From Ohio History Central During the early 1760s, Neolin, a
spiritual leader of the Delaware Indians, gained favor among
many native societies in the Ohio Country. Dismayed by the
Indians' reliance on English and French manufactured goods,
Neolin called for the natives to adopt more traditional Indian
practices. Rather than using the musket to hunt and fight,
Neolin encouraged his followers to use the traditional bow and
arrow instead. He also demanded that his followers forsake
alcohol. By turning their backs on their native customs, he
said, Keesh-she-la-mil-lang-up, the Master of Life, would not
allow them to enter heaven. Indians must return to their
traditional ways if they hoped to receive the Master of Life's
blessing and to succeed against the English settlers traveling
into the Ohio Country at the end of the French and Indian War.
Many scholars believe that Neolin's message greatly influenced
Pontiac, a leader of the Ottawa Indians. Pontiac agreed with
Neolin that native tribes needed to end their re