A Friendship in Re-Mission: The Jesuits and Anishinaabeg of Manitoulin Island and the North Shore

precis: On Manitoulin Island and the North Shore of Lake Huron, Anishinaabe Indigenous Peoples and Jesuit Catholic missionaries have lived in tandem for nearly 180 consecutive years, forging a rich and complex relational history of profound shared significance. The deep roots of these groups have become intertwined in the land that has seen the joys of mutual service, the horrors of residential schools, and the hopes of reconciliation. With such turbulence in their shared past, it is reasonable to wonder if these roots will remain strong enough to maintain the bonds of a shared future. Through a historical mapping of this ongoing relationality between the Jesuits and the Anishinaabeg, it is hoped that light can be shed on their enduring friendship. Guided by the theological themes of spiritual encounter and reconciliation, this exploration will map crucial turning points of where companionship was fostered, where it was betrayed, and where it has undergone healing to reflect a friendship in re-mission.