Peter Wacowsia

Peter Wacowsia (handwriting unclear - could be "Wacowcia") is # 1315 on the 1907 Wooster Roll which identifies him as the 65 year old person of reference for a large number of descendants. His traditional name is recorded as "Shawanopinnesse" meaning "South Bird" which is an accurate literal translation but to understand the significance of the name scrutiny and comment are required by those with expertise in the nuances of the Anishinaabemowin language and Potawatomi culture.

Peter's father and grandfather are identified respectively on the Wooster Roll as "Wegonigishing" and "Wakaosse". In 1907 Peter Wacowsia was living at Sheshegewaning Reservation, a predominantly Odawa community. He and all the other Potawatomi members of the Sheshegwaning community are documented as having "partial rights" in Canada. The explanation in the Wooster Roll for Peter (and the other community members) states, "Are British subjects, and receive all rights except in money arising from the sale of surrendered part of Indian reservation under a former treaty." That statement requires scrutiny and comment by historians with expertise in treaties of the 1700's and 1800's especially in light of 2016 constitutional consultations.

Sheshegwaning First Nation is an Anishinaabe First Nation on Manitoulin Island. Its land base is located on the Sheshegwaning 20 reserve on the North Shore of Lake Huron just north of Silverwater and across the North Channel from the Thessalon/Sprague region of the "North Shore" of Lake Huron. See associated map. http://www.sheshegwaning.org/.

Sheshegwaning is known as "Place of rattlesnakes" http://www.ourmanitoulin.com/Sheshegwaning.html .

Sheshegwaning First Nation (SFN) is located on the northern shoreline of Manitoulin Island, approximately 112 kilometers west of Little Current and closer than that to the US/Canada border at Drummond Island on the west. Accessible year-round by hard top road, the land base of Sheshegwaning is 10,124 acres. As of May, 2016 the people of Sheshegwaning are described as being of the Odawa Nation of Anishnaabek. The official languages of Sheshegwaning are Nishnaabemwin (Anishinaabemowin) and English. Sheshegwaning Edbendaagzijig (Citizens) number 419 as of April 2013, 111 of whom live on-reserve, not including permanent residents.