so please research it a bit further for yourselves if you get a chance. It is much more amazing than I will be able to adequately describe. One thing we will do, though, is add an update of our ongoing "travel map" so 
you can see the ground we have covered so far.The waters of Lake Superior are surrounded, particularly on the Western and Northern sides, with land that is still largely undeveloped and wild. The forests are home to countless species of animals - many of them powerful and dangerous. People who manage to survive in such an environment must possess the will to live, the courage to face challenges of every kind and the intelligence to successfully cope with myriad
obstacles. The history of this area is a chronicle of bravery and creativity and many of those who live here are descended from remarkably intrepid ancestors. The sheer "reality" of what it took to inhabit and eventually "tame" the area is mind-boggling all by itself. But then .... when you start adding in the folklore .... it truly becomes difficult to tell, for sure, where reality begins and fantasy ends. Really!!!! I'm not sure how much it matters since either possibility, reality or folklore - offers some of the most 
beautiful history (or prose) you could hope for. As we moved further into Canada and tried to soak up as much about the vicinity as possible, we realized it was a difficult, if not hopeless, task for the limited time available. But - we'll try to give you at least a taste of what we experienced. Keep in mind - that Lake Superior was riding broodingly on our right and as we proceeded we found it had begun to 
give us glimpses of some mysterious looking islands. Although we were anxious to get to Thunder Bay and start exploring the town, we had begun seeing "historic marker" signs dotting the highway 
and decided we had to check them out. One of our first stops had the exotic name "Kakabeka Falls." Obviously, we would have to check that one out. The access road gave a hint that this was "not an area for sissies." Rocky, hard packed dirt provided a tough riding surface. We soon saw evidence that the rough 
nature of the setting was for real. The Village had cut back on operations for the coming winter and there weren't many residents/visitors around. It was a great time for learning ... "The Story." Far back in time, before the white man came to the area, the Ojibwa people were the principle tribe in the Thunder Bay region and lived peacefully along the coast of Lake Superior. Chief Ogama Eagle led the tribe and was blessed with a beautiful daughter by the name of Greenmantle. In time, when Greenmantle was about 17 years old, the fierce Sioux tribe decided that the beautiful land should be theirs and sent raiding parties to scout the area. Greenmantle was captured and held captive on nearby Dog Mountain and the Sioux decided to force 
her to lead them to where the Ojibwa were camped so that they could surprise and defeat them. Greenmantle feigned agreement with her captors and offered to take a canoe down the Kaministiquia River and lead them to her tribe. Straining every muscle in her body, Greenmantle paddled fiercely seeking to get ahead of her captors. As she approached the turbulent waters above Kakabeka Falls she had finally gotten 
far enough ahead that, at the last minute, she was able to turn and paddle desperately for the shore. The Sioux could do nothing but cry in outrage as one by one their canoes went over the falls. Greenmantle was able to reach shore, run swiftly to the Ojibwa camp, and lead a 
defense expedition to head off the surviving Sioux. The pretty princess Greenmantle is credited with saving her tribe and allowing peace to continue in the area for many years. It took us a while to recover from the dramatic adventures of Greenmantle but we soon needed to get going in order to make it to Thunder Bay before nightfall. As we approached the city, however, we started looking at the material we had and realized we were not far from the road 
leading to the top of Mount McKay which provides an overlook for the entire area. So ... we had no choice but to "... go to the mountain." As we entered it 
was immediately evident that we were in a special area. As the picture above and to the left shows, we did have a great view of the city but we quickly realized there was much more to see. As we neared the top of the entrance road we found
that this was much more of a commemorative park than we had realized. And, more significantly, it was largely dedicated to the contributions of the 
Indian Tribes in times of war and peace. At the earliest point, the entrance sets the tone for what you will see throughout the park. If you do visit, makesure you pay attention to the dates the various parts were dedicated. The Jesuit Priest, Father Joseph Hebert, was extraordinarily active in the area during the latter part of the nineteenth century and the 
locals have tried to make sure his contributions are not forgotten. Fr. Joseph treasured his relationship with the tribes here and set about to commemorate all they 
had done for freedom and peace. His work - both ministering to the tribes and making sure their contributions were recognized - went on for many years 
during some of the most difficult times experienced in this area. His early efforts to create a lasting memorial were tenuous but, in the early part of the twentieth century more people - white and indigenous people - realized that this was a shared responsibility - that we could not afford to forget the contributions made by our brothers and sisters. Consequently, 
support has grown substantially. The facilities now here reflect both the new financial optimism and greater freedom of expression in the artwork being used. The building that is used for larger meetings is absolutely astonishing in the creative artwork used to display the represenations of aboriginal life in the Canadian Northwest. 
A while back we were extremely fortunate to visit a cultural center designed, developed, built and operated by the Tlingit people in the Yukon Territory of Canada. It was awesome to see the enormous pride spilling forth from that center - and - what we saw in Thunder Bay was reminiscent of the feeling we had there. Here is some of the artwork we saw. Note the creatures that populate virtually every 
aspect of the sturcture. 
As we looked more carefully, we saw that individual people, sports and ongoing events were symbolized here. It was amazing. If you ever get to this area I hope you can take a few minutes to visit the topy of Mount McKay. If this building doesn't do it for you, the statues that surround the entrance/exit area should!!! The two most prominent are large, slender, anonymous Ojibwa women, each carved out of a single tree. Gazing upon these two regal ladies I got an immediate sense of 
both dignity and sadness. Although I don't think their expressions were intentionally carved to reflect dismay, looking at them one can almost feel the concern they have had for their people throughout the years. At the time we were on Mount McKay there was a great deal of 
controversy about whether or not the land which houses the memorial should be sold. I understand that the issue is nearing a final decision and we can only hope that both the individuals involved and the enormous legacy they all represent are carefully considered. It is ironic that this matter is being addressed as we are visiting .... In ancient times, the Ojibwa people lived peacefully but poorly along the coast of 
Gitchigami. The spirit of the lake, Nanna Bijou came to the chief of the Ojibwa and showed him an entrance to the vast silver mines of the region. He said that the Ojibwa would be welcome to use the silver forever but - if they ever showed the White Man where it was located it would be lost to them forever and, that he - Nanna Bijou - would be turned to stone!! For many years the Ojibwa enjoyed the wealth brought to them by the matchless silver of Nanna Bijou.
One day, a Sioux warrior disguised himself as an Ojibwa and, through trickery, learned the location of the silver. On the way home from his journey to the Ojibwa lands, the Sioux stopped at the camp of a white trader to barter for food. Seeing the silver he was using for trade, the men gave the Sioux firewater and ultimately caused him to reveal the location of the mine. Rushing to Thunder Bay the white men were nearing the site of the silver mine when a great storm occurred and blocked access to the silver forever. As predicted, the great Nanna Bijou was immedfiately turned to stone and where there was once a wide entrance to the bay there now stands an icy stone island that reveals the profile of the great Indian spirit. Hmmmmmm..... Well, I told you it was easy to get caught up in the folklore of this fascinating region. Anyway - we're ready to get into Thunder Bay, settle in at our hotel, get a bite to eat and prepare for the great north woods. Get a good night's rest so you can join us soon. See ya.
No comments:
Post a Comment
We would enjoy hearing from you if you would like to send us a note!!