Dokis 9, Ontario
Encyclopedia
Dokis 9 is a First Nations
reserve and community in the Canadian
province of Ontario
, assigned to the Dokis First Nation. The reserve is located approximately 16 kilometers southwest of central southern Lake Nipissing
along the French River
. It is divided into two large parts consisting of a north island, Okikendawt, and a large southern peninsula. The two land masses, which are nestled within the flows of the French river
, cover approximately 158 square kilometers. The French River watershed in Northern Ontario
was created more than ten thousand years ago when the last ice-age receded and left a maze of rivers and small lakes. The main settlement is found on Okikendawt island (meaning island of buckets or island of pails) which can be accessed by a gravel road which connects with Highway 64
. The Land is occupied by the Dokis and its cousin tribe, the Restoule‘s
. The land is well known for its hunting
, fishing
, fur trades, and timber
.
. It wasn’t until the 1890s, as the trading business slowed significantly, that the Dokis moved onto the land they negotiated for and Dokis Village was established. The Restoules, a related tribe of the Dokis, also started inhabiting Dokis Village and surrounding lands. Both families grew vegetable and grain crops while maintaining some trapping activities. In 1909 pressure was put on the tribes to sell the timber rights of the Dokis lands and lumbering became a new revenue. The sale of their timber rights in 1909 made the Dokis the richest natives in Canada at that time.
Population trend:
s, kayaks, and canoes now travel the French River; lodges and cottage
s dot the landscape, and it provides an abundance of activities for anglers
and hunters
. For much of its length, the French River is a broad, tree-lined expanse of open water. It also features falls
, rapid
s, and steep, narrow gorges
. The difficult topography of the Canadian Shield
supports more than 450 plant species, some of them rare. The Massassauga rattlesnake
, the only poisonous snake in Ontario, is also found in this area. Deer
s, moose
s, elk
s and bear
s are some of the larger mammals in the area. Woodpecker
s, raven
s, Great Blue Herons
and a variety of warbler
s are just some of the birds that can be found along the river’s shores.
, walleye
, musky, northern pike
, smallmouth bass
, rock bass
, perch
, catfish
, and whitefish
. The Dokis still use spearing and netting as techniques for catching fish today.
operation, catering, restaurants, transportation, tourism, eco-tourism, ecology, forestry
, and services to cottage owners along the French River. Some Dokis First Nation Businesses include: Cold Springs Camp, Dokis Marina and Restaurant, Migisi Marina, Riverview Cottages, Tinny’s Taxidermy, and Young Forestry Services.
First Nations
First Nations is a term that collectively refers to various Aboriginal peoples in Canada who are neither Inuit nor Métis. There are currently over 630 recognised First Nations governments or bands spread across Canada, roughly half of which are in the provinces of Ontario and British Columbia. The...
reserve and community in the Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
province of Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, assigned to the Dokis First Nation. The reserve is located approximately 16 kilometers southwest of central southern Lake Nipissing
Lake Nipissing
Lake Nipissing is a lake in the Canadian province of Ontario. It has a surface area of , a mean elevation of above sea level, and is located between the Ottawa River and Georgian Bay. Excluding the Great Lakes, Lake Nipissing is the fifth-largest lake in Ontario. It is relatively shallow for a...
along the French River
French River (Ontario)
The French River is a river in Central Ontario, Canada. It flows from Lake Nipissing west to Georgian Bay. The river largely follows the boundary between the Parry Sound District and the Sudbury District, and in most contexts is considered the dividing line between Northern Ontario and Southern...
. It is divided into two large parts consisting of a north island, Okikendawt, and a large southern peninsula. The two land masses, which are nestled within the flows of the French river
French River (Ontario)
The French River is a river in Central Ontario, Canada. It flows from Lake Nipissing west to Georgian Bay. The river largely follows the boundary between the Parry Sound District and the Sudbury District, and in most contexts is considered the dividing line between Northern Ontario and Southern...
, cover approximately 158 square kilometers. The French River watershed in Northern Ontario
Northern Ontario
Northern Ontario is a region of the Canadian province of Ontario which lies north of Lake Huron , the French River and Lake Nipissing. The region has a land area of 802,000 km2 and constitutes 87% of the land area of Ontario, although it contains only about 6% of the population...
was created more than ten thousand years ago when the last ice-age receded and left a maze of rivers and small lakes. The main settlement is found on Okikendawt island (meaning island of buckets or island of pails) which can be accessed by a gravel road which connects with Highway 64
Highway 64 (Ontario)
King's Highway 64, commonly referred to as Highway 64, is a provincially maintained highway in the Canadian province of Ontario.- Route description :...
