Chief Shingwaukonse, also known as Shingwauk (The Pine) (1773-1854), after much fasting and consultation, develops the idea of a “Kinoomaage Gamig” (Teaching Wigwam) for the Anishinaabek

Shingwauk, his son Augustine (1800-1890) and two other Band members journey to York (Toronto) – “We went in canoes as far as Penetanguishene, and then we landed and walked the rest of the way.” (Augustine, 1872) -- to petition Governor John Colborne and Bishop Charles Stewart for a Missionary/Teacher for his people. St. John’s Mission to the Ojibway is founded, and Rev. William McMurray arrives in the fall

McMurray and Shingwaukonse’s Band build the new one room Church and School, the first “Shingwauk School” in Sault Ste. Marie at the top of Pim Hill

McMurray and his wife Charlotte ‘Ogenebugoquay’ (The Woman of the Wild Rose) leave the Sault, and Shingwaukonse’s Band relocates to Garden River

Shingwaukonse and regional Chiefs negotiate the Robinson Huron and Superior Treaties

Rev. James Chance (1829-1897) meets Shingwaukonse just before the Chief passes. He and his wife Hannah Foukes (1824-1904) and the Band build a new St. John’s Church, Rectory and the second “Shingwauk School” on the Garden River Reserve

Rev. Edward Wilson (1844-1915) visits Garden River and after meeting Chief Augustine Shingwauk and his brother Chief Henry Buhkwujjenene (1811-1900) he and his wife Fanny Spooner replace the Chances after he raises funds touring Southern Ontario with Augustine in 1871 and England with Buhkwujjenene in 1872

Wilson and the Garden River Band build a much expanded third “Shingwauk Home” (100 feet long and two stories high), an industrial boarding school. Consumed by fire six days after opening, with the loss of the Wilson’s six month old daughter, Laurie, the Church establishes its first Missionary Diocese in Canada in Algoma under Bishop Frederick Fauquier, who is eager to assist in rebuilding

Wilson and the Shingwauks raise sufficient funds to build a new stone fourth “Shingwauk Industrial Home” on 90.5 acres along “the bank of the broad Ste. Marie River… a mile and half from the village,” cornerstone laid July 31 by the Earl of Dufferin, Governor General of Canada

In February Wilson deeds the land and new building to Bishop Fauquier ‘in trust … strictly to the use of the said “Shingwauk Industrial Home”’ (The Shingwauk Trust), and on August 2nd the new Home is formally opened by the Bishop of Huron and the Bishop of Algoma

A five-acre site is purchased for the new Wawanosh Home for girls, with 10 acres of farmland added later. Construction begins in 1877 and the Home opens in August 1879

Mrs. Fauquier dies followed by her husband Bishop Fauquier. Wilson fundraises for a Memorial Chapel at Shingwauk which, built