Archaeological evidence suggests that the Ottawa Valley has been home to the AlgonquinAnishinaabe people and their ancestors for as many as 8,000 years.
Long before the arrival of Europeans, the Algonquin people lived, hunted, trapped, fished, socialized and traded on both sides of the Ottawa River and along its tributaries.
Over the years, First Nations across North America had been persuaded to sign treaties to hand their land over to the Europeans (frequently on less than favourable terms). The Algonquin, however, were never party to any such agreement.
As a result, we must acknowledge that the Ottawa Valley, including the city of Ottawa and the national capital region, remain the unceded territory of the Algonquin people -- the rest of us mere guests of the Algonquin Anishinaabe people at best, trespassers at worst.
James Powell, HSO member and author of the “Today in Ottawa’s History” blog, shares the story of Algonquin Anishinaabe people:
