The Odawa

The Odawa

The Odawa, or Ottawa, lived along the eastern shores of Lake Michigan. They were known for being excellent traders. They used bark canoes to travel hundreds of miles in order to trade goods. The Odawa lived in villages. Their houses were small oval buildings called wigwams or longhouses which were like apartment buildings in which several families lived. They often built log walls around their villages for protection. They hunted and fished and sometimes farmed. They made sugar from maple sap. They were known for being very good weavers and wove beautiful mats, bags, and baskets. One of their most famous leaders was Chief Pontiac.