Kineubenae facts for kids
Chief Kineubenae (also known as Golden Eagle) was an important leader of the Mississaugas, a group of Ojibwe people. They lived on the north shore of Lake Ontario a long time ago, around the late 1700s and early 1800s. His name in the Ojibwe language means "golden eagle." He belonged to the Otter Clan.
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Kineubenae's Life and Leadership
Early Life and Changing Lands
Kineubenae was born in the mid-1700s. At that time, the Ojibwe people, including the Mississaugas, were powerful in what is now southern Ontario. His ancestors had moved south from the Mississagi River area. By 1700, they had settled along the north shore of Lake Ontario. For about 75 years, the Mississaugas were the main group living there.
However, things began to change after the American Revolution. Thousands of new settlers, both white people and Iroquois refugees, arrived in southern Ontario. The Mississaugas were asked to give up some of their land to make room for these newcomers.
The Mississauga Tract and Broken Promises
In 1784, the Mississaugas agreed to give up land at the western end of Lake Ontario. They kept a special area for themselves called the "Mississauga Tract." This land was between Burlington Bay (now Hamilton Harbour) and the Credit River.
Kineubenae later said that they agreed to this deal because they were promised that the new farmers would help them. They were also told they could "encamp and fish where we pleased." But these promises were not kept. Instead of helping, the farmers "drove [them] off and [shot their] dogs." They did not give the Mississaugas any help as promised.
Challenges and Population Decline
Around this time, the Mississauga people faced another big challenge. They started getting sick from diseases like smallpox and tuberculosis. These diseases came from close contact with Europeans. The Mississaugas had no natural protection against them.
Because of these illnesses, the number of Mississaugas living at the western end of Lake Ontario dropped. Between 1787 and 1798, their population went from over 500 people to about 350.
Kineubenae as a Negotiator
As a main chief, Kineubenae often spoke for the Mississaugas. This was especially true in the early 1800s. For example, in 1805, he talked with the British about selling more of the "Mississauga Tract."
Records from these meetings show that Kineubenae was a very smart negotiator. On the first day, he strongly opposed selling more land. He told William Claus, a British official, that "the young Men & Women have found fault with so much having been sold before." He explained that even though they were poor, the women believed they would be even poorer if they sold more land.
The British put pressure on him on the second day. Kineubenae then agreed to give up the lakefront part of their land. But in return, he made the British promise that the Mississaugas would keep the river mouths and their rights to fish there. They kept the inner part of the land until 1818.
Protecting Fishing Rights
Within a year, Kineubenae was already complaining. Settlers were moving onto the fishing areas. In 1806, he reported that a white man had taken over his cornfield at Bronte Creek and destroyed it. The same settler had also destroyed the cornfield of a poor Indigenous widow with four children.
Kineubenae also reported that this settler was building a dam to catch salmon. This stopped the fish from swimming upstream to lay their eggs. Another settler at the Credit River was polluting the water. They were washing with "sope and other dirt." This made the fish avoid the river, causing the Mississauga families to suffer from a lack of food.
Kineubenae's Death
By 1812, Kineubenae was very old and weak. He said he was "getting too old to walk." For almost 20 years, he had led his people. During this time, most of their lands had been taken. The number of fish and game animals had greatly decreased. The Mississauga population had also shrunk.
Then, a war broke out between the British and the Americans. This war reached the north shore of Lake Ontario. At this difficult time, Kineubenae wanted to inspire his people. He wanted to show them the strength of their traditional ways. So, he decided to fast and seek "warrior’s medicine."
A group of Mississaugas gathered by a river mouth. Kineubenae, the old chief, slowly began to tell them about his fast. He explained that through the help of spirit powers, he had gained protection. He believed he was safe from arrows, tomahawks, and even bullets.
To prove this gift, he took a tin kettle. Despite his age, he walked a short distance away from the group. He told a warrior to fire a shot as soon as he raised the kettle in front of his face. Kineubenae believed he would catch the bullet in the kettle. The warrior, like the others, believed in Kineubenae’s "medicine" and fired. The chief immediately fell.
To their horror, the group found that "the lead went into his head and [had] killed him on the spot." That single bullet did more than just kill a respected leader. It also shook the faith of many Mississaugas in their traditional way of life. Years later, Kineubenae's death made it easier for Peter Jones to convince the Mississaugas to become Christians.