. The Land is occupied by the Dokis and its cousin tribe, the Restoule‘s
Restoule, Ontario
Restoule is a small community situated on the Restoule River between Commanda Lake, and Restoule Lake in central Ontario, Canada. Restoule is located in Patterson Township, which is an unincorporated township in Central Unorganized Parry Sound District....
. The land is well known for its hunting
Hunting
Hunting is the practice of pursuing any living thing, usually wildlife, for food, recreation, or trade. In present-day use, the term refers to lawful hunting, as distinguished from poaching, which is the killing, trapping or capture of the hunted species contrary to applicable law...
, fishing
Fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
, fur trades, and timber
Timber
Timber may refer to:* Timber, a term common in the United Kingdom and Australia for wood materials * Timber, Oregon, an unincorporated community in the U.S...
.
History
In 1850, Michel “Eagle” Dokis signed the Robinson Huron Treaty. At this time the Dokis were operating a successful fur trading enterprise at Dokis point on Lake Nipissing, which is located at the west end of Nipissing First NationNipissing First Nation
The Nipissing First Nation consists of first nation people of Ojibwa and Algonquin descent who have lived in the area of Lake Nipissing in the Canadian province of Ontario for about 9,400 years. Though in history known by many names, they are generally considered part of the Anishinaabe peoples,...
. It wasn’t until the 1890s, as the trading business slowed significantly, that the Dokis moved onto the land they negotiated for and Dokis Village was established. The Restoules, a related tribe of the Dokis, also started inhabiting Dokis Village and surrounding lands. Both families grew vegetable and grain crops while maintaining some trapping activities. In 1909 pressure was put on the tribes to sell the timber rights of the Dokis lands and lumbering became a new revenue. The sale of their timber rights in 1909 made the Dokis the richest natives in Canada at that time.
Demographics
As of March 2011, the registered population of the dokis First Nation is 991 members, of whom 168 live on the reserve, 2 live on another reserve, and 821 live off reserve.Population trend:
- Population in 2006: 195
- Population in 2001: 196
- Population in 1996: 163
- Population in 1991: 165
Attractions
The French River Provincial Park protects most of the land along the French River except for the land occupied by the Dokis. Today, over 300 years after fur traders first navigated its waters, motorboatMotorboat
A motorboat is a boat which is powered by an engine. Some motorboats are fitted with inboard engines, others have an outboard motor installed on the rear, containing the internal combustion engine, the gearbox and the propeller in one portable unit.An inboard/outboard contains a hybrid of a...
s, kayaks, and canoes now travel the French River; lodges and cottage
Cottage
__toc__In modern usage, a cottage is usually a modest, often cozy dwelling, typically in a rural or semi-rural location. However there are cottage-style dwellings in cities, and in places such as Canada the term exists with no connotations of size at all...
s dot the landscape, and it provides an abundance of activities for anglers
Fisherman
A fisherman or fisher is someone who captures fish and other animals from a body of water, or gathers shellfish. Worldwide, there are about 38 million commercial and subsistence fishermen and fish farmers. The term can also be applied to recreational fishermen and may be used to describe both men...
and hunters
Hunting
Hunting is the practice of pursuing any living thing, usually wildlife, for food, recreation, or trade. In present-day use, the term refers to lawful hunting, as distinguished from poaching, which is the killing, trapping or capture of the hunted species contrary to applicable law...
. For much of its length, the French River is a broad, tree-lined expanse of open water. It also features falls
Waterfall
A waterfall is a place where flowing water rapidly drops in elevation as it flows over a steep region or a cliff.-Formation:Waterfalls are commonly formed when a river is young. At these times the channel is often narrow and deep. When the river courses over resistant bedrock, erosion happens...
, rapid
Rapid
A rapid is a section of a river where the river bed has a relatively steep gradient causing an increase in water velocity and turbulence. A rapid is a hydrological feature between a run and a cascade. A rapid is characterised by the river becoming shallower and having some rocks exposed above the...
s, and steep, narrow gorges
Canyon
A canyon or gorge is a deep ravine between cliffs often carved from the landscape by a river. Rivers have a natural tendency to reach a baseline elevation, which is the same elevation as the body of water it will eventually drain into. This forms a canyon. Most canyons were formed by a process of...
. The difficult topography of the Canadian Shield
Canadian Shield
The Canadian Shield, also called the Laurentian Plateau, or Bouclier Canadien , is a vast geological shield covered by a thin layer of soil that forms the nucleus of the North American or Laurentia craton. It is an area mostly composed of igneous rock which relates to its long volcanic history...
supports more than 450 plant species, some of them rare. The Massassauga rattlesnake
Sistrurus catenatus
Sistrurus catenatus is a venomous pitviper species found primarily in the United States. Three subspecies are currently recognized, including the nominate subspecies described here.-Description:...
