Great Lakes Woodland Alliance

Recommended Living History Events

Many of us involved in French and Indian War reenactment have been fortunate to be able to travel east to some of the large and prestigious 250th F&I anniversary events during the commemorative years. It is good that these events have seen so much success, and have given us memories to last a lifetime.

However, many smaller local events have suffered from the loss of participants who have been absent due to these travels. This circumstance, combining with the economic crunch causing fewer people, both participants and public, to travel to living history events is driving some smaller local events under.

Please continue to support your local events, even during the 250th anniversary years. If you do, they'll be here for you when the celebrations are over!

Gathering the Theatiki

New Dates this year! September 12-13, 2009

The Gathering on the Theatiki will celebrate it's 20th year in 2009, moving from July to September. Set along the shore of the Kankakee River ( la Riviere Theatiki) on a property of the Kankakee River State Park near Bourbonnais Illinois. The following is a description of the area:

On land treasured for centuries - first by Native Americans, later by traders and farmers, and as early as the 1890's by recreation seekers - Kankakee River State Park offers you its proud heritage in an unspoiled setting. The naturally channeled Kankakee River, listed on the Federal Clean Streams Register, is the focus of the park's popularity. Enveloping both sides of the Kankakee River for 11 miles, in an area 6 miles northwest of Kankakee, the park consists of approximately 4,000 acres. Illinois Routes 102 on the north and 113 on the south frame the park, with Interstates 55 and 57 both providing convenient access.

History: Several prehistoric sites are documented within Kankakee River State Park. The park is within a region used by Illini and Miami Indians at the time of the first European contact in the 1670s and 1680s. By 1685 the Miami were sufficiently numerous that the Kankakee River was called the River of the Miami. Kickapoo and Mascouten also were in the region from 1679 until the 1760s. Potawatomi Indians hunted along the Kankakee River in the 1760s, and by the 1770s, the Potawatomi, Ottawa and Chippewa nations - "The Three Fires" - dominated the area. The most extensive village was "Rock Village" or "Little Rock Village" inside the present-day park near the mouth of Rock Creek. In 1830 it was the site of the last great Indian Council. Following the Black Hawk War in 1832, the Potawatomi ceded all of their land along the Kankakee and Illinois rivers to the United States. Most Potawatomi left the area by the end of the decade, except for Chief Shaw-waw-nas-see, whose grave is commemorated by a boulder along the nature trail at Rock Creek.

Noel Le Vasseur and other fur traders, including Hubbard Chabare and Bourbonnais, traded with the Potawatomi along the Kankakee and Iroquois rivers in the 1820s. When the Potawatomi left the area in 1838, Le Vasseur persuaded a number of his fellow French Canadians to emigrate from Quebec to the Bourbonnais Township area. Because of his settlement efforts, he is called "the father of Kankakee."

The Gathering

The Gathering on the Theatiki is a French & Indian War era living history encampment sponsored by the Habitants du Theatiki Woodland Indians, voyageurs, civilians, and Military re-enactors set up camps using materials and techniques of the 18th century, and authentically uniformed troops engage in a battles scenario and tactical demonstrations each day. Theatiki is also known for its celbrated Woodswalk, Wherein a column of spectators is escorted by the military down "the King's Road" only to find themselves under attack by alied French and Indian forces, and forced back to the encampment. Although the scenarios do not portray any particular battle, they do depict how a typical engagement of the time between French and British troops and their Indian allies might have looked.

Find more about the Gathering on the Theatiki at their website:

http://www.theatiki.com

Or Contact: longhunter51@mac.com

Koh-Koh-Mah & Foster Living History Encampment

Located in the woods of the beautiful Wildcat Valley of Western
Howard County near Russiaville and Kokomo, Indiana, The Kohkohmah and Foster encampment is a beautiful setting for living history. the public is invited to watch tactical demonstrations along a winding creek
from a natural hillside amphitheatre. Experience the siege at Fort Richardville and the battle on Winding Creek firsthand. experience the Military Camp, Demonstrator Camp, Longhunter Camp, Voyageur Camp and the Eastern Woodland Indian Village. The encampment takes place September 19/20, 2009. Visit their website for more information: