Community Tourism

WIKWEMIKONG UNCEDED INDIAN RESERVE (ONTARIO)

The peoples of the Three Fire Confederacy - the Ojibway, Odawa and Pottawatomi - say that when the Great Spirit was creating the world, he made a special place for himself: an island where he put the best of all the parts of his creation - water, air and earth. Today, the island of Manitou is still known by his name, we call it Manitoulin Island.

Manitoulin Island is near Lake Huron. It is the largest fresh water island in the world. People have lived on the island for more than 30,000 years. Today, Wikwemikong is home to 2,700 people. Their reserve is the only unceded reserve in Canada. That means that they never signed any treaties with the government and still have the lands of their ancestors.

Manitoulin Island is a popular summer vacation spot for many people. A lot of business in Wikwemikong focuses on the tourists. The reserve has a marina, a golf course and tour companies, one that tours in ATVs.

ATVs were created in Japan as farm-to-town vehicles for isolated, mountainous areas. During spring thaws and rainy seasons steep mountains roads were too hard for cars, so ATVs became a very popular. ATVs have little or no built-in suspension and balloon wheels, these features make them fun and bouncy, but also very unstable. You have to wear a helmet!