, the only poisonous snake in Ontario, is also found in this area. Deer
Deer
Deer are the ruminant mammals forming the family Cervidae. Species in the Cervidae family include white-tailed deer, elk, moose, red deer, reindeer, fallow deer, roe deer and chital. Male deer of all species and female reindeer grow and shed new antlers each year...
s, moose
Moose
The moose or Eurasian elk is the largest extant species in the deer family. Moose are distinguished by the palmate antlers of the males; other members of the family have antlers with a dendritic configuration...
s, elk
Elk
The Elk is the large deer, also called Cervus canadensis or wapiti, of North America and eastern Asia.Elk may also refer to:Other antlered mammals:...
s and bear
Bear
Bears are mammals of the family Ursidae. Bears are classified as caniforms, or doglike carnivorans, with the pinnipeds being their closest living relatives. Although there are only eight living species of bear, they are widespread, appearing in a wide variety of habitats throughout the Northern...
s are some of the larger mammals in the area. Woodpecker
Woodpecker
Woodpeckers are near passerine birds of the order Piciformes. They are one subfamily in the family Picidae, which also includes the piculets and wrynecks. They are found worldwide and include about 180 species....
s, raven
Raven
Raven is the common name given to several larger-bodied members of the genus Corvus—but in Europe and North America the Common Raven is normally implied...
s, Great Blue Herons
Great Blue Heron
The Great Blue Heron is a large wading bird in the heron family Ardeidae, common near the shores of open water and in wetlands over most of North and Central America as well as the West Indies and the Galápagos Islands. It is a rare vagrant to Europe, with records from Spain, the Azores and England...
and a variety of warbler
Warbler
There are a number of Passeriformes called "warblers". They are not particularly closely related, but share some characteristics, such as being fairly small, vocal and insectivorous....
s are just some of the birds that can be found along the river’s shores.
Fishing
Fish is a very important resource of the Dokis. The French River inhabits many fish including: SturgeonSturgeon
Sturgeon is the common name used for some 26 species of fish in the family Acipenseridae, including the genera Acipenser, Huso, Scaphirhynchus and Pseudoscaphirhynchus. The term includes over 20 species commonly referred to as sturgeon and several closely related species that have distinct common...
, walleye
Walleye
Walleye is a freshwater perciform fish native to most of Canada and to the northern United States. It is a North American close relative of the European pikeperch...
, musky, northern pike
Northern Pike
The northern pike , is a species of carnivorous fish of the genus Esox...
, smallmouth bass
Smallmouth bass
The smallmouth bass is a species of freshwater fish in the sunfish family of the order Perciformes. It is the type species of its genus...
, rock bass
Rock bass
The rock bass , also known as the rock perch, goggle-eye, or red eye is a species of freshwater fish in the sunfish family of order Perciformes. They are similar in appearance to smallmouth bass but are usually quite a bit smaller...
, perch
Perch
Perch is a common name for fish of the genus Perca, freshwater gamefish belonging to the family Percidae. The perch, of which there are three species in different geographical areas, lend their name to a large order of vertebrates: the Perciformes, from the Greek perke meaning spotted, and the...
, catfish
Catfish
Catfishes are a diverse group of ray-finned fish. Named for their prominent barbels, which resemble a cat's whiskers, catfish range in size and behavior from the heaviest and longest, the Mekong giant catfish from Southeast Asia and the second longest, the wels catfish of Eurasia, to detritivores...
, and whitefish
Freshwater whitefish
The freshwater whitefish are fish of the subfamily Coregoninae in the salmon family Salmonidae. Along with the freshwater whitefish, the Salmonidae includes the freshwater and anadromous trout and salmon species as well as graylings...
. The Dokis still use spearing and netting as techniques for catching fish today.
Economy
The Dokis’s economy is derived from a number of sources including small locally owned businesses. Private and tribe owned enterprises include businesses in construction, marinaMarina
A marina is a dock or basin with moorings and supplies for yachts and small boats.A marina differs from a port in that a marina does not handle large passenger ships or cargo from freighters....
operation, catering, restaurants, transportation, tourism, eco-tourism, ecology, forestry
Forestry
Forestry is the interdisciplinary profession embracing the science, art, and craft of creating, managing, using, and conserving forests and associated resources in a sustainable manner to meet desired goals, needs, and values for human benefit. Forestry is practiced in plantations and natural stands...
, and services to cottage owners along the French River. Some Dokis First Nation Businesses include: Cold Springs Camp, Dokis Marina and Restaurant, Migisi Marina, Riverview Cottages, Tinny’s Taxidermy, and Young Forestry Services.