Indigenous History Month: History in Photos

by Shelby Smith and Lori Nelson

To celebrate Indigenous History Month we are sharing some of our favourite photographs from the Lake of the Woods Museum’s extensive collection on social media.  We have compiled all of the photos and captions here, and hope that you will enjoy if you missed out on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter!

Click the right and left arrows below to navigate through the images.

David Kesick (Kejick)

David Kesick (Kejick) of Iskatewizaagegan #39 Independent First Nation (Shoal Lake 39), cleaning a beaver pelt. Kejick was a trapper, guide, soldier, war hero and chief who lived from 1896 until 1969.

He served in the Canadian Expeditionary Force during the First World War and received the Distinguished Conduct Medal for his heroic actions in battle.

Click here to learn more information about this heroic man.

Photographer unkown.

Chief Powassin

Chief Powassin (Pow-wa-sang) of what is now Animakee Wa Zhing 37 First Nation (formerly Northwest Angle 37 First Nation) applying pitch to a birch bark canoe, 1910. Chief Powassin was one of the signatories of Treaty #3.

Photographer – Carl G. Linde

The Land Family

The Land Family in their birch bark canoe.

Photographer – Carl G. Linde

Agnes Seymour & Dorothy Favell

Agnes Seymour – Agnes Seymour (on the left) and Dorothy Favell proudly pose in their jingle dresses.

Photographer unknown

Powwow

Powwow – A 1975 powwow, possibly at Wabaseemoong Independent Nation (Whitedog), featured dancers (left to right): Alex Copenace, Pete Seymour, George Angus, Kakay Keesick, and Sam Copenace.

Photographer – Kenora Miner and News

Berte Greene

Bert Greene, of Iskatewizaagegan #39 Independent First Nation (Shoal Lake 39), dancing at a 1967 powwow at the Kenora Fellowship Centre. Maria Seymour is in the background on the right.

Photographer – unknown

Chief Katiwasung (Thomas Lindsay)

Chief Katiwasung (Thomas Lindsay) of what is now Niisaachewan Anishinaabe Nation (Dalles First Nation). Chief Katiwasung was one of the signatories of Treaty #3. He is shown here with both his Treaty #3 medal and what is believed to be a Queen Victoria 1897 Diamond Jubilee Medal. He ensured that there was a day school in his community, one which was built by community members, that operated from the 1890s until around 1906.

Photographer – unknown

The Lake of the Woods Museum is always looking to add more historical photographs to our collection.  If you have historic photographs from Kenora and the surrounding areas that you think we might be interested in, please contact us.

Did you know?

The editor of the local newspaper pushed for Kenora to be named “Tresilva” instead.  He thought the word was excellent because it could be written without lifting the pen off the paper. The name Tresilva was tremendously unpopular with the townsfolk and was quickly abandoned.

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