The Ojibwa of Western Canada, 1780 to 1870

Jean Manore is a policy assistant at the Department of Native Affairs.

This book covers a significant period in the history of the Western
Ojibwa (better known as Saulteaux or Plains Ojibwa) as they entered and
settled in areas west of the Red River to the plains; dealt with
fur-trade rivalry and Hudson’s Bay Company monopoly; and faced
epidemics, missionaries, the decline of the bison, and the start of the
treaty period. The author shows how the Ojibwa successfully employed a
variety of strategies to overcome hardships and maintain their autonomy
and lifestyle.

The author’s use of sources is quite broad, including
anthropological, archaeological, and historical evidence, as well as
photographs, clothing, transcribed oral accounts, and HBC records. Her
particular attention to Native religions and changing gender roles is
especial interesting, and her attention to the diversity within the
various Ojibwa settlements is to be commended. The book will be of value
to both anthropologists and historians.