The Land Between is referred to as Great Spirit Country for a reason! Along with the abundance and diversity of nature in the bioregion, this place also has a very rich and extraordinary cultural heritage.
Indigenous Nations used this bioregion as a key east-west corridor and early visitors and settlers chose this route to travel from Lake Ontario to reach the Ottawa river, including during the war of 1812. Champlain himself traversed it, led by Mississauga leaders across the region from the Ottawa valley through Paudash Lake and south to the Black River towards Lake Huron. The bioregion is also home to the largest collection of Pictographs and Petroglyphs in Canada. They communicate the sacred teachings from the Creator and outline the walk or journey through life with the Creator. They are living testimonies to the relationship that Indigenous Peoples have held with Creator since time immemorial.
This land is a meeting place not only of different geographies, but of different peoples and perspectives: the urban cottager and the rural resident; the hunter and the non-hunter; the Liberal and the Conservative; and the Indigenous and the Settler. You can learn more below.
More About The Land Between
TRADITIONAL TERRITORY
This region is the traditional territory of the Mississauga Anishinaabek. During settlement south of the border, the Haudenesaunee whose Territory was found south of Lake Ontario, and the Wendat were pushed north. Anishinaabek. Mississauga shared this land with their cousins under special Treaties.
After Europeans arrived Treaties were also enacted that outlined the understandings and responsibilities to care for each other and for the land.
MANNA & MEDICINES
The open landscape of The Land Between has always been conducive to hunting and trapping and to this day supports a vibrant hunting and trapping culture. The land has also been important historically for the collection of medicines by Indigenous peoples. In fact, Elders said that to live here was to know two worlds - the north and the south that meet in this bioregion along with all the medicines they each provide.
THE ARTS & HANDICRAFTS
The Land Between has a rich density of artisans and craftspeople offering a multitude of wares and services. Individuals with diverse skills, hardiness, and bravery. Their economy and trades more often have a direct relationship with the natural landscape and the resources of the land than may be found in most places in southern Ontario. This economy is part of The Land Between's culture and, like the economic drivers of the bioregion, is founded on The Land Between's natural environment.
NATURE RELIANT ECONOMY
Few metropolitan areas in the world have such large natural wonders so close by as Southern Ontario’s largest cities have in The Land Between. Tourist resorts and services for cottagers are central to local economies, as cottages are the dominant settlement type in The Land Between. In fact, in many municipalities, the number of seasonal residents far outnumbers permanent ones.
Both residents and visitors use the area for the vast range of nature-based recreational activities that an area of this quality offers. Indeed, this is the culture of The Land Between.
Industries secondary to tourism and recreation involve public services and construction. Some mining is conducted in the east half of the bioregion and quarries operate in the west. All of these important economic drivers depend on maintaining the natural characteristics of The Land Between.
RELATIONSHIPS & CREATIVITY
Indigenous Peoples still honour Traditional Teachings through their culture of sharing. Despite the abuses they endured, they still generously share invaluable knowledge and teachings with Treaty neighbours, which are a guiding light and fundamental to conservation.
In fact, those Settlers who stayed behind after a mass exodus from the bioregion due to its lack of agricultural opportunities were beneficiaries of Indigenous knowledge and ways of being. Through it, many learned to survive in this starker landscape and became "jacks of all trades". This is highlighted by the fact that The Land Between boasts the highest percentage of entrepreneurs for its population in all of Ontario.
My First Shot Documentary
An exploration of the unique aspect of The Land Between as a meeting place, our unscripted documentary “My First Shot” follows seasonal resident Erin Carmody as she learns the cultural practice of hunting and explores differences but also what unites us. Watch the trailer or purchase the full documentary!
Our Interactive Map
Our Land Stories Map is a web-enabled application that shares the history of this unique region through a collection of over 180 stories. These stories were gathered by volunteers and emphasize both the Indigenous and European history in the region. We invite you to explore it below!
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