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Moose Factory — Môsonîwi-Miništik

Môsonîwililiw oral tradition describes an ancestral couple, lowered here from a sky world, who were shown how to survive and thrive by animals who also gifted their lives for this purpose. The Creator’s laws, including honesty, courage and šawelihcikewin — sharing with gratitude and generosity — were reinforced over generations by lived experience of the benefits or consequences of upholding or ignoring these principles. After receiving hospitality at this Môsonîwililiw summer gathering site, Hudson’s Bay Company traders built Moose Fort in 1673, and relations quickly extended beyond commerce to mutual support in hard times. Over the next two centuries, Moose Fort became Moose Factory: a regional transatlantic trade hub marked by cultural exchange and intermarriage. This history influenced Môsonîwililiw expectations for Treaty 9, signed in 1905. Despite treaty violations, many volunteered for Canadian military service in the World Wars. By the mid-20th century, Moose Factory's linkages were shifting towards Canada as it transitioned away from being a fur trade company town. The Moose Cree First Nation’s primary reserve was surveyed here in 1948. Veterans helped lead postwar self-governance and treaty renewal efforts, exemplified by the 1973 creation of Nishnawbe-Aski Nation. While Môsonîwi-Miništik is Ontario’s oldest English-speaking settlement, its primary history remains with the Môsonîwililiwak.

Môsonîwi-Miništik (Moose Cree)

Âtalôhkâtâkaniwiwak weškac kâ kî peci-nîhtâpihkenihcik nâpew nešta iskwew kîšikohk ohci, kâ wâpahtilikocik mâka kici kî pimâcihocik aweyâšîša kâ kî pakitinitisoštâkocik. Kâ peci-âniske-pimâtisînâniwahk mâka kekakeka kî kiskelihcikâteliwa Kihci-manitow ot olašowewina – tâpwewin, sôhkitehewin, šawelihcikewin mâka. Kampaniy mâka kâ kî iškwâ-milo-tôtâkot Môsonîwililiwa ôma miništikohk, ekôtôta kâ iši-walaskitât o wâskâhikanim anta 1673 kici atâwâniwanilik. E ispihci-milwâhkomitocik mâka ililiwak nešta Wemištikôšiwak, môla piko ohci-atâmitowak. Wîpac mâka kî ati-wîcihitowak nešta mekwâc e âlimanilik. Kâ mayâwipalik mâka nîšwâw-mitâhtomitana-pipon kî âhcinihkâcikâtew e iši-wemištikôšîwinihkâtek Moose Fort ohci Moose Factory kici išinihkâtek. Ekotôta kâ nakiškâtocik kici atâmitocik Ililiwak nešta aniki kâ ohtâšicik akâmi-kihcikamîhk, wâwâc mâka kici wîkimitocik âta kâ pâhpîtošaskânesicik. Ekwâni mâka kâ ohci-pakoselimocik Môsonîwililiwak kici milo-tôtâkocik animeliw naskomowiniliw 9 kâ itaštelik kâ pemâwasinahikâtelik anta 1905. Âta kâ pîkonikâteki âtiht ašotamâkewina, keyâpac mâka mištet kî naskomowak kici natawi-wîcihiwecik akâmi-kihcikamîhk ita kâ natopalînâniwanilik. Kekât mâka kâ otihcipalik 1950 kî ati-ohtiškawiškawewak Môsonîwililiwak Canada okimâwa peskiš e ati-cakawâšišicik awenihkânak keyâpac e kî wanihikecik. Ôta Môsonîwi-miništikohk kî tipahaskâcikâteliw nîštam ot iškonikaniwâw Môsonîwililiwak anta 1948. Kâ iškwâ-natopalînaniwanilik mâka kâ natopalîcik kî peci-wîcihtwâwak wîlawâw tipilawe Môsonîwililiwak kici tipelimitisocik nešta kici kakwe-ayâcik anihi kâ ašotamâkocik animeliw naskomowiniliw. Ekwâniki mâka kâ ošihtâcik animeliw Nishnawbe Aski Nation anta 1973. E ispihtaskamikâk mâka Ontario mâwac weškac kî wemištikôšîmonâniwan ôta. Šâkôc mâka nîštam Môsonîwililiwak kî ihtâwak ôta nešta kî ililîmonâniwan eškwa ekâ e wemištikôšîmonâniwahk.

