This photo is taken outside of the La Pointe Indian Cemetery. It's on Madeline Island, WI. People leave treasures, strips of cloth/ribbons, money, stones, ornaments, rocks, etc.. either on the fence, or on the tree branches, or on the tombstones themselves.
My friend Colleen likes looking for the oldest stone in a cemetery. We found one from 1811.
She gave me her version of the history. Basically this cemetery was designated since the the people who were "half Indian / half Catholic" would not be allowed to be buried in either the traditional Catholic cemetery, or traditional Indian one. There is a sign posted outside it with historical info. I'll include some of it here:
The white man’s style of house was adopted as a grave cover by the Christianized Ojibway (Chippewa) in his custom of protecting both the dead and the food left with the dead. The food gave sustenance for the 4-day journey to the Hereafter as well as something for the spirit to leave for friends, relatives, and the poor. A defaced stone marks the grave of Great Buffalo, principal chief of the Ojibway on Lake Superior; Chief Little Buffalo, his Protestant son, is buried across the road and south in a grave marked with 4 pines.
A Frenchman, Cadeau, journeyed to Lake Superior in 1671, eventually marrying an Ojibway. His grandson, Michel Cadotte, opened a fur trading post on the island in 1793 for the North West Company, a post later acquired by John Jacob Astor’s American Fur Company, Michel continuing until 1823 as manager. Here Michel Cadotte is buried, and by his side, his grandchild Julia Mary Warren of the noted family of fur traders and scholars.
