The Sleeping Giant Of Ontario
How Nanabijou turned to stone
When you are driving near Thunder Bay, look out onto Lake Superior. In the distance, you will see what looks like a giant man, sleeping on his back.
Geologically, the Sleeping Giant is a series of mesas formed through the erosion of basaltic sills on the Sibley Peninsula. The cliffs of the giant are the highest in Ontario, rising to 250 metres.
While that is the geological story of The Sleeping Giant, what about the story of the Sleeping Giant among the Indigenous Peoples?
One Ojibway legend states that the Sleeping Giant is Nanabijou. Among the Indigenous, Nanabijou (also Nanabozho or Nanabush) is a prominent figure in Indigenous traditionally storytelling. To the Ojibwe, he is a trickster and cultural hero. He can take the shape of male or female animals or humans.
He is often found in the form of a raven or coyote that can easily escape capture. He is sometimes seen in the form of a rabbit. Nanabijou was sent by Gitche Manitou, The Great Spirit, to teach the Ojibway about plants and animals. He is the inventor of fishing, and a co-creator of the world.
As for his connection to The Sleeping Giant, it is said he turned to stone when a secret location of a silver mine was disclosed to white men. In the stories, Nanabijou loved the Ojiway People and he watch out for them.
He gave the gift of silver to the Ojibway, on the condition it never be revealed to white men. The Ojibway began to mine the silver and produced crafted items. The Sioux became jealous of this and they attacked the Ojibway to find out where the mine was located. When this failed, they sent a scout disguised as an Ojibway man. He learned the location and on his way back to the Sioux, he stopped at a trading post.
At the trading post, he told the white men the location of the silver mine. Two men then set off to find the silver mine.
When Nanabijou found out about this, he created a massive storm on Lake Superior. Waves as tall as hills hit the land, and the wind tore trees down. The waves killed the Europeans, and then Nanabijou laid down, with his arms crossed on his chest and the mine under him. He turned to stone to protect the mine location.
That of course didn’t stop white men from mining in the area. In 1870 at Silver Islet, Alexander Sibley established the Silver Islet Mining Company. Over 16 years, $3.25 million worth of silver was extracted.