History
Manitoulin means "spirit island" in the Ojibwe language. The island remains a sacred place for the natives although they have had their share of troubles. The first to settle on the island was a French Jesuit priest named Joseph Poncet who set up a mission in the mid 17th century. His stay did not last long since the Iroquois drove he and other visitors away. The island was burned by the Natives in order to purify the land once again.
Native people returned to the land once it was set aside as a refuge for them. A Roman Catholic mission was set up in 1838 and less than a decade later it was taken over by the Jesuits. In 1845 the treaty opened up the island for settlement by non-natives. The Wikwemikong chief refused the treaty and the reserve is to this day unceded. An Ontario Historical Plaque is now on the grounds of the Assiginack Museum to honour Manitoulin Islandâs place in Ontarioâs heritage. The Aboriginal culture on Manitoulin Island is still strong.
