Cultural Tradition and Sustenance
As part of the vast Anishinaabe Nation and Three Fires Confederacy (consisting of the Odawa, Ojibwe, and Potawatomi), the Potawatomi have deep roots and connection with the resources of the Great Lakes region. This prehistoric fish harpoon discovered in Berrien County provides evidence of this long-established indigenous presence, specifically in southwestern Michigan. Carved from deer antler, this harpoon represents a synthesis of hunting and fishing and a connection to the natural world, as the resources gained from deer hunting were further used to craft the tool.
Harpoons (complete with spear shaft and string) have been historically used for the spearing of large fish in shallow waters of lakes, rivers, and streams. Other fishing techniques employed by Michigan Anishinaabe people include gill netting and weir and trap setting (U.S. Army Corps, 2019).
References:
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. "Treaty Rights and Subsistence Fishing in the U.S. Waters of the Great Lakes, Upper Mississippi River, and Ohio River Basins." GLMRIS, June 2019. http://glmris.anl.gov/documents/docs/Subsistence_Fishing_Report.pdf.