The Saugeen First Nation Web site states that "the Ojibway heritage is rich in colour and expression.
Like other Aboriginal people in Canada, in the early 1970s the Chippewas of Saugeen began referring to their community as a "First Nation."
Archaeologists have found artifacts from the Early Woodland Period (1000 BCE to 1000 CE), and have called this culture the Saugeen complex, in archeological terms.
Thus, places such as Tobermory, Meaford, Goderich, Cape Croker, Owen Sound, and Orangeville are located in the traditional Saugeen Ojibway Nation Territory.
It attempted to reserve areas west of the Allegheny Mountains in the Thirteen Colonies to Native Americans, but the Crown could not control the movement of colonists.
In 1907, W. M. Wooster[4] was tasked by the United States Congress to locate and record a census of Potawatomi that fled into Canada.
Due to these influxes of people from other areas, the history of the Chippewas of Saugeen is often confused with others who settled in Ojibway Territory after the American Revolution.
Within 50 years of the Royal Proclamation, European residents of Upper Canada and its partners wanted the surrounding Indian lands, including the Saugeen Ojibway Nation Territory.
The army, Indian Affairs and missionaries were aided by some Aboriginal people from other parts of Canada in achieving the “surrender” of the Saugeen territory.
Around that time, the provincial government wanted all Anishinaabe people to agree to surrender their traditional territory and move to Manitoulin Island.
His niece Nahnebahwequa, or Catherine, and her husband William Sutton traveled with him to Saugeen Territory and also lived at the Ojibway camp at Owen Sound.
Kegedonce was the Chief of the Naguhweseebee-Ausable River Band, who occupied territory near Port Franks, now known as the Pinery-Ipperwash area.
In the directory of First Nations Individuals in South Western Ontario 1750-1850, by Greg Curnoe, Kegedonce is recorded as telling Rev.
Thomas Anderson, Superintendent of Indian Affairs noted on November 6, 1845 that “Four families from outside Saugeen Territory, two Michigan Pottawatomi and two from elsewhere in Canada occupied those houses.” Chief Wahbudick lived at the Owen Sound village of the Saugeen people when others sought shelter in the territory.
.”[6] On October 13, 1854, the church and the government gathered some men to place their name on their proposed cession and division of more of the Saugeen territory.
Records in the Canadian Archives note that David Sawyer came to live with some of the people at the Owen Sound village that eventually became known as Nawash.
It is recorded that the Nawash, "on March 9, 1855, passed a resolution that David Sawyer replace Kegedonce as their chief and interpreter."
Records in Library and Archives Canada state that, "when Sawyer was absent from the Owen Sound area in 1856, the Indian Department" secured the surrender" when, "a few Indians were invited to Toronto to sign a Treaty" where they surrendered the Owen Sound village, "including Sawyer's farm" and Catherine Sutton's new home.
In the Directory of First Nations Individuals in South-Western Ontario 1750–1850, Greg Curnoe records James Newash as an Odawa.
Charles Keeshig is recorded as being a highly educated Pottawatomi from the United States who worked as an interpreter in Saugeen Territory.
The Department of Indian Affairs replaced David Sawyer with Charles Keeshick as agent for the people who became known as the Nawash of Owen Sound.
Library and Archives Canada, notes that "during Keeshick's term of office the band ceded to the government in 1854, almost all of the Bruce Peninsula."
It was also the time that people from other places allowed the Department of Indian Affairs into Saugeen Ojibway Territory to set up an elected form of government.
[11] Years earlier, the Saugeen First Nation had successfully reclaimed the land that "runs south from the Sauble Beach sign toward Southampton, 18 kilometres away", according to one news report.
[12] A lease relationship exists between the Saugeen First Nation and those who had built seasonal homes on the land in the a lakeside area between urban Southampton, Ontario and Sauble Beach.
[15][2][16] In addition to the Sauble Park area, the Saugeen First Nation claims the rights to another stretch of the public beach, approximately 2 km long, west of Lakeshore Boulevard extending to a point between 1st St. South and 6th St. North.
The most noted artists of the nation is Robert Henry Jr,[21] who recently returned to the community and Kelly Roote, who lives in Australia but operates internationally.
[citation needed] The Recreation Centre on the Saugeen First Nation is host to activities such as Darts for meat, Karate, Fitness gym, Bingo every Monday, Ball Hockey, Volleyball, Badminton, Basketball, and dodgeball; the Recreation Centre also provides other activities for young children and teenagers.
Saugeen First Nation has no commercial media of its own, although radio and television stations from Owen Sound, Wingham, Port Elgin and Kincardine can be heard in the area.
In print, the daily Owen Sound Sun Times and the weekly Shoreline Beacon from Port Elgin also serve the community.