P R A X I S E Social Science Consultants S E 6352 St. Louis Drive A s s o c i a t e s Ottawa, Ontario R CANADA K1C 2Y1 C Tel / Fax: (613) 830 - 7198 H Web: www.praxisresearchassociates.ca R E S E A R C H R E P O R T: HISTORIC MÉTIS IN ONTARIO: WAWA and ENVIRONS FOR THE MINISTRY OF NATURAL RESOURCES OF THE GOVERNMENT OF ONTARIO NATIVE AFFAIRS UNIT 300 Water Street P.O. Box 7000 Peterborough, Ontario K9J 8M5 August 12, 1999 R E S E A R C H R E P O R T HISTORIC MÉTIS IN ONTARIO: WAWA and ENVIRONS Submitted to: Valerie J. Stankiewicz Policy Officer, Historical Research NATIVE AFFAIRS UNIT ONTARIO MINISTRY OF NATURAL RESOURCES 300 Water Street P.O. Box 7000 Peterborough ON K9J 8M5 Submitted by: Gwen Reimer, Ph.D. & Jean-Philippe Chartrand, M.A. PRAXIS Research Associates 6352 St. Louis Drive, Orleans ON K1C 2Y1 August 12, 1999 TABLE OF CONTENTS E XECUTIVE SUMMARY.......................................................... iii 1 . I NTRODUCTION...........................................................1 1.1 Background.......................................................1 1.2 Research Requirements: Wawa and Environs. 1 2 . M ETHODOLOGY..........................................................4 2.1 Approach to the Research Assignment. 4 2.1.1 Secondary Source Search and Review.. 5 2.1.2 Primary Document Search and Review. 5 2.1.3 Consultation with Local Métis Representatives.. 8 2.2 Ethnohistorical Research on Algonquins: Issues and Problems. 9 2.2.1 Etymological Issues and Gaps in Information on Band Names.. 1 0 2.2.2 Semantic Differences in Identification Terms. 1 2 2.2.3 Algonquin Migrations in the Fur Trade Wars. 1 6 2.2.4 Semantic Changes in the Use of the Word ‘Algonquin’. 1 7 2.3 Issues and Indicators of Métis Identity.. 2 1 2.3.1 Ascription..................................................2 2 2.3.2 Cultural Integrity............................................2 5 2.3.3 Social Relations.............................................2 8 3. DEVELOPMENT OF A MIXED POPULATION: EASTERN LAKE SUPERIOR 18TH CENTURY....3 0 3.1 Lake Superior in the Early-Contact Period (1630-1700). 3 0 3.1.1 Explorations and Descriptions of Inhabitants, Early 17th Century. 3 0 3.1.2 Descriptions of Inhabitants, 17th and 18th Centuries. 3 3 3.1.3 The Development of the Fur Trade on Eastern Lake Superior. 3 8 3.2 Aboriginal/European Relations in the 18th Century........................ 4 0 3.2.1 The Probable Genesis of a Mixed Population near Michipicoten. 4 1 3.2.2 Harvesting Practices: Aboriginal Groups and Coureurs de Bois.. 4 3 3.3 Evidence from the Mid-to-Late 18th Century............................. 4 6 4 . T HE MÉTIS POPULATION AT MICHIPICOTEN, 19TH CENTURY.......................5 3 4.1 Role of the HBC Michipicoten Post in the 19th Century. 5 3 4.2 Seasonal Settlement of ‘Winterers’, 1800-1848. 5 6 4.2.1. Identification of ‘Winterers’ as Métis. 5 6 4.2.2 Descriptions of Winterers in Michipicoten Records. 5 7 4.2.3 Existence of Fur Trade Families. 5 9 PRAXIS Research Associates, 1999: Historic Métis in Ontario - Wawa i [4. Continued...] 4.3 Establishment of a Sedentary Population of Mixed Descent.. 6 0 4.4 Harvesting Activities, 1833-1841.....................................6 3 4.5 Métis Occupations at the Post, 1830s-1890s. 6 6 4.6 Seasonal Harvesting Activities of Métis Servants, 1858. 6 9 4.7 Summary and Evaluation of HBC Records. 7 0 4.8 Métis Participation in Robinson Treaties (1850).. 7 2 4.8.1 Impetus for and Prelude to Treaty Negotiations (1845-1849). 7 3 4.8.2 Métis Involvement in the Negotiations of the Robinson Treaties. 7 7 4.9 Treaty Aftermath and Community Development Issues. 8 2 5 . W AWA IN THE 20TH CENTURY...............................................8 5 5.1 1901 Census......................................................8 5 5.2 Railways and Mining: Growth of European Settlement. 8 6 5.3 Métis Population and Identity in the Wawa Region Today. 8 8 5.3.1 The Wawa Native Network Information Centre. 8 9 5.3.2 Issues of Métis Identity Expressed by the Wawa Native Network. 8 9 6. CONCLUSIONS...........................................................9 3 6.1 Identification of Aboriginal Groups.. 9 3 6.2 Emergence of a Mixed Population in the 17th -18 th Centuries. 9 5 6.3 Métis Involvement in the Michipicoten Fur Trade, 19th Century.. 9 6 6.4 Métis Involvement in the Robinson Treaties (1850). 9 8 6.5 Development of Wawa in the 20th Century. 