In the mid 18th century, before colonizers took over much of Canada, the Aamjiwnaang First Nations occupied the land between Lake Huron and Lake Erie – what is now the southern tip of Ontario and upper Michigan. The Aamjiwnaang population at that time was over 15,000 and was split into 9 main villages.
Unfortunately, invasion of the area by the British (who called the Aamjiwnaang “Chippewa”) and the French (who called them “Ojibwe”) resulted in many wars and the introduction of smallpox and cholera, which decreased the Aamjiwnaang population drastically. By 1827, there were only 440 Aamjiwnaang people left in Ontario and 275 in Michigan, and their territory had been reduced to 25,000 acres.
Due to multiple treaty signings and encroachments in the years since then, the Aamjiwnaang territory now consists of one single reserve just south of Sarnia, with a land area size of 2,700 acres and a population of 850. At least one of these encroachments of land was proven to be illegal while the others were unethical, though no compensation or apology has ever been given to the community. To make matters worse, the Aamjiwnaang reserve is surrounded on all sides by massive chemical plants.