Sokaogon (Mole Lake) Band of Lake Superior Chippewa In the early autumn when the leaves begin to change color, the Sokaogon Indians of Mole Lake make their way to Rice Lake and one of the last remaining ancient wild rice beds in the state of Wisconsin. The annual harvest of wild rice, an essential part of the Indian diet, has altered very little in the hundreds of years that the Sokaogon have lived here. Family clans migrated from eastern Canada to Madeline Island a thousand years ago, led by a vision that their journey would end in a land where the "food grows on water" ...Manomin or wild rice. The Sokaogon Band's journey ended here in this area of abundant wild rice. Competition from the Sioux resulted in the Battle of Mole Lake in 1806. Today, a historical marker on Highway 55 in the Village of Mole Lake identifies the battleground where more than 500 warriors were slain in fierce hand- to- hand battle. Sokaogon means the "Post in the Lake" people because of a spiritual significance to a post +possibly the remains of a petrified tree +that stood in Post Lake near here. The Sokaogon Ojibwa are also referred to as the Lost Tribe because the legal title to the 12- mile square reservation from the Treaty of 1854 was believed lost in a shipwreck on Lake Superior. The Sokaogon Band, under the leadership of Chief Willard Ackley, finally, after a long struggle, received federal recognition and reservation status in 1937. The Sokaogon (Mole Lake) Band enjoys three beautiful lakes either on or adjacent to the small reservation; Mole Lake, Bishop Lake and Rice Lake, which lies at the headwaters of the Wolf River. Tribal enterprises include The Mole Lake Regency Casino and Mole Lake Bingo located seven miles south of Crandon on Highway 55, 30 miles East of Rhinelander, and The Mole Lake Smokeshop. The Mole Lake area boasts hundreds of miles of snowmobile trails, as well as hiking and mountain biking trails, ATV trails and cross country ski trails.The newly developed Ma- dwa- Oshi Trail connects Highway 55 and Sand Lake Road and is open to people who would like to walk or ride their bike along this scenic pathway, rather than having to use busy area roadways. This trail, which has been dedicated to former tribal chairman Charles Fox, Sr., is the result of a combined effort between the Tribe and the township of Nashville, serving to promote community safety. There are also more than 800 lakes, 82 trout streams and 400,000 acres of public wilderness land teeming with wildlife. Bald eagles are easy to spot soaring above the Village of Mole Lake and nearby lakes and streams. For more information about Mole Lake, call (800) 236- 9466 or visit www.molelake.com Did You know Facts The Treaty of 1855 promised the Sokaogon Band of Chippewa money and mapped out a twelve square mile reservation for them. Unfortunately it was lost in a shipwreck on Lake Superior on its way back to Washington, D.C. In 1947 Chief Ackley arranged for electricity to come to the Mole Lake Reservation for the first time. The Sokaogon Tribe did not have running water until 1967. Wild rice, a staple in the Chippewa diet, is a prehistoric vegetation that could be considered the oldest agricultural crop in the nation. Scientists have determined that wild rice is the only "natural occurring" grain in North America. Mole Lake's Historic Cabin Next to the Mole Lake Motel set back from the road stands a cabin that dates back to the late 1800-. It first served as a layover for mail carriers that delivered along the military road from Green Bay to the copper mines on Lake Superior. In the 1870-, a Danish man named Wilhelm Dinesen used it as a trading post. Surrounded by the beauty of the northern Wisconsin Forest, he referred to the site as Frydenland, or "Grove of Joy." The Chippewa became his friends and taught him the finer points of hunting and fishing the area. Dinesen- daughter, born in Europe sometime later, grew up to become a writer, whose credits include a famous piece "Out of Africa", that was later made into a movie. In the early 1900-, the cabin served as a post office, run by postmaster Ludwig Motzfeldt, who became the first treasurer of Forest County. The Mole Lake Chippewa community has efforts underway to restore and preserve the cabin with the hope that it will be listed on both state and national historic registers. The harvest For hundreds of years, the Sokaogon people have gathered wild rice, more commonly known in the Ojibwa language as "manomin" meaning "the food that grows on the water". Scientists have determined that wild rice is the only "naturally occurring" grain in North America. The flavorful green seeds thrive in 320 acre mineral-rich lake found on the Sokaogon Reservation. From a distance it looks like a wheat field. Each fall, it is harvested in the old tradition. One person stands in the back of the canoe, slowly pushing the craft forward using a long pole that reaches the shallow lake bottom. The other person uses a pair of small ricing sticks, made from lightweight cedar branches, to gently bend several reeds over the center of the boat, and giving them a gentle tap. This causes a dozen or two of the ripened two-inch-long seeds to fall into the canoe. The staff of the tall plant is then released and allowed to spring back into its original position. This smooth and alternating action is repeated from side to side as the canoe moves silently thru the reeds. Following the harvest, the wild rice is dried over an open fire, then danced upon until the outer hull falls off. A pound or so is scooped up into a birch bark basked for the fanning process to begin. The small amount of rice is then tossed like a salad. The air usually catches and removes the remaining bits of dried hull, leaving the rice to fall back into the basket. A thorough cleaning by hand improves the purity of the product before it is packaged and included into the food pantry of local families. The annual harvest of wild rice is a sacred and vital activity and a special time to give thanks to our Creator. We honor Mother Earth, called "Aki" in the Ojibwa language, as well as the water, called "NiBi" for providing us a place to gather the manomin. Wild rice will always be a link between the past and the present for the Sokaogon Chippewa. Attractions Visit the historic Log House, former home of the 1880- Danish patriot Whilhelm Dineson. Dinerson's daughter, Karen Blixen authored the book "Out of Africa", which was eventually made into a major motion picture. Sokaogon (Mole Lake) Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Sokaogon (Mole Lake) Band of Lake Superior Chippewa 3051 Sand Lake Road Crandon, WI 54520 Phone: (715) 478-7500 Fax: (715) 478-5275 http://www.sokaogonchippewa.com Lodging Information