Pioneer women knew "it takes a village to raise a child." So western Manitoulin women built one.

Western Manitoulin was the last part of Manitoulin Island to be settled by non-Aboriginal people. It is, by any measure, remote and isolated, and early settlers had to be made of stern stuff to survive the first years and establish their homesteads. The assistance of Aboriginal people was essential to their success. Pioneers survived cold, want, house fires, farm accidents, childbirth, and many other dangers, all of which were much more likely to produce disaster because help was so far away. Women were tough and tough-minded. They worked like pack horses from dawn to dusk, and still found time to organize charities, aid organizations, womenhe?s institutes, and fund-raisers—all while raising a dozen or more children. Using many of the settlershe? own words, and complementing the words with vintage photos, this history traces the development of Western Manitoulin from those early homesteading years through to the mid-20th century. It describes how the building of cultural anchors like schools, churches and recreational opportunities helped create a community which, although still profoundly independent and self-sufficient, understands the importance of collaboration and cooperation.

Paula Mallea has a Master’s Degree in Canadian History, and is a criminal lawyer. She grew up in Ice Lake on Western Manitoulin Island, where her parents’ people were early pioneers. After practicing law in Toronto, Kingston, and Manitoba, Paula retired to Ice Lake in 2004. She is the author of three previous books, most recently Fearmonger (James Lorimer, 2011).