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www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Wednesday, June 26, 2013 | 18 Author Don Smith writes of First Nations in Oakville by Nathan Howes Special to the Beaver Beauty & Spa BUY 1 GET 1 Oakville native and author Don Smith wants to ll the gap in the history of local First Nations by telling the story through the eyes of others. His latest book -- Mississauga Portraits: Ojibwe Voices from the Nineteenth Century Canada -- recreates the lives of eight Ojibwa whose historical activities have never been fully documented. The former University of Calgary history professor returned to Oakville Monday as part of a week-long speaking book tour. The Oakville Historical Society hosted the event at the Oakville Public Library. "The evening is important because it's my hometown. I didn't hear this story (before) and I want to tell it. The stuff wasn't there and it's still not there," said Smith. "There is evidence of an Aboriginal presence in Oakville in the early 19th century , which includes lots of archaeological evidence." Mississauga Portraits covers the history of the Mississauga 150-200 years ago. Mississauga is the name given to Ojibwa living on the north side of Lake Ontario by 19th century British Canadian settlers. As part of his talk, Smith discussed some of the biographical sketches in his book. One of them is Maungwudaus, or George Henry, who toured with his family in Britain, France and North America in the 1850s. "He became a showman and went to Europe and performed there. His son, Saigitoo, was with him and he performed before the King of France and King of Belgium," said Smith. "These people were internationally successful and then they came back to Canada." Around 1854, Saigitoo married Cathy Finger, also known as Crooked Finger. The Fingers set up their trapping and hunting territory near Sixteen Mile Creek. Saigitoo was an herbalist and visited Urquhart's Medical Hall on Colborne Street, now Lakeshore Road, in 1889. "There was a native presence there and de nitely the surveyor indicates they planted corn in the river valley , but they were primarily shers and hunters. They weren't like the Iroquois, who were agriculturalists," said Smith. The Oakville area remained a First Nations reserve until 1827 when Town founder Col. William Chisholm purchased the land. "(Oakville and Mississauga) are symbiotic. The stories t together. The money Chisholm pays for Oakville was used to build the log cabins for the converts," said Smith. To write a historical record of the Mississauga, Smith said he had to have a lot of material. "It had to be meaningful. Some folks were good, but in the end there wasn't enough or they didn't have spunk or personality," he said. He noted there also had to be a theme to their lives. For example, Maungwudaus was an entrepreneur and an "absolute genius," while George Copway became a "literary sensation." "He becomes Canada's best-known author in the United States from 184751... He's a First Nations person in a world that is not very sympathetic to First Nations," said Smith. The local author said Mississauga Portraits is an important book because "it's un nished work and it tells a great story." "You've got your central character Oakville native and author Don Smith returned to town to speak about First Nations history in Oakville at the central library Monday. photo by Nathan Howes - special to the Beaver in Chapter 1, but then you got seven other visions of the same topic, which is change, need to adapt, desire to retain land and desire to retain culture," said Smith. "They became First Nations Christians and it works here, at least for a generation." To coincide with the release of Mississauga Portraits last week, a second edition of his previous novel, Sacred Feathers, is being published. Proceeds from Smith's new book will go to the Sacred Feathers Scholarship he established at the University of Toronto. "The real thrill for me is that this event is on the site where my public school was. It doesn't get any better than this. I didn't know anything before about where I was." For more information, visit www. oakvillehistory.org or call 905-8442695. on any Scrubbing Bubbles® Bathroom Trigger or Thick Liquid Toilet Bowl Cleaner FREE! 300125019 Get your coupon at Save.ca (while quantities last) facebook.com/savedotca is a division of