Indigenous Sault Ste. Marie: Robinson-Huron Treaty, Nations and Community
An introduction to Sault Ste. Marie: its history, the Nations whose lands it sits on, and Indigenous community life today, with sources.
About Sault Ste. Marie
Sault Ste. Marie grew up beside the rapids of the St. Marys River, a place the Ojibwe named Baawitigong, meaning place of the rapids, where they kept a permanent settlement for centuries. French Jesuits founded a mission in 1668, and the rapids later made the site a stop on the fur trade route. Today the International Bridge links the city to its Michigan namesake. Steel drives the economy, with Algoma Steel the largest employer. Sault College and Algoma University serve students, and Algoma’s campus is the site of the former Shingwauk Indian Residential School, which operated from 1873 to 1970. The Shingwauk Residential Schools Centre, a joint initiative of the university and the Children of Shingwauk Alumni Association, keeps archives and exhibitions centred on survivor voices. The city lies on Robinson-Huron Treaty lands, traditional territory of Garden River and Batchewana First Nations. The Agawa Canyon Tour Train and the Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre draw visitors.
Sault Ste. Marie history
The City of Sault Ste. Marie notes that Indigenous peoples have lived in the Great Lakes region for more than 8,000 years. Ojibwe, Odawa and Potawatomi people gathered at the rapids to harvest whitefish, trade and hold ceremonies. Marriages between Indigenous women and fur traders later gave rise to Métis families here. Étienne Brûlé visited around 1622, and Champlain’s 1632 map marked the spot as Sault de Gaston. The North West Company built a post in 1783 and dug the first canal around the rapids in 1798. American forces burned much of the settlement on July 21, 1814. Charles Ermatinger’s stone house, built between 1814 and 1823, still stands. On September 9, 1850, Anishinaabe leaders signed the Robinson-Huron Treaty in Sault Ste. Marie. Chiefs Shinguacouse and Nebenaigoching were among them. The treaty promised annuities and rights to hunt and fish. The Crown failed to raise those annuities from 1855 for over a century. In 2018 an Ontario court ruled against the Crown, and a settlement agreement was signed in January 2024. The town incorporated in 1887 and became a city in 1912. Algoma Steel was founded in 1900.
Treaty and territory
Sault Ste. Marie is on Robinson-Huron Treaty territory, signed in 1850, the traditional lands of the Anishinaabe, including Batchewana and Garden River First Nations.
Nearby: Garden River First Nation · Batchewana First Nation · Prince Township · Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan · Echo Bay
Indigenous Sault Ste. Marie today
The region is home to Garden River First Nation, Batchewana First Nation and the Historic Sault Ste. Marie Métis Council. Batchewana describes itself as an Anishinaabe nation guided by the Seven Grandfather Teachings. It has asked members how interest from its treaty settlement trust, called Asanjigowin, should support community well-being. The Nation has also made per capita distributions from those funds. At Algoma University, Shingwauk Kinoomaage Gamig continues Chief Shingwauk’s nineteenth-century push for Indigenous education. The university’s covenant with the Shingwauk Education Trust follows the Two Row Wampum model. It offers courses of particular interest to Anishinaabe students, with full academic credit. Visitors can learn from Indigenous-led businesses. Walk Among The Trees runs hiking tours sharing teachings and language, and Thrive Tours offers land-based experiences. Métis Tours shares regional history with interpretive guides. Whitefish Island remains an important site on the St. Marys River for fishing, trade and culture. Downtown, a mural project features an Ojibway Woodland artist. The City also posts an Anishnaabemowin word of the week for residents. Agawa Crafts and the Canadian Carver sell Indigenous artisan work. Voyageur’s Lodge & Cookhouse and Noel’s Place serve Indigenous-inspired food.
Life in Sault Ste. Marie
Sault Ste. Marie counted 72,051 people in the 2021 census. Algoma Steel still employs about 2,900 people, down from a peak of 9,000. The Algoma Central Railway was built between 1899 and 1914. Water has always shaped the city’s growth. A lock that opened in 1895 was then the longest in the world. Today the 25 km John Rowswell Hub Trail links the waterfront walkway, Bellevue Park, Algoma University, Sault College and Fort Creek Conservation Area. Along Lake Superior, the Agawa Rock Pictographs preserve ancient Indigenous art on the cliffs. Roberta Bondar Park and the waterfront give locals room to gather in summer. Back in town, the Ermatinger Clergue National Historic Site keeps the oldest stone house in Canada west of Toronto.
Sault Ste. Marie seasons and weather
Lake Superior’s influence brings heavy lake-effect snow to Sault Ste. Marie in winter and mild, comfortable summers. Warm layers are needed from late fall well into spring.
More on the region: Indigenous Ontario · all of Canada.
Keep learning in the XUSI Journal
- First Nations, Métis and Inuit: What’s the Difference?
- How to Write a Land Acknowledgement That Means Something
- Orange Shirt Day & the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
- National Indigenous Peoples Day and History Month: A Guide
- All Journal articles
Sault Ste. Marie questions
How are orders to Sault Ste. Marie shipped?
Orders go out from Saskatoon within 1–3 business days. Shipping cost is calculated at checkout, and orders of $90 or more ship free within Canada.
Can a Soo sports team order custom printed hoodies?
Yes, from 10 garments up. Designs can include up to 4 colours, design help comes with the order, and every order is quoted before printing. Printing happens in Saskatoon, then everything ships to the Sault.
Could an Anishinaabe students’ group at Algoma or Sault College order custom hoodies?
Yes. Custom runs start at 10 garments, with up to 4 colours per design, and every order is quoted before printing. We include design help and print exactly the wording your group approves, including Anishinaabemowin. Everything is printed in Saskatoon and shipped to the Sault.
Do XUSI designs reference the Robinson-Huron Treaty?
No. We are from Saskatoon in Treaty 6 territory, and our designs carry Cree words and stories explained on our meanings page. The Sault is Robinson-Huron Treaty territory with its own Anishinaabe and Métis histories. We encourage learning from Garden River, Batchewana and the local Métis council.
Last reviewed . Facts on this page come from the sources listed below.
Sources for this page
- Sault Ste. Marie, The Canadian Encyclopedia
- Our History, Anishinabek, City of Sault Ste. Marie
- Our Community, Anishinabek, City of Sault Ste. Marie
- Robinson Huron Treaty 1850
- Batchewana First Nation
- Shingwauk Kinoomaage Gamig Partnership, Algoma University
- Indigenous Tourism, Tourism Sault Ste. Marie
- John Rowswell Hub Trail, City of Sault Ste. Marie
Indigenous clothing from XUSI
In Sault Ste. Marie, the place the Anishinaabe know as Baawitigong, you can order XUSI tees, hoodies and hats online. The Indigenous-owned brand ships from Saskatoon to the Soo.
Life in the Soo follows the river and the big lake, so we plan for wind and snow. A heavyweight cotton tee and an A-frame snapback suit a summer ride along the Hub Trail to Bellevue Park. On breezy days by the St. Marys River, a Black Oni long sleeve adds cover without bulk. On a fall trip up the Agawa Canyon line, a crewneck handles the cool air. Through lake-effect snow, our heaviest hoodie layers under a parka. A women’s baby rib tee pairs well with a zip hoodie for campus days at Algoma.
