On Friday afternoon June 14th, a sunny and exceptionally clear and beautiful low-humidity afternoon, Prosper Waukon and his family visited the former Winnebago Indian Subagency on the Turkey River near St. Lucas.  In the early 1840s the Winnebago Tribe was forcefully relocated from the Yellow River area to the Turkey River bend area three miles northeast of St. Lucas. 

Prosper Waukon, of the Winneshiek and Waukon family lineage, has a direct heritage in the Ho Chunk Nation with the towns Decorah and Waukon named after them in northeast Iowa. Prosper grew up on the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska lands. Their visit to northeast Iowa was facilitated by the Winneshiek County Historical Society, the Town of Decorah, interested individuals, and supportive businesses.  

The Waukon family tour began at the St. Anthony de Padua Chapel located on the banks of the Turkey River. This site contains over 50 unmarked Winnebago graves according to Tom Huber of the extended Huber family, the caretakers of this historic site.  In addition, the only remaining structure, a restored log cabin of the original Winnebago Indian Sub Agency, is now on the church grounds. 

The Prosper Waukon family at the sole surviving cabin of the Winnebago Indian Sub Agency of the 1840s at the St. Anthony de Padua Chapel near the Turkey River northeast of St. Lucas and southwest of Festina.

The Huber family restored the log cabin and moved it to the church grounds to preserve it. The annual Mass was just held at the smallest church on Sunday, June 16th.  This gathering attracts nearly 150 Huber family descendants and neighboring families interested in maintaining the rich history of the church. 

Rt. Rev. Terry Landsgaard, an avid student on Winnebago and Ho Chunk history, gave a brief history of the Winnebago Indian Sub Agency on the Turkey River in the 1840s.  Terry noted that with the removal of Winnebago to northwestern Minnesota in the late 1840s, some Winnebago people remained in the northeast Iowa area.

Prosper Waukon, a teacher of indigenous philosophy and tribal customs, was asked several questions by enthusiasts of Native American history and culture. Among these questions, the subject of the differences between Christian and Native beliefs became an important talking topic.  Prosper Waukon responded that there is a lot more in common than some would want to admit. There were a few important differences, but both ways of knowing could learn much from one another.

Prosper, as an example, explained how Native American families are structured to ensure there would never be children without parents, where the mother’s sisters act as mothers as well, with the father’s brothers, or Tega (day-gah) acting as fathers as well. Prosper joked that his people long ago learned that parents cannot be very objective with their children, so secondary mothers and Tegas would function as disciplinarians and share in the responsibility for raising the children. He also spoke on how Native social structures pre-contact with Europeans were historically matriarchal and matrilineal, but likely began to become more patriarchal because Europeans would not deal with women elders.

Waukon stressed the importance of the inclusion of the natural realm (grass, animals, birds, insects) in their spiritual way of life, as well as diplomacy and understanding other peoples. Christianity tends to place mankind atop the natural order as caretaker or dominator rather than as the youngest and deservedly most deferent and respectful members of the natural order.

Waukon explained that though tribes may have different beliefs, they would respect the spiritual life of other tribes. There was not seen to be a division between the natural realm and the spiritual realm, and Waukon explained the role of tobacco in mediating between mankind and the spirits.

Tom Huber noted the role of St. Francis is blending the natural order into our spiritual well being. Waukon highlighted the importance of Vine Deloria, a native American author, theologian, and historian, in blending these two realms, the spiritual and the natural, when understanding indigenous peoples’ belief systems.

This outdoor discussion on the quest for our spiritual well-being only scratched the surface on many social problems facing indigenous people. Prosper stated the government and religious run boarding schools of decades past caused great hardship to families and the students.  

Prosper stated that this past week the Catholic bishops issued a report apologizing to Native people for the mistreatment and trauma perpetrated by the Church’s reservation boarding schools.  These tragedies led to addiction, domestic abuse, abandonment and neglect that harmed families. A sobering note on the many issues facing Native peoples in our society.

To acknowledge the Winnebago ancestors buried on a large mesa-like hill and other sites near the Turkey River and its tributary creeks, Prosper Waukon led a traditional Ho Chunk ceremony of prayer to honor them and their descendants. John and Annette Kuennen, Ben Kuennen and Neil Lansing were invited into this very touching and sacred ceremony with offerings of tobacco to the seven dimensions: the east, the south, the west, the north, the sky, the earth and self.  In this human circle, Prosper prayed for the ancestors and the living and made tobacco offerings. 

Tobacco holds a special place in Native American culture. Prosper explained that in the Ho Chunk creation story, all animals were created first, and given great gifts. When man was made, Mystery had run out of gifts to give to man, who was weak and without claws or fangs or fur. Man was given tobacco, which they could use to beseech the spirits to give them whatever they needed. In the tobacco offering, prayer is given to the four cardinal directions, as well as the earth and sky, before bringing focus back to the self and the present moment.

Then the group of 20 historically minded folks journeyed to the site of the former Subagency school site located on John and Annette Kuennen’s farmland.  Rt. Rev. Landsgaard noted that approximately 250 Winnebago learned farming practices at this school in the 1840s, in a failed attempt to convert a hunting and gathering tribe into farmers. 

This attempt was significantly hindered when the Turkey River flooded and destroyed their tilled fields and the waterway for the grist mill. Another factor, tending gardens and crops was women’s work and not something hunting men were very interested in doing. 

The Waukon family also toured the German American Museum and Library in St. Lucas.  They were especially interested in the Native American theme area in the Museum.  Clair Blong noted that the museum is working with the staff of the Ho Chunk Nation of Black River Falls, Wisconsin, to identify themes and appropriate display materials.  Waukon’s family was especially interested in the Ho Chunk Nation artifacts of recent decades: like Emma Big Bear wooden baskets, Ojibway decorated dresses, and Ho Chunk post-World War II leather snow boots with khaki lined interiors. 

The highlight of their weekend visit was Prosper Waukon addressing over 90 people at the Hotel Winneshiek Opera House in Decorah on Saturday evening.  Prosper’s talk was entitled: “The Waukon Decorah Family Legacy: Understanding Your Community’s Roots”. Waukon traced the family genealogy over the many decades.  

Prosper also delved into the 19th century government treaties and removal acts that inflicted great suffering and loss of life on the Winnebago people.  When the five forced relocations finally ended, the Winnebago were a scattered people: some living in northeast Nebraska, most in southwest Wisconsin and even some in northeast Iowa.   

Prosper stated that his parents and he attended Christian boarding schools.  These schools significantly eroded Native people’s identity and their cultures.  Only now are the churches and government agencies admitting the great harm and abuse inflicted on indigenous children and trying to make amends. The harm was the eradication of their language and cultural ways.  Despite this somber tone, Prosper encouraged future generations to get over the past and seek redemption and unity.

In the discussion period, the issue of missing and murdered indigenous women and people was highlighted as a chronic problem requiring more Federal, State and local law enforcement resource assistance to help tribal governments. The silence of the media and law enforcement further exasperates a major challenge with jurisdictional complications, as well as communication and coordination problems between Federal, State and local agencies. 

The situation is bleak; the murder rate is ten times higher than the national average for women living on reservations, with murder being the third leading cause of death for Native women. 

In concluding their stay in Northeast Iowa, the Waukon family visited Effigy Mounds National Monument.