For thousands of years the Anishinabek have known that there was something special about Manitoulin Island, home of the Great Spirit. Over the centuries a diverse population of peoples have made their way to the Island, seeking to carve out lives from a landscape riddled with lakes and limestone. Island of Great Spirit explores the complex relationships between the Anishinabek, the French, the British, and the settlers, who have all shared the Great Manitoulin.
This two-hour documentary film details the intriguing history of Manitoulin Island through interviews with local historians, archival films and photographs, and re-enactments of historical events. |
Chapter 1 –The origins of Mindemoya Island and the Cup & Saucer are revealed through the story of Nanabush’s visit to Manitoulin Island. In this chapter we discuss:
- Mindemoya Island
- The "Cup and Saucer"
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Chapter 2 –Oral traditions suggest that many generations ago, the Anishinabek migrated from the east to the great lakes woodlands. Here, they developed a lifestyle that allowed them to live in harmony with the land and each other. In this chapter we discuss:
- Anishinabek migration story & the Megis
- Manitoulin’s many names
- Grand Councils
- Three fires confederacy
- Traditional seasonal lifestyles & movements
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Chapter 3 –Compared to its rocky neighbours to the North and East, Mantioulin Island’s geology is significantly younger and more hospitable to plant life. In this chapter we discuss:
- 10 000 year old quarry at Sheguiandah
- The Precambrian Shield
- Ordovician & Silurian rocks
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Chapter 4 –The French were the first Europeans to make contact with the First Nations people of the Manitoulin area. A cooperative relationship soon developed around the fur trade, which allowed for the sharing of economic benefits between the two peoples. In this chapter we discuss:
- Champlain's map of the island
- Early Jesuit missionaries
- The fur trade
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Chapter 5 –The growing demand for furs prompted Native peoples and fur traders to hunt and trap beyond their traditional territories. Conflicts arose and were fueled by weapons and pressure from the colonial powers. Numerous treaties & wampum were created to mend and clarify relationships between First Nations and their European allies.
- British influence over the Fur Trade
- Anishinabek & Haudenosaunee conflict
- Sainte-Marie mission destroyed
- The Dish With One Spoon wampum belt
- The Great Peace of Montreal
- Pontiac’s Rebellion
- 1764 Treaty of Niagara - The Silver Covenant Chain
- Royal Proclamation of 1763
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Chapter 6 –The Anishinabek fought with their British allies in the War of 1812. Many Anishinabek from the Manitoulin area distinguished themselves during the conflict and were decorated for their efforts. However, their contributions were quickly forgotten after the war. When the American/Canadian border was drawn, Anishinabek sovereignty was disregarded and many Anishinabek found themselves in territories under American control. In this chapter we discuss:
- War of 1812
- The sword of Mookomanish
- The Treaty of Ghent in 1814
- Andrew Jackson’s Indian removal policy
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Chapter 7 –After the War of 1812, colonial authorities no longer saw the First Nations peoples as allies, but instead as people that needed help to integrate into British North American society – they needed to be assimilated. In this chapter we discuss:
- Sophie Anderson & T.G Anderson
- The Coldwater Establishment
- The beginning of the Manitowaning Establishment
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Chapter 8 –The lieutenant Governor of Upper Canada, Sir Francis Bond Head, put an end to Anderson’s assimilation activities at Manitowaning and put his own plans into action. Bond Head wrote up what came to be known as the Treaty of 1836 – a document for which he neither sought the sanction of the British government nor followed proper protocols.
