| The
history of Mnjikaning First Nation is tied up in
the great Ojibway migration, which has been since
the time of immemorial. Stories tell us that the
Ojibway Nation began far to the east, on an
island entirely surrounded by salt water. The
Anishnaabeg quest for new homeland and prophesy
to have food growing on the surface of the water
had brought them to this land long ago. For
thousands of years the Anishnaabeg people
traveled completely around the Great Lakes and
back to the north shore of Lake Huron. It is said
that the Ojibway people actually passed through
this area once before returning to live here.  The Anishnaabeg territories
ranged far south of Lake Ontario, northward to
the lands of Nippissing and east, beyond Curve
Lake. The Chippewa traveled and then returned to
this area sometime around 1690. At the request of
the Huron people, living near the famous "Saint
Marie among the Huron's" (which has been
rebuilt and is located near the current site of
Midland), the Huron asked the Ojibway people to
honour treaties made between the two nations and
to assist in a war against the Iroquois. The
Ojibway people did what was asked of them and
they are still here today.
Oral traditions say that
the people of Mnjikaning were considered healers
and that they shared their generous supply of
food provided by the fishing weirs. It is said
that Mnjikaning was a place where treaties and
agreements were made among the First Nations.
 In the early 1800's the Chippewa
people of Lake Simcoe and Lake Huron had divided
into three groups and remained traveling until
they settled on a stretch of land that ran from
present day Orillia to Coldwater. Following a
treaty for this land, the Chippewa people decided
to take up residency in three distinct locations
under different hereditary chiefs, Some followed
Chief Snake and were taken to Snake island, and
later settled on Georgina Island in Lake Simcoe.
The second group followed Chief Aisance and the
people lived primarily near Coldwater, although
they eventually settled further west at
Beausoleil Island. The remaining group followed
Chief Yellowhead and moved to the Atherley
Narrows.
The name Mnjikaning
refers to the fishing weirs at the Narrows
between Lake Simcoe and Lake Couchiching. The
Chippewa people cherish their traditional role as
the Keepers of the Fish Fence, which is to
maintain and protect the 4 500 year old weir
systems.
 In 1836, a
large amount of land was surrendered to the
British and Canadian governments. Under pressure
from the European settlement, Chief Musquakie's (Yellowhead)
people moved from the Narrows to the present site
of Mnjikaning located at Ramara Township, which
leads to the group's naming. They moved to this
township, which was originally known as "Rama".
The federal government came to identify the group
as the Chippewas of Rama Township. Over the 100-year
period, the name was gradually shortened to
'Rama'. In 1993 with support from the community
and in the honour of the spirit of its ancestors,
a declaration was created to return to it's
original name - Mnjikaning.
From "The Chippewas of
Mnjikaning First Nation. A Proud, Progressive
Native Community". A booklet compiled by
Vicki Rose and endorsed by Mnjikaning First
Nation.
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