chief, peace and war chiefs.  Some villages numbered up to 2000 people while others were as few as 20 members of a family.  Spoon recounted many wars and he said something amazing.  He said that there were certain people that were interested in war and fought with Sacs, with Black Hawk, Red Bird and others, yet each village decided if they were going to be involved in the war or not.  Moreover, it seems that if the village/chief did not want the entire village to participate, each person (male) had the choice of fighting with the waring party.  It seems the Ho Chunk from this period prior to 1887 respected the individual choice of individuals within their villages and perhaps this translates to GOM who married outside of the tribe.

One historical writer, Kellogg seems to indicate that GOM married Sabrevior to keep peace between the Ho Chunk and the French.  The Ho Chunk and the French had established a good relationship before explorers and missionaries came among the Ho Chunk.  Other historical writers such as Radin and one other male historical writer which escapes me now seem to indicate that she married Decaris (DeCarrie or Day Korah or DeKaury or Dekauray, Day Kauray and Decorrah) to elevate her station.  Anna Funmaker, an anthropologist and a member of my thesis team indicates that she didn't need to elevate her station.  GOM was the daughter of a chief  and she could do as she liked.

So much information to sift through and it has been enlightening to say the least.