100 SOURCES CITED..............................................................101 SOURCES CONSULTED. ........................................................109 A PPENDIX A: HISTORICAL MAPS Map A.1 Algonquin Groups ca. 1600 (Ratelle 1996) Map A.2 Location of Tribes, 1600-1650 (Cleland 1992) Map A.3 Boundary between Northern Boreal Forest and Southern Great Lakes (Wright 1994) Map A.4 Location of Gens des Terres, 17th -18 th Centuries (Bishop 1981) Map A.5 17th Century Fur Trade Routes (Jaenen 1996) Map A.6 Registered Mining Locations, Eastern Lake Superior, ca. 1850 (Wightman & Wightman 1991) APPENDIX B: INDEX OF DOCUMENTS CITED PRAXIS Research Associates, 1999: Historic Métis in Ontario - Wawa i i EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This report presents data and interpretations pertaining to the historical formation and development of a métis population in the vicinity of Wawa, Ontario. The central findings are: !Historical data and ethnohistorical interpretations indicate that from early contact in the 17th century, the eastern shore of Lake Superior was inhabited continuously by Ojibwa; a neighbouring group called Gens des Terres temporarily resided at Michipicoten in the mid- 18th century. !There is no evidence indicating that ancestors of present-day Algonquins harvested resources along the eastern shore of Lake Superior between the 17th century and the late 19th century; Jesuit references to ‘Algonkins’ relocating there involve a very different meaning of that word, comparable to the contemporary term ‘Algonquian’ used to denote a large family of Aboriginal languages. !Arguments concerning the genesis of a population of mixed European and Aboriginal descent on the eastern shore of Lake Superior in the 17th century are plausible but completely speculative as no data exist to support or contradict the hypothesis. !Indirect data exist for the 18th century suggesting that such a population lived and travelled through (as voyageurs and coureurs de bois) the Upper Great Lakes region. Population terms are ambiguous, either classifying the population occupationally, or by general birth place such as with the 18th century term ‘Canadian’: <A small but permanent presence of Europeans on the eastern shore of Lake Superior dates to the establishment of the Michipicoten fur trade post in 1714; this post would pass through French, independent, NWC, and HBC hands until it eventual closure in 1904; <Descriptions of dress of some 18th century Canadians partly match known articles of historic métis dress; <Some Canadians are frequently described as having very close relationships with Indians, suggesting that many were more than political or military allies against the English. !Direct data demonstrating the presence of métis along the eastern shore of Lake Superior date to the late 1810s and early 1820s. HBC post journal for Michipicoten demonstrate that métis worked and lived at Michipicoten throughout the 19th century: <These métis likely have their origin in 18th century coureurs de bois and in a class of PRAXIS Research Associates, 1999: Historic Métis in Ontario - Wawa iii early 19th century fur hunters called ‘winterers’; <Some European HBC employees also took Indian wives and established families at the Michipicoten post. !HBC post journals for the 19th century demonstrate that the material life of métis differed significantly from that of Indians. These sources, however, present little data concerning métis culture (values, beliefs, customs): <As opposed to Indians, métis worked for wages as HBC employees and lived in log houses at the post; <Male métis employees were heavily involved in conducting post-operated resource harvesting activities, although some worked at specialized occupations, such as Indian interpreters and skilled tradesmen; métis families regularly helped with agricultural work at the post. <One métis (John Swanston) was promoted to Chief Factor at Michipicoten in the 1840s, and later acted as interpreter in the Robinson-Superior Treaty negotiations. !Métis participated in the negotiations of the Robinson Treaties of 1850 in several capacities. The negotiations for both treaties involved métis interpreters, and three signatories (John Bell, and Chiefs Michel Dokis and Nebenaigooching) were of mixed descent, although William Robinson may not have been aware of this fact. !Robinson’s treaty negotiations report also indicates that a contingent of métis attempted to negotiate with him directly to have rights recognized in the treaties. Robinson’s instructions did not allow him to do this and he rejected their demand, although he subsequently allowed métis to become treaty beneficiaries at the discretion of Indian Chiefs: <Métis had previously been involved in protests and in one violent confrontation at Mica Bay over mineral exploration and development that led to the Treaties’ negotiation; some evidence suggests the métis involved in these activities were from the Michigan side of Sault Ste. Marie; <Garden River Chief Shingwakonce had also attempted to recruit local métis into his Band’s membership in order to strengthen his negotiation position. !Two documents related to the negotiations of the Treaties