Wau-Bun: The Early Day in the Northwest

Juliette Kinzie, born Juliette August Magill, was a keen observer of everything around her. She wrote Wau-bun as a narrative of the significant years between 1830 and 1833, during which time her husband John Kinzie, the Indian agent for the Winnebago people, disbursed the annuity payments for the lands relinquished in treaties with the Winnebago in Wisconsin. Her descriptions of daily incidents and major events include the sights, the sounds and the scents of her experiences. The Kinzies shared a true affection for the native people and an interest in native culture. Mrs. Kinzie's book, first published in 1856, provides the rare perspective of a genteel and educated woman, who felt strongly that the native culture should be respected and protected.