Moose Cree syllabics (ᒨᓱᓃᐧᐃ ᒥᓂᔥᑎᒄ)

ᐋᑕᓘᐦᑳᑖᑲᓂᐎᐗᒃ ᐌᔥᑲᒡ ᑳ ᑮ ᐯᒋ ᓃᐦᑖᐱᐦᑫᓂᐦᒋᒃ ᓈᐯᐤ ᓀᔥᑕ ᐃᔅᑴᐤ ᑮᔑᑯᐦᒃ ᐅᐦᒋ, ᑳ ᐙᐸᐦᑎᓕᑯᒋᒃ ᒫᑲ ᑭᒋ ᑮ ᐱᒫᒋᐦᐅᒋᒃ ᐊᐌᔮᔒᔕ ᑳ ᑮ ᐸᑭᑎᓂᑎᓱᔥᑖᑯᒋᒃ᙮ ᑳ ᐯᒋ ᐋᓂᔅᑫ ᐱᒫᑎᓰᓈᓂᐗᐦᒃ ᒫᑲ ᑫᑲᑫᑲ ᑮ ᑭᔅᑫᓕᐦᒋᑳᑌᓕᐗ ᑭᐦᒋ ᒪᓂᑐᐤ ᐅᑦ ᐅᓚᔓᐌᐎᓇ – ᑖᐺᐎᓐ, ᓲᐦᑭᑌᐦᐁᐎᓐ, ᔕᐌᓕᐦᒋᑫᐎᓐ ᒫᑲ᙮ ᑲᒻᐸᓂᔾ ᒫᑲ ᑳ ᑮ ᐃᔥᒀ ᒥᓗ ᑑᑖᑯᑦ ᒨᓱᓃᐎᓕᓕᐗ ᐆᒪ ᒥᓂᔥᑎᑯᐦᒃ, ᐁᑰᑑᑕ ᑳ ᐃᔑ ᐗᓚᔅᑭᑖᑦ ᐅ ᐙᔅᑳᐦᐃᑲᓂᒻ ᐊᓐᑕ 1673 ᑭᒋ ᐊᑖᐙᓂᐗᓂᓕᒃ᙮ ᐁ ᐃᔅᐱᐦᒋ ᒥᓨᐦᑯᒥᑐᒋᒃ ᒫᑲ ᐃᓕᓕᐗᒃ ᓀᔥᑕ ᐌᒥᔥᑎᑰᔑᐗᒃ, ᒨᓚ ᐱᑯ ᐅᐦᒋ ᐊᑖᒥᑐᐗᒃ᙮ ᐐᐸᒡ ᒫᑲ ᑮ ᐊᑎ ᐐᒋᐦᐃᑐᐗᒃ ᓀᔥᑕ ᒣᒀᒡ ᐁ ᐋᓕᒪᓂᓕᒃ᙮ ᑳ ᒪᔮᐎᐸᓕᒃ ᒫᑲ ᓃᔣᐤ ᒥᑖᐦᑐᒥᑕᓇ ᐱᐳᓐ ᑮ ᐋᐦᒋᓂᐦᑳᒋᑳᑌᐤ ᐁ ᐃᔑ ᐌᒥᔥᑎᑰᔒᐎᓂᐦᑳᑌᒃ ᒨᔅ ᕗᕐᑦ (Moose Fort) ᐅᐦᒋ ᒨᔅ ᕚᒃᑕᕆᔾ (Moose Factory) ᑭᒋ ᐃᔑᓂᐦᑳᑌᒃ᙮ ᐁᑯᑑᑕ ᑳ ᓇᑭᔥᑳᑐᒋᒃ ᑭᒋ ᐊᑖᒥᑐᒋᒃ ᐃᓕᓕᐗᒃ ᓀᔥᑕ ᐊᓂᑭ ᑳ ᐅᐦᑖᔑᒋᒃ ᐊᑳᒥ ᑭᐦᒋᑲᒦᐦᒃ, ᐙᐙᒡ ᒫᑲ ᑭᒋ ᐐᑭᒥᑐᒋᒃ ᐋᑕ ᑳ ᐹᐦᐲᑐᔕᔅᑳᓀᓯᒋᒃ᙮ ᐁᒀᓂ ᒫᑲ ᑳ ᐅᐦᒋ ᐸᑯᓭᓕᒧᒋᒃ ᒨᓱᓃᐎᓕᓕᐗᒃ ᑭᒋ ᒥᓗ ᑑᑖᑯᒋᒃ ᐊᓂᒣᓕᐤ ᓇᔅᑯᒧᐎᓂᓕᐤ 9 ᑳ ᐃᑕᔥᑌᓕᒃ ᑳ ᐯᒫᐗᓯᓇᐦᐃᑳᑌᓕᒃ ᐊᓐᑕ 1905᙮ ᐋᑕ ᑳ ᐲᑯᓂᑳᑌᑭ ᐋᑎᐦᑦ ᐊᔓᑕᒫᑫᐎᓇ, ᑫᔮᐸᒡ ᒫᑲ ᒥᔥᑌᑦ ᑮ ᓇᔅᑯᒧᐗᒃ ᑭᒋ ᓇᑕᐎ ᐐᒋᐦᐃᐌᒋᒃ ᐊᑳᒥ ᑭᐦᒋᑲᒦᐦᒃ ᐃᑕ ᑳ ᓇᑐᐸᓖᓈᓂᐗᓂᓕᒃ᙮ ᑫᑳᑦ ᒫᑲ ᑳ ᐅᑎᐦᒋᐸᓕᒃ 1950 ᑮ ᐊᑎ ᐅᐦᑎᔥᑲᐎᔥᑲᐌᐗᒃ ᒨᓱᓃᐎᓕᓕᐗᒃ ᑳᓇᑕ ᐅᑭᒫᐗ ᐯᔅᑭᔥ ᐁ ᐊᑎ ᒐᑲᐙᔑᔑᒋᒃ ᐊᐌᓂᐦᑳᓇᒃ ᑫᔮᐸᒡ ᐁ ᑮ ᐗᓂᐦᐃᑫᒋᒃ᙮ ᐆᑕ ᒨᓱᓃᐎ ᒥᓂᔥᑎᑯᐦᒃ ᑮ ᑎᐸᐦᐊᔅᑳᒋᑳᑌᓕᐤ ᓃᔥᑕᒻ ᐅᑦ ᐃᔥᑯᓂᑲᓂᐙᐤ ᒨᓱᓃᐎᓕᓕᐗᒃ ᐊᓐᑕ 1948᙮ ᑳ ᐃᔥᒀ ᓇᑐᐸᓖᓇᓂᐗᓂᓕᒃ ᒫᑲ ᑳ ᓇᑐᐸᓖᒋᒃ ᑮ ᐯᒋ ᐐᒋᐦᑣᐗᒃ ᐐᓚᐙᐤ ᑎᐱᓚᐌ ᒨᓱᓃᐎᓕᓕᐗᒃ ᑭᒋ ᑎᐯᓕᒥᑎᓱᒋᒃ ᓀᔥᑕ ᑭᒋ ᑲᑴ ᐊᔮᒋᒃ ᐊᓂᐦᐃ ᑳ ᐊᔓᑕᒫᑯᒋᒃ ᐊᓂᒣᓕᐤ ᓇᔅᑯᒧᐎᓂᓕᐤ᙮ ᐁᒀᓂᑭ ᒫᑲ ᑳ ᐅᔑᐦᑖᒋᒃ ᐊᓂᒣᓕᐤ ᐊᓂᔑᓈᐯ ᐊᔅᑭᔾ (Nishnawbe Aski Nation) ᐊᓐᑕ 1973᙮ ᐁ ᐃᔅᐱᐦᑕᔅᑲᒥᑳᒃ ᒫᑲ ᐅᓐᑖᕆᔪ (Ontario) ᒫᐗᒡ ᐌᔥᑲᒡ ᑮ ᐌᒥᔥᑎᑰᔒᒧᓈᓂᐗᓐ ᐆᑕ᙮ ᔖᑰᒡ ᒫᑲ ᓃᔥᑕᒻ ᒨᓱᓃᐎᓕᓕᐗᒃ ᑮ ᐃᐦᑖᐗᒃ ᐆᑕ ᓀᔥᑕ ᑮ ᐃᓕᓖᒧᓈᓂᐗᓐ ᐁᔥᑾ ᐁᑳ ᐁ ᐌᒥᔥᑎᑰᔒᒧᓈᓂᐗᐦᒃ᙮

Location

In front of the Cree Cultural Interpretive Centre at 49 Pehdabun Road in Moose Factory

Region: Northern Ontario

County/District: District of Cochrane

Municipality: Moose Factory

Themes