Town of Georgina
Happy People
I remember enough of what my grandfather used to tell us to know that here on Snake Island the people lived happily and prospered in a well-organised community. Their affairs were under the direction of the government agencies, their spiritual and educational needs were administered by missionary teachers. Many were taught to raise their own vegetables and with good hunting and fishing they lived very well.
Although our people readily adapted themselves to Christian instruction and teachings, they were reluctant to abandon many of their old beliefs. Here is a picture of some of their chief characters. There was first of all the chief and his principal men, usually with the wisdom of years experience. These were the men who decided important issues and with whom the government had to deal.
Our people, unlike the Iroquois, never included women in their councils and even today the customary words of the customary words of the native tongue if used are not "Ladies and Gentlemen" but the reverse.
Then there were perhaps only one or two of a band who were members of an inter-tribal secret society called the Meda. The members were supposed to have supernatural powers and could often cast a spell of death. They were able to send telepathy messages from reservation to another.
I am one who believes this was possible because there seemed to be such a firm belief in the old people that I knew, that it must have had some basis of truth. These "medas" had the power to change a human into an animal. One old Indian up north once told me of how his grandfather one night had been changed into a dog and therefore some of his actions were that of a dog.
Source: Georgina Advocate - Our History December 1992. Reproduced with permission