Audio Excerpt

William Yellowhead, who was also known in his Oh-jibway language as, "Miskwahki", was the "head chief" of the Chippewas of Lakes Huron and Simcoe.

Yellowhead oversaw the sale of most of the Chippewas territory to the provincial government, and led them in their first attempts to adopt an agrarian way of life.

In 1838, the Chippewas of Lakes Huron and Simcoe were called to arms to help keep the peace, in the wake of the Upper Canada Rebellion. Yellowhead dutifully assembled his warriors, however they were sent home upon arrival as the tensions had eased.

After returning from duty, Yellowhead led the Chippewas in re-locating from the Atherly narrows to Rama. The settlement was established in 1838, on a tract of land the Oh-jibway had purchased on the eastern shores of Lake Coochiching. The settlement they built there is now the main reserve of the Chippewas of Rama First Nation.<p> </p>

You may have recognized Yellowhead's Oh-jibway name, "Miskwahki". Well, it's believed that it's the origin of the name Muskoka, the cottage based municipality just north of here.
 

You can check the stop description for more information on Chief Yellowhead and the Chippewas of Rama!