c.1795

Chief Little Turtle Wampum

Chief Little Turtle, Mishikinakwa (1747-1812)

Wampum are small beads made from shells varying in color from white to purple to red. Used by woodland tribes and worked into belts or strings that tell a story, wampum signified an agreement be-tween parties. At first, wampum was a ceremonial gift often exchanged between tribes, but later it was exchanged with Euro-Americans as well during treaty signings.

Miami Chief Little Turtle served as principal negotiator for the Miami Indians at the Treaty of Greenville in 1795. During this treaty, wampum was exchanged at the signing. Negotiated by General Anthony Wayne for the United States, with Williams Wells serving as interpreter, the Treaty of Greenville ended the Northwest Indian War. To seal the agreement, a single strand of white wampum was given to each of the individual Indian leaders who signed the Treaty. This string of wampum belonged to Chief Little Turtle.