Beshekee, also Pezeke and other variant spellings of

Ojibwe The Ojibwe, Ojibwa, Chippewa, or Saulteaux are an Anishinaabe people in what is currently southern Canada, the northern Midwestern United States, and Northern Plains. According to the U.S. census, in the United States Ojibwe people are one of ...

''Bizhiki'' (English: Buffalo), was a noted war chief from the Bear ''

doodem The Anishinaabe, like most Algonquian-speaking groups in North America, base their system of kinship on patrilineal clans or totems. The Ojibwe word for clan () was borrowed into English as totem A totem (from oj, ᑑᑌᒼ, italics=no o ...

'' of the

Pillager Chippewa Pillager Band of Chippewa Indians (or simply the Pillagers; in the Ojibwe language) are a historical band of Chippewa (Ojibwe) who settled at the headwaters of the Mississippi River in present-day Minnesota. Their name "Pillagers" is a translatio ...

Band during the 19th century in North America. As a young man, he signed the 1837

Treaty of St. Peters Treaty of St. Peters may be one of two treaties conducted between the United States and Native American peoples, conducted at the confluence of the Minnesota River (then called "St. Peters River") with the Mississippi River, in what today is Me ...

as Pe-zhe-kins (''Bizhikiins'', meaning "Young Buffalo"), a Warrior. The Pillager Band was famous for producing skilled fighters in the wars against the

Dakota Dakota may refer to: * Dakota people, a sub-tribe of the Sioux ** Dakota language, their language Dakota may also refer to: Places United States * Dakota, Georgia, an unincorporated community * Dakota, Illinois, a town * Dakota, Minnesota, a ...

, and in his time, Beshekee was among the most respected of these. In 1855, he travelled with

Aysh-ke-bah-ke-ko-zhay Aysh-ke-bah-ke-ko-zhay (or Aish-Ke-Vo-Go-Zhe, from ''Eshkibagikoonzhe'', " irdhaving a leaf-green bill" in Anishinaabe language; also known as "Flat Mouth" (''Gueule Platte''), a nickname given by French fur traders) was a powerful Ojibwe chief wh ...

(Flat Mouth), another prominent Pillager leader, to Washington, D.C. to address the grievances of the

Mississippi Chippewa Mississippi River Band of Chippewa Indians ( oj, Gichi-ziibiwininiwag) or simply the Mississippi Chippewa, are a historical Ojibwa Band inhabiting the headwaters of the Mississippi River and its tributaries in present-day Minnesota. According to th ...

and to negotiate a cession of Ojibwe lands at the headwaters of the

Mississippi River The Mississippi River is the second-longest river and chief river of the second-largest drainage system in North America, second only to the Hudson Bay drainage system. From its traditional source of Lake Itasca in northern Minnesota, it f ...

to the U.S. Government. Beshekee would later sign the 1863 Treaty that partially addressed these grievances by establishing permanent reservations in

Minnesota Minnesota () is a state in the upper midwestern region of the United States. It is the 12th largest U.S. state in area and the 22nd most populous, with over 5.75 million residents. Minnesota is home to western prairies, now given over to ...

, including one at

Leech Lake Leech Lake is a lake located in north central Minnesota, United States. It is southeast of Bemidji, located mainly within the Leech Lake Indian Reservation, and completely within the Chippewa National Forest. It is used as a reservoir. The lake ...

External links

The 1847 Treaty between the United States and the Pillager Band of Chippewa Indians
Ojibwe people Native American leaders Native American history of Minnesota People of pre-statehood Minnesota Year of birth unknown Year of death missing {{NativeAmerican-politician-stub