Wasauksing First Nation (formerly Parry Island First Nation) is an Ojibwa

Ojibwa

The Ojibwe or Chippewa are among the largest groups of Native Americans–First Nations north of Mexico. They are divided between Canada and the United States. In Canada, they are the third-largest population among First Nations, surpassed only by Cree and Inuit...

, Odawa

Odawa people

The Odawa or Ottawa, said to mean "traders," are a Native American and First Nations people. They are one of the Anishinaabeg, related to but distinct from the Ojibwe nation. Their original homelands are located on Manitoulin Island, near the northern shores of Lake Huron, on the Bruce Peninsula in...

 and Pottawatomi First Nation located near Parry Sound

Parry Sound, Ontario

Parry Sound is a town in Central Ontario, Canada, located on Parry Sound on the eastern shore of Georgian Bay. Parry Sound is located south of Sudbury and north of Toronto. It is the seat of Parry Sound District, a popular cottage country region for Southern Ontario residents. It is also the...

, 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....

, Canada.

Parry Island in Georgian Bay

Georgian Bay

Georgian Bay is a large bay of Lake Huron, located entirely within Ontario, Canada...

 is about 19000 acres (76.9 km²) with 78 miles (125.5 km) of lakeshore, making it one of the larger islands in the Great Lakes

Great Lakes

The Great Lakes are a collection of freshwater lakes located in northeastern North America, on the Canada – United States border. Consisting of Lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario, they form the largest group of freshwater lakes on Earth by total surface, coming in second by volume...

. The Wasauksing First Nation now occupies the entire island, although the ghost town

Ghost town

A ghost town is an abandoned town or city. A town often becomes a ghost town because the economic activity that supported it has failed, or due to natural or human-caused disasters such as floods, government actions, uncontrolled lawlessness, war, or nuclear disasters...

 of Depot Harbour

Depot Harbour, Ontario

Depot Harbour is a ghost town in the Canadian province of Ontario. It was once the western terminus of the Ottawa, Arnprior & Parry Sound Railway and a busy port on Georgian Bay.J.R...

 on the island was historically a non-aboriginal settlement.

Transportation

The reserve's main road crosses to the mainland via the Wasauksing Swing Bridge

Wasauksing Swing Bridge

The Wasauksing Swing Bridge spans the South Channel, a narrow channel of Georgian Bay between the Rose Point on the mainland and an island commonly known as Parry Island , near Parry Sound, Ontario....

, connecting to Rose Point Road in Seguin Township

Seguin, Ontario

Seguin is a township in central Ontario, Canada, in the District of Parry Sound. The township was incorporated on January 1, 1998, by amalgamating the former townships of Humphrey, Foley, Christie, and the western half of Monteith with the village of Rosseau....

 south of Parry Sound. The road continues to Parry Sound itself, becoming Emily Street at the municipal boundary of Parry Sound and Seguin.

People

Notable people from the Wasauksing First Nation include Francis Pegahmagabow

Francis Pegahmagabow

Francis Pegahmagabow MM & Two Bars, was the First Nations soldier most highly decorated for bravery in Canadian military history and the most effective sniper of World War I. Three times awarded the Military Medal and seriously wounded, he was an expert marksman and scout, credited with killing...

, the most highly decorated aboriginal soldier in Canadian military history.

External links

• Wasauksing FN