The Ojibbeway Indians

The front page of the December 23, 1843 issue of Illustrated London News is dedicated entirely to an article describing the arrival of a group of Ojibbeway Indians to England. The Ojibbeway Indians journeyed from the United States of America and were apparently, according to the article, welcomed very warmly in England. When looking for more articles about the English portrayal of America in their newspapers, I found an abundance of articles about peace relations between the UK and America, as well as mentions of American politicians visiting England and visa versa. I was pleasantly surprised when I found that this article entirely about the Ojibbeway Indians’ journey to England was not only was published in a British newspaper, but was prominently published on the front page. It is clear the editors thought this article was important because the article is accompanied by an illustration of the visiting party which takes us half the page and really catches the eye of readers.

During their time in England, the party of “two aged chiefs, four young men (reputed warriors), two women, and one girl, ten years old” (Illustrated London News) were treated with respect and honor. They were introduced to very prominent people in British society, including the Queen. The article states that this visit was arranged “by her Majesty’s desire” and therefore suggests the Ojibbeway Indians were worthy of the utmost respect in Victorian Society: the respect of Queen Victoria herself. The part about this article I enjoyed the most was that the article did more than simply mention that the Ojibbeway Indians had come to England. It actually gave them a voice in British society, as the words of the two chiefs were printed within the article. Their words with British officials, always beginning with an address to “Great Mother” or “Mother” have now been preserved in English print. They express gratitude for the visit, concluding their message with, “Mother-- Our hearts are glad at what we have this day seen-- that we have been allowed to see our face. And when we get home our words will be listened to in the councils of nation” (Illustrated London News). For centuries, Native Americans have been portrayed as savages in European and American literature solely because they were a completely different, foreign people. This representation of the Ojibbeway Indians in Illustrated London News as a peaceful, responsible, and important party is incredibly important and long-deserved.