Long before Europeans settled Michigan, the state’s woods and waters were inhabited by tribes of Indians who not only survived, but thrived thanks to their ingenuity and ability to adapt.
Clear Lake Elementary students learned all about Michigan’s first residents Monday during a visit from Doug Spiller, who works at the Stony Creek Nature Center in Shelby Township.
Spiller gave students a comprehensive overview of how local Indians lived during what’s called the ‘Woodland Period.?
From the shelters they built to the medicines they discovered to the canoes they traveled in, Spiller painted a vivid picture of a people who still lived in the Stone Age because the everyday tools and weapons they used were fashioned from stone, bone and wood as opposed to metal.
Over time, Michigan’s Indians evolved from simple hunter-gathers into farmers, who grew corn, pumpkins and beans, referred to as the ‘three sisters.?
They even came to trade goods with Indians from other parts of the country, which resulted in researchers finding pieces of Queen Conch shells and shark teeth from the Gulf of Mexico and volcanic glass from out west.
‘Native Americans weren’t just living in little isolated areas. They were actually trading with one another over long distances,? Spiller said.
Contrary to what many may think, the Indians? traditional way of life ended in 1664.
‘After that date, anthropologists believe there was so much European influence that the Native American culture was forever contaminated and never was the same again,? Spiller said.
Although the Indians first encountered by the European settlers are only found in history books these days, their legacy is all around us.
Many of the concrete roads we travel today started out as Indian trails.
Many of the foods we eat were first cultivated by Indian farmers.
Even the language we speak has been heavily influenced.
Approximately 2,200 words in the English vocabulary started out as Indian words.
Examples include raccoon, opossum, tomato, potato, cougar and mahogany.
‘In a very real way, even though Native Americans as they were back then are gone, they’re still with us today,? Spiller said.