Waubujejack

Waubujejack
ChildrenEquaysayway and Tagwagane
RelativesShadawish (brother)

Waubujejack was an Ojibwe chief of the Crane clan who lived near Chequamegon Bay. Since he was chief through descent he gained respect among the Ojibwe, despite this he was neglectful of his duties as chief.

In the 21st century, one of his descendants made an art piece depicting him.

Life

He was the son of chief Akeguiow.[1] According to Dr DuLong, Ke-che-ne-zuh-yauh might have been the father of Akeguiow. His brother was Sha-da-wish.[2] He came from St. Croix River.[3]

After the death of Waubujejack’s father he succeeded his father and became chief.[1] He became chief of Madeline Island[4] and La Pointe,[5] as well as the chief of the Crane Clan of Chequamegon Bay.[6] Since he was made chief by descent rather than by being appointed by a foreign influence it caused him to gain more respect among the Ojibwe.[7]

He then had a daughter named Equaysayway[4][8][9]and a son named Tagwagane.[10] According to journalist Robert Silbernagel, fur trader Michel Cadotte might have given the chief a gift in order to gain his approval to marry his daughter, Equaysayway.[11]

According to historian William Whipple Warren, Waubujejack was neglectful of his duties as chief and was later succeed by An-daig-we-os.[12]

Names

Members of the Ojibwe tribe, like those of many other Native American communities, often used multiple names over time and were flexible in adopting Christian names and surnames.[13]

His Ojibwe named is also spelled as Waubijijauk.[14][15] Other variations of his name are Wabadidjak,[8] Waub-uj-e-jauk,[1] and Waub-ij-e-jauk.[16]

He was also known as La Grue (The Crane)[4] or White Crane.[17]

Legacy

One of his descendants made a sculpture titled Gateway to Madeline to the Island, the sculpture depicts the chief rising from the red earth.[18][19]

References

  1. ^ a b c Warren 2009, p. 224.
  2. ^ DuLong 2020, p. 97-98.
  3. ^ DuLong 2020, p. 92.
  4. ^ a b c Silbernagel 2020, p. 3.
  5. ^ Tobola 1974, p. 28.
  6. ^ Schenck 2007, p. 4.
  7. ^ DuLong 2020, p. 93.
  8. ^ a b DuLong 2020, p. 45.
  9. ^ Loew 2013, p. 60.
  10. ^ Schenck, Theresa M. (2025). Ojibwe Ethnogenesis, 1640-1740. U of Nebraska Press. p. 30. ISBN 978-1-4962-4187-0.
  11. ^ Silbernagel 2020, p. 156.
  12. ^ Warren 2009, p. 225.
  13. ^ DuLong 2015, p. 189.
  14. ^ Tobola 1974, p. 28, 122.
  15. ^ Ross 2000, p. 65, 200.
  16. ^ Warren 2009, p. 22.
  17. ^ Tobola 1974, p. 28, 87.
  18. ^ Arts, La Pointe Center for the (2024-01-08). "Gateway to the Island". La Pointe Center for the Arts. Retrieved 2025-06-08.
  19. ^ "Gateway to Madeline • The Slice • PBS North". Retrieved 2025-06-08.

Bibliography