Chief Chicagou

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Chief Chicagou, also known as Agapit Chicagou, was an 18th century Native American leader of the Mitchigamea. He visited Paris and participated in the Chickasaw Wars.

[edit] Paris

Mention was first made of him in 1725 where his visit to Paris was discussed in the December 1725 issue of the Mercure de France. The Company of the Indies was responsible for bringing Chicagou and five other Chiefs to France.

The Indians meet with King Louis XV on November 22nd. It was reported in the Mercure de France that Chicagou made a speech to the young French King pledging allegiance to the crown. The King on the next day takes the Chiefs on a rabbit hunt.

It is while in Paris that Jean-Philippe Rameau attends a performance given by the Indians at the Theatre Italien. At this performance the Chiefs danced three kinds of dances. They danced the Peace, War and Victory dances. He was inspired by this to write a piece for harpsichord entitled Les Sauvages. This was later published in Nouvelles Suites de Pieces de Clavecin.

[edit] After Paris

In 1730 a letter by Father Mathurin le Petit describes the Natchez and Yazoo War of 1729-1731. In it the Father mentions that representatives of the Illiniwek nation to gave allegiance to the French. He further mentions that Chicagou was at the head of the Mitchigamea and that Mamantouensa was at the head of the Kaskaskias.

Next it is reported that the Illinois warriors participated in the Battle of Ogoula Tchetoka during the Chickasaw Wars in 1736. While attacking a village of Natchez refugees near present day Pontotoc Mississippi they were defeated and took to flight when the Chickasaw and Englishmen surprised them from behind a hill.

The last mention is by Jean Bernard Bossu in his journal. Here he describes meeting with an Indian prince Chicique who was the son of the since deceased Chief Chicagou who visited Paris.