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• The Anishinabek Creation Story

  There is more than one creation story for Indigenous Peoples around North America, including more than one story for each nation. Not to say any of one the stories is the ‘right’ one, they are versions adapted by the people in different parts of the land. The Creation story we have chosen to adapt, comes from Darlene Johnston, an Anishinabekwe, who is a Professor of Law at the University of Toronto, in a report she prepared for the Ipperwash Commission of Inquiry; “Connecting People to Place: Great Lakes Aboriginal History in Cultural Context”.

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• Stories About Anishinabek Migration

  Preliminary Stories about Migration

  Since time immemorial, the Great Lakes region have been home to Indigenous Peoples, including the Anishinabek, and Haudenosaunee , often classified as Iroquois. They were known to occupy as far north as the southern shore of Georgian Bay, and on the north and south shores of Lakes Erie and Ontario, and eastward towards the modern city of Montreal. And to the North, East, South, and West, were the Anishinabek.

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• Historical Research Project

  Historical Gaps Report

  Watch for a new historical report identifying historical information gaps and an overview of what we know about our history from documented sources.

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• Emerging History

  The History Project

  A brief history of the area reveals that the early explorers showing up in the early 1600′s searching for a shorter route to the West didn’t know that they encountered very distinctive people along the waterways from Montreal leading to Lake Huron and beyond. Nor did they realize they were utilizing ancient trade routes long since established by the Anishinabek. The Beaver Clan People are identified as occupying the Lake Huron and French River System, in the Anishinabek Creation Story.

  The Amikwa (Beaver People) are one of the Clans first recognized by Europeans in the 1600′s, by Champlain. The Amikwa are Anishinabek, belonging to the Algonquin linguistic group whose numbers and territories were greater than other groups encountered at that time, in what later became Canada.  They are still here today!

  We have produced a historical information gaps report with assistance from the Province’s “New Relationship Fund”. Due to the volume high of information discovered, we extended this project with Band funding to produce a more comprehensive report.

  Watch for new suggestions to appear under the “Help Us Find Our Own Story” button as reports are posted.
  

  We are seeking additional funds to continue this project to publish our own story.  We expect this will take from 1-2 years.

  If you have any information that could assist us in our quest, please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. We added a page that will also provide suggestions on the help that is required and how you can contribute to this project. Help us find our own Story.

  References for the data presented on the Creation Story and Migration:

  1. Connecting People to Place: Great Lakes Aboriginal History in Cultural Context

  Prepared For the Ipperwash Commission of Inquiry, by Darlene Johnston, B.A., L.L.B., LL.M. Professor of Law, University of Toronto

  2. History of the Ojibway People © 1984. William W. Warren. P. 30, 31, 124

   

• Clans and Families - Yesterday and Today

  Clans/Totems

  The centre of the Anishinabek creation story is the raft which is Michilimackinac Island in the strait between Lake Huron and Lake Michigan. This Island is where the First Animals named in the creation story ventured out to find and transform their own Country. For instance, story has it, upon leaving Lake Huron, Beaver went traveling up French River, and created lakes, rapids, portages and dams along the way. During his lifetime, Beaver populated his country with many Beaver children.

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• Pics are still needed for Heritage Collection Project 

  Community Wellness Worker Luana McQuabbie has started to compile a small collection of photographs from Community Members for the purpose of using them in the 2014 Community Calendar and to begin a Heritage Collection.

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