The Walleye War: The Struggle for Ojibwe Spearfishing and Treaty Rights

by Larry Nesper

For generations, the Ojibwe bands of northern Wisconsin have spearfished spawning walleyed pike in the springtime. The bands reserved hunting, fishing, and gathering rights on the lands that would become the northern third of Wisconsin in treaties signed with the federal government in 1837, 1842, and 1854. Those rights, however, would be ignored by the state of Wisconsin for more than a century. When a federal appeals court in 1983 upheld the bands' off-reservation rights, a deep and far-reaching conflict erupted between the Ojibwe bands and some of their non-Native neighbors. Starting in the mid-1980s, protesters and supporters flocked to the boat landings of lakes being spearfished; Ojibwe spearfisher-men were threatened, stoned, and shot at. Peace and protest rallies, marches, and ceremonies galvanized and rocked the local communities and reservations, and individuals and organizations from across the country poured into northern Wisconsin to take sides in the spearfishing dispute. From the front lines on lakes to tense, behind-the-scenes maneuvering on and off reservations, The Walleye War tells the riveting story of the spearfishing conflict, drawing on the experiences and perspectives of the members of the Lac du Flambeau reservation and an anthropologist who accompanied them on spearfishing expeditions. We learn of the historical roots and cultural significance of spearfishing and off-reservation treaty rights and we see why many modern Ojibwes and non-Natives view them in profoundly different ways. We also come to understand why the Flambeau tribal council and some tribal members disagreed with the spearfishermen and pursued a policy of negotiation with the state to lease the off-reservation treaty rights for fifty million dollars. Fought with rocks and metaphors, The Walleye War is the story of a Native people's struggle for dignity, identity, and self-preservation in the modern world.

Genres: Indigenous, Nonfiction, History

245 pages, Paperback

First published January 3, 2002

Reviews

[Dayna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very informative. This is a very recent history that everyone who lives in Wisconsin should be aware of. It was also very helpful in terms of explaining some of the dynamics at play, for example: white people's bizarre insistence that if tribal members used modern technology (motorboats, flashlights, etc.) it negated spearfishing as a traditional practice, but also, the fact that tradition has changed and evolved in response to settler colonialism, but not without connection to longstanding values. The practice of violating as it's own tradition. And - really illuminating - the difference between Native American and capitalist conceptions of value, i.e. use value vs. exchahgeability.

[Claudia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Awesome book! A little slow in the beginning, but after 100 pages I couldn’t stop reading. I can’t believe I had never learned about this and I am so glad I did.

[Cyanellus · Rating 3 out of 5]

the writing itself is a bit dry, but this is a fascinating, thought-provoking account of Ojibwe treaty rights in northern Wisconsin that provides an interesting case study for anyone interested in Native American subsistence harvest & the way it's changed over time. beyond that, it's an absolutely essential read for anyone in a fisheries undergrad program--write an essay on it, do a presentation on it, randomly bring up how This Situation Totally Reminds [You] of the Ojibwe Spearfishing Conflict in Northern Wisconsin during class discussions, &c&c&c. professors love stuff like that

[Alysabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is amazing, about Wisconsin Ojibwe tribes fighting for treaty rights. This is an on-going fight, but one that has been greatly won by Natives and allies throughout Wisconsin. If you don't know much about treaty rights, and how Native treaty rights mean economic stability, land preservation, and healthy environments for all, then this is a great place to start.

[Lauren Z · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. I am familiar with the area and with people on both sides of the story which made the book very relevant.