Kay-Nah-Chi-Wah-Nung facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Kay-Nah-Chi-Wah-Nung Historical Centre Manitou Mounds
Location	near Ontario
Governing body	Rainy Lake First Nations Parks Canada
National Historic Site of Canada
Type	Cultural, Spiritual
Criteria	Historic Sites and Monuments Act (Canada)
Designated	23 October 1969
Reference no.	12056
Rainy River District	Northwestern Ontario, Canada
Canada	List of National Historic Sites of Canada
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The Kay-Nah-Chi-Wah-Nung Historical Centre, also known as the Manitou Mounds, is a very special place in Canada. It has the largest collection of ancient burial mounds in the country. This huge area includes 30 old village sites and 15 ancient burial mounds. These mounds were built by people living there from about 5,000 years ago until about 360 years ago.

It is one of the most important places in Canada for understanding early human life and burial traditions. The site is located along the Long Sault Rapids on the north side of the Rainy River. This is about 54 kilometers (34 miles) east of Fort Frances in Northwestern Ontario, Canada. It became a National Historic Site of Canada in 1969.

What is Kay-Nah-Chi-Wah-Nung?

The name Kay-Nah-Chi-Wah-Nung comes from the Ojibway language. It means "place of the long rapids." This site is also known by other names. These include Manitou Mounds National Historic Site of Canada and Rainy River Burial Mounds.

The larger area of mounds stretches from Quetico in the east. It goes through Rainy River and Lake of the Woods into southeastern Manitoba. There are about 20 archaeological sites in this region. Some of the burial mounds are as tall as 12 meters (40 feet). The national historic site itself is a strip of land. It is 500 meters (1,640 feet) wide and stretches 3 kilometers (1.9 miles) along the Rainy River.

Why is This Place Important?

Kay-Nah-Chi-Wah-Nung was a very important meeting place for thousands of years.

Its location was perfect for trade across North America. People from different areas met here to trade goods. They also shared stories, celebrated, and mourned together. Indigenous people lived here even after Europeans arrived in the 1600s. The Ojibway and their ancestors used the rapids on the Rainy River to fish. Fish were always plentiful because the rapids never froze. This helped support many people living in the area.

The hills facing the Rainy River were also great for growing and collecting medicinal plants. Many First Nations people brought plants to trade when they visited.

This site is considered sacred by the Ojibway people. It is on their traditional land.

This site is very important to the Ojibway people. It connects their past, present, and future. Because it was a central point in North America's waterways, it is also important to other First Nations across the continent.

The value of Kay-Nah-Chi-Wah-Nung comes from its history and cultures. It is a strong link between those who lived here long ago and the Ojibway people today. The ancient burial mounds and village sites show this connection.

History of the Area

The Rainy River was like a superhighway for trade thousands of years ago. It was a wide, calm river, except for the Long Sault Rapids. This made it a perfect route for a large trading network across North America.

Archaeologists have found tools and sites from about 5,000 years ago. These show that the first people here were nomadic hunters, fishers, and gatherers. They are known as Archaic people. They lived in many parts of North America and traded widely. First Nations believe these lands have been theirs forever.

Kay-Nah-Chi-Wah-Nung has the most earthwork burial mounds in Canada. These mounds were built on high ground along the Rainy River. The first people to build mounds here were the Laurel culture (from about 2,300 to 900 years ago). They lived in villages and built large, round mounds for their dead. You can still see these mounds today.

Later, the Blackduck culture (from about 1,200 to 400 years ago) also built mounds along the Rainy River. Their mounds were lower and more linear in shape.

Modern History and the Centre

After Treaty No. 3 was signed between 1873 and 1916, the Rainy Lake First Nations lived in this area. Evidence of old cabins and farm buildings from that time has been found.

National Historic Site

The site was officially named a National Historic Site of Canada in 1969.

Learning at the Centre

The interpretive centre at Kay-Nah-Chi-Wah-Nung opened in 1987. It teaches visitors about 10,000 years of Indigenous history. There is also a rebuilt village and a tepee camp. In 1995, Parks Canada helped fund improvements. This included building the Kay-Nah-Chi-Wah-Nung Historical Centre and a traditional Roundhouse. These are for visitors and local First Nations communities.

The centre has a special lab for preserving artifacts and storing collections. It is also a meeting place for Elders. It helps teach Ojibway culture, continuing its role as a gathering place that started thousands of years ago.

The Ontario Museum Association describes the site:

This national historic site has been lived on for over 5,000 years. It teaches about the past and present of the Ojibway people of the Rainy River. The site focuses on the huge burial mounds. It has an interpretive centre and offers guided tours. Members of the Rainy River First Nations lead tours along the 3-kilometer (1.9-mile) trail. You can learn Ojibway stories and dances. You can also take part in a rendezvous, an archaeological dig, or visit an 1800s living village.

The museum has a modern design and is surrounded by nature. You might even see bears and deer!

The Ojibway people of the Rainy River First Nation are the guardians of Kay-Nah-Chi-Wah-Nung today. They built a wonderful historical centre on the beautiful 90-hectare (222-acre) site. The centre has five galleries and a lab with over 10,000 artifacts. There's also a gift shop with Ojibway arts and crafts. A restaurant serves traditional Ojibway food. It's the main entrance to the Manitou Mounds.

See also

• History of Ontario
• List of historic places in Ontario
• Ontario Heritage Act, a law that protects important heritage sites