Naagzotam, Minjmendaan

Go to today's page for Immaculate Conception, M'Chigeeng:  http://mchigeeng.diocesessm.org/index.html/en

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On this Island ancestors travelled to hunt, to fish, to explore, and to pray. Thousands of years ago there were people on Manitoulin. By the late 1600’s, many Ojibwe, Odawa, and Potawatomie had come to hold this as their own place. Manitoulin—the home of Kitche Manitou—had a new people. The rock, the water, the fire, and the wind had created a home for a people. Most new arrivals carried the faith of the Wendat and others—the faith in Christ in whom the real presence of that Great Spirit had been fulfilled. By the early 1800’s, there was a notable population in Wikwemikong.

 

1846 - “The Mission of West Bay had been started in 1846, when a family had emigrated there from Wikwemikong, and had been followed by a few others. Two years later Fr. Hanipaux found there ninety-six inhabitants, all Catholics and quite fervent in their faith. They had built a temporary bark church, and also a school house which served as a home for the priest when he visited them.  The teacher and catehechist was a young man prepared for this work by Fr. Chone. In this visit Fr. Hanipaux had gone to West Bay by sailboat, and had been two days and nights on the way, much delayed by head winds.” (Fr. J. Pawuin, s.j.)

 

 

1854 – Fr. Fremiot spends the winter here. “He displayed great zeal with the people, and was well pleased with the results of his apostolic work. At West Bay he dedicated the church to the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary, mchigeeng.diocesessm.org/about/patronsaint/en erected the stations of the cross...wrought a reconciliation of two parties dividing the community, and prepared a first communion.”

1860 – “Another Mission (besides Wikwemikong) was then in formation at a place called Mitchikinatinong, or West Bay... . It was blessed with a good young chief named Louis Debassige, who looked upon his people as his children, and fulfilled towards them the duties of a father. He gathered them on Sunday for prayer and instruction, and spent most of his time teaching school to the boys and girls.” (Fr. J. Pawuin, s.j.)

 

1861 - A dire development when the people of Wikwemiking had denied the Upper Canada government any consideration in terms of land ownership, but the people of the rest of the Island had been drawn into land arrangements that would see the population reduced to smaller territories—reserves—in which they were to settle.

 “On June 22, 1861, a great meeting took place at West Bay, the acknowledged centre of the Island, to perfect the plan of resistance, and three chiefs were chosen to carry on the work: Kinojameg Jr., Wakegijik and Ominakamamigo.” (Fr. J. Pawin,  s.j.)

Sadly, the Jesuits and Wikwemikong—whose territory was now exempted—were outsmarted and the rest of the Island entered into treaties with the new government. Wikwemikong alone, to this day, remains the only unceded territory in Canada.

1874 – Michiguedinong:  “The village is situated at the head of West or Honora Bay, and is occupied by Chippewa (Ojibwe) Indians, the Band of Chief Paimoquonaishkung; they are all Catholics, and have recently built a substantial church, the workmanship on which is of a highly creditable character. They also have a school house, which it is intended to have in operation this coming winter...  .” (Indian Affairs)

1889 – “They have a commodious church and a large school house, are Catholics, and have a decidedly prosperous community. The sugar making industry... was during the past spring the best known for several years as much as ten thousand pounds having been made by the band.”  (Indian Affairs)

 

1900 – “There is a fine church situated on the reserve. These Indians are industrious and progressive. Take a great interest in education and agriculture...  .” (Indian Affairs)

1920’s – Jack Pine are planted from seeds carried from Britain by Fr. Eugene Papineau all around the church to the shore of the bay and east and west. They remain today a unique ecosystem on the Island.

1940’s – many young men enlist to serve in the Canadian Army during the Second World War. The names of those who died can be seen today on the memorial in front of the church.

1948 – Lakeview School is built. The two-room school had room for 30 students and was soon expanded.

1955 -- a hall is built just south of the church (near the present-day Complex). Receptions, bingos, and all sorts of community gatherings were held in this hall until it was replaced by the current complex in the 1980's.

1957 -- A statue of Our Lady is mounted on the main road in front of the church, where it still stands today. She is named as the protector of M'Chigeeng and of youth. Fr. Alexander Rolland was named pastor in 1954 and continued to 1959. Later he would continue as a Jesuit missionary in the northwest. The statue was rededicated in the early 2000's.

1968 – the new Lakeview School is opened by the Prime Minister of Canada, the Rt. Hon. Lester B. Pearson.  Gus Debassige was chief at the time.

1971 – (February 27th) an explosion utterly destroys the church building. Young John Reynolds, who had come to teach at Manitoulin Secondary School only weeks before, lost his life. Apparently the propane furnace which had been installed two weeks earlier malfunctioned. Fr. Mike Murray arrived the next day after a hockey tournament and resolved to rebuild the church.