The Native American Legend of the Sleeping Giant and the Whiteman

Not very long ago, a Native American tribe known as the Ojibwa tribe roamed the Great Lakes region of the United States and Canada. They were much loved by the powerful god, Nanabozho, who was very pleased with their industrious nature and upstanding character. Yet the times were troubled. The Whiteman had arrived and was slowly destroying the Ojibwa way of life with their firewater and diseases. Nanabozho saw a way to help the peaceful Ojibwa but he warned if ever his kindness was revealed to the Whiteman, he would transform his gift into a curse and vanish into the stones.

The Great Spirit of the Deep Water, Nanabozho took the Ojibwa chief by the hand and showed him a narrow tunnel in the north-northwest area of Thunder Bay in modern-day Ontario Canada. There, the chief saw an enormous silver mine. He quickly called the rest of the tribe together and, after giving thanks and praise to Nanabozho, began to extract the ore. Soon, the Ojibwa became celebrated among the Algonquin Indians for the fine craftsmanship of their silver ornaments. Nanabozho was more beloved than ever, by the Ojibwa as well as by the other tribes.

Sioux Envy

However, not everyone was content to admire the blessing received by the dutiful Ojibwa tribe. The Sioux warriors grew envious of the silver decorations worn by their enemies. They tracked down the source of the silver and came upon the Ojibwa camp. They tried everything in their power to wrest the secret source of the silver from the Ojibwa tribesmen. They raided the camp, torturing and killing Ojibwa to try and make them divulge the secret location of the mine. Yet, the loyal Ojibwa never once gave away the secret of Nanabozho’s kindness.