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Chapter 9 –Captain Anderson’s daughter, Sophie, recounts the early days of life in the Establishment at Manitowaning; a model community designed to assimilate the Native population through instruction in trades and Anglican Christianity. In this chapter we discuss:
- O'Mara's Anishinabek translation of the Anglican Book of Common Prayer
- St. Paul’s Church in Manitowaning
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Chapter 10 –Not far from the Manitowaning Establishment was Wikewemikong, a community of largely Roman Catholic Odawa. In 1844, they were joined by Jesuit missionaries, whose approaches and philosophies were very different from those of the Anglican clergy in Manitowaning. In this chapter we discuss:
- Jesuits in Wikwemikong
- Jesuit brothers
- Holy Cross Mission
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Chapter 11 –Colonists looking to cash in on the abundant resources of the North increasingly began encroaching on Native territories. Native leaders, such as George Abotossaway, fought against colonial intrusions. In this chapter we discuss:
- Robinson-Huron Treaty of 1850
- Wabejiwong/Little Current's beginnings
- George Abotossaway
- W.H.G. Kingston - British travel writer
- Hudson's Bay Company & Manitoulin Island
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| Chapter 12 –The pressure on the Colonial government to open the Manitoulin for white settlement was intense, as available arable lands in Southern Ontario were running out. The result was the much-contested Treaty of 1862. |
Chapter 13 –Disagreements over fisheries licenses prompted what became known as 'The Manitoulin Incident' – a conflict between the people of Wikwemikong and the Fisheries Commissioner, William Gibbard. In this chapter we discsuss:
- William Gibbard - Fisheries Commissioner & his mysterious death
- Formation of Reserves on the Island
- Official beginning of non-Native settlement
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Chapter 14 –After the Treaty of 1862 speculators of all kinds flocked to the Manitoulin to exploit its resources. Lumber was abundant and the geological survey of 1840 had indicated that oil was a strong possibility on the Island. In this chapter we discuss:
- The Great Manitoulin Oil Company
- R.A. Lyon & Michael's Bay
- Sheguiandah, Providence Bay, Mindemoya, Manitowaning
- The Henry Brothers of Kagawong
- Lumbermen-farmers
- Misery Bay
- Indian Annuity Fund
- A.J. Wagg & the creamery
- Turner's of Little Current
- Hawberries
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Chapter 15 –As inhabitants of an island, the weather and water have historically played large roles in the lives of Manitoulin’s residents. Navigational aids were designed to help mitigate the dangers of lake Huron’s waters. In this chapter we discuss:
- Lighthouses
- Winter travel across the North Channel
- The Turkey Trail
- Commercial fishing & the Purvis Brothers Ltd.
- Fire on the steamer Manitoulin & the wreck of the Asia
- Remnants of LaSalle’s Griffon
- Meldrum Bay
- The judicial seat in Gore Bay
- Island hockey teams
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Chapter 16 –The fish filled, crystal clear waters of the Manitoulin and the North Channel have attracted tourists since the day of the canoe. Yachts, steamers and the railway ensured their continued presence on the Island. In this chapter we discuss:
- Anna Jamieson & W.H.G. Kingston
- Early hotels
- Fishermen & Sportsmen
- Yachts on the North Channel
- Railway to the Manitoulin & the Little Current swing bridge
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Chapter 17 –The car changed everything on Manitoulin - ferries gave both residents and tourists freedom to travel to and from the Island like they had never before experienced. The 1950’s harkened the golden age of tourism on the Island. In this chapter we discuss:
- Little Current car ferry
- The Tobermory Transit Co. & The Owen Sound Transportation Co.
- The Normac, the Norisle & the Norgoma
- The Chi-Cheemaun
- The Normac at Meldrum Bay
- President Roosevelt's vacation
- Treasure Island
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| Chapter 18 –‘Mike’ Pearson, as Islanders would call him, served as the MP for Algoma East for twenty years, and prime minister from 1963 to 1968. |
Chapter 19 –The Seventh Prophecy of the Anishinabek tells of the coming of a generation that would retrace the steps of the sacred ways. Now, that generation is here and is hard at work. In this chapter we discuss:
- Wikwemikong Pow Wow
- Ojibwe Cultural Foundation
- The Woodland School of Art
- Wasse-Abin Wikwemikong High School
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| Chapter 20 –From the original Odawa inhabitants, to the other Anishinabek Nations that they welcomed to the land; to lumbermen, fishermen, and farmers, the Island has always had a unique appeal. |
