Wikwemikong's History

1600s
- The French came in contact with the Odawa who were inhabitants of Manitoulin Island. The French learned that the Odawa knew all aspects of this islands geography and that it was known as Ekaentoten.
  Source: Wightman, W. R. (1982) Forever on the Fringe Toronto ON: University of Toronto Press.

1618
- Jean Nicolet came to New France and was sent to winter with the Island Algonquins, in order to learn their language. He stayed there for two years. During which time he accompanied four hundred Algonquins, who went to make peace with the Hyroquois (Iroquois). The colony of New France struggled against the Iroquois during the whole first century of its existence.
  
  Source: Kellogg, L. P. (ed).Early Narratives of the Northwest.Charles Scribner's & Sons. New York, NY. 1917.

The Hurons at this time numbered over 30,000 . . . which was about twice as many as the constituent five tribes of the Iroquois League and that they occupied the area of western Lake Ontario, the eastern end and southern shores of Lake Erie, the entire Niagara River region, northwestern Pennsylvania, northern Ohio and southeastern michigan. The Hurons also because of their strength, numbers and pacific attitude had long been respectfully referred to by other tribes as "grandfather", signifying wisdom and superiority.
Source: Eckert, Allan W. A Sorrow In Our Heart, The Life of Tecumseh. Konecky & Konecky, New York, NY. 1992

Father AntoinePoncet, S. J. spends a severe winter on Manitoulin Island.
Source: Manitoulin District History and Genealogy Through The Years,A Historical Sketch of Wikwemikong from 1648 - 1984, 119th ed. Sept. 1993

Fr. Poncet S. J. winters a second time on Manitoulin.
Source: Coutoure T. Rev. S. J. Katonik Anishinabe Enakamigak (Catholic Indian News) Volume 1 #5.
Oral tradition says that Fr. Poncet S. J. spent the winter on the banks of the creek that flows into the south east corner of the Wikwemikong Bay. Oral tradition also says that a church existed on or near what is now known as Murray Hill in Wikwemikong. It was here that the Indians were visited by the missionaries between the times of Fr. Poncet S. J., and Fr. Proulx, S. J.

News reached Quebec that 36 canoes of Hurons were coming from the west (Manitoulin Island). Their safe arrival is recorded in the Jesuit Relations of 1651 where they were described as "Christian Indians" coming from Ekaentoten (Manitoulin Island) and manning about forty canoes, that totaled about 200 men in all.
Source: Coutoure T. Rev. S. J. Katonik Anishinabe Enakamigak (Catholic Indian News) Volume 1 #5

Jesuit Journal records that, "one band of Iroquois had been to Ekaentoten (Manitoulin Island) where they made a capture", and that another has made a capture at Askikwannhe (Nipissing). Terrorized, the various Algonquin groups fled. The Jesuit Relations record that: "Our Ottawas, too left the Manitoulin and fled with a group of Hurons to the islands at the entrance of Green Bay (Wisconsin) where the Potowatomi who had preceded the Ottawas and settled on these islands, received the Algonquins with open arms.
Source: Coutoure T. Rev. S. J. Katonik Anishinabe Enakamigak (Catholic Indian News) Volume 1 #5

Radisson's third journey. His exact description of the Odawa. "After we travelled many dayes we arrived att a large island (The southern shore of Georgian Bay)where we found their village, their wives and children. You must know that we passed a strait some 3 leagues beyond that place. The wildmen give it a name; it is another lake, but not so bigg as that we passed before. We calle it the lake of the staring hairs, because those that live about it have their hair like a brush turned up. They all have a hole in their nose, which is done by a straw which is above a foot long. It barrs their faces. Their ears have ordinarily 5 holes, where one may putt the end of his finger. They use those holes in this sort: to make themselves gallant they pass through it a skrew of coper with much dexterity, and goe on the lake in that posture. When the winter comes they weare no capes (Caps) because of their haire tourned up. They fill those skrews with swan's downe, and with it their ears covered."
Source: Kellogg Louise, P. (ed) Early Narratives of the Northwest, 1634-1699. Charles Scribner's & Sons. New York, NY. 1917. pp. 43-44

In this year, some Odawa moved to Keweenah Bay, some went to the Mississippi and settled on an island at the mouth of Lake Pepin. The Sioux chased them north to the Black River in Wisconsin, here the Hurons built a fort, but the Odawa pushed eastward and settled on the shore of Chequamegon Bay.
Source: Coutoure T. Rev. S. J. Katonik Anishinabe Enakamigak (Catholic Indian News) Volume 1 #5.