THE BLUE AND YELLOW TOUR WITH MP PATTY HAJDU

 

THE BLUE AN YELLOW TOUR

Friday Aug. 11, 2023

1:30 PM

Nipigon Historical Museum

Greet and sign in  (photo)

We will start your Blue and Yellow Tour at the World Record Brook Trout Display.

As our Federal Member of Parliament for Thunder Bay- Superior North, you represent us to  Canada and the World.

Having a World Record Brook Trout that has retained its World Record status  for 108 continuous years since it was caught in our mighty Nipigon River July 21, 1915, is a unique feature of your Riding.

After the Fur Trade frenzy FISHING the Nipigon became a world enticement.

As you can see from the wall map, the last Hydro dam built at Pine Portage took out every lake, rapid and waterfall including Virgin Falls as its flooding created Forgan Lake 73 years ago.

So, that is why it is so important what Fred Dean and Rob Swainson are doing  to establish a solid history of the Nipigon River that was when it ran wild , untamed and free.

Fred has pixel painted 100 historic black and white  photos to create the Nipigon River in Colour as a lasting tribute for our mighty River that was, but is no more.

As Rob Swainson says it is recognized that  without the Indigenous guides’ knowledge of the River and their amazing paddling and portaging skills likely no fisherman nor photographer would have reached  the upper Nipigon.

(Moving to the round table)

Some years ago a young man named Warren came to the museum with an Ojibway language Hymn book published in Nipigon in 1931. He was very proud of it and left it as a loan for display in the Nipigon Museum.  A short while later he died in a train accident.

In July of this year we received an Ojibway language hymn book , Published in Nipigon 1931,in the mail from Mary Turk in Haines Junction, Yukon Territory.  She was sorting through the shelves of Bishop Hectors small church when she came across this hymn book. She thought it best that it be returned to its source, Nipigon. Thus Nipigon Historical Museum was chosen for its safe keeping and display.

 

 

On the wall here and assorted places around the museum you will see the Woodland Art of Isadore Wadow.

(Move to the Rock Images)

Rock Images have been found in about 31 locations in and around Nipigon Bay.  The most famous of them, The Maymayguishy is slowly wearing away.

What they depict may be Spiritual; tell a story; give directions or be just artistic creations.

(Move to Archaeology cases)

Another unique  feature of your Riding is the McCollum Collection which dates back 3500 years.

The uniqueness comes  from the inclusion of lithics and copper in an (assumed) grave site.

The copper dates back to a Culture 3500 years ago.  Two pieces of this copper originated from the Isle Royale copper pits.

In the other case the lithics are from an island in South Lake Nipigon and they date into the Archaic period of 5000 years ago.

The Pottery sherds range over 1200 years of occupation in one area of South Bay, Lake Nipigon.

As you can see there were a few different Cultural names assigned to this pottery.

(Move to Paddle to the Sea case)

Coming forward in time we have the children’s book “Paddle to the Sea” first published in 1941.

82 years later it is still published.. The author Holling Clancy Holling visited Nipigon in 1939 researching his book.

The National Film Board made a movie of this book.  This is a still from that movie . The daughter of  Director Mason donated this to the Nipigon Historical Museum.  Children at a Waterford Michigan school studied the book and carved little “Paddles” which they sent to St. Edward School and that class  threw them in the Nipigon River off the Morning Star.  Another little boy celebrated the 50^th anniversary of the book by carving his own “Paddle” and flying to Thunder Bay with his family and driving to Nipigon to throw it in the Nipigon River. He lived in Chagrin Falls, Ohio.

NIPIGON can still entice the World.

(End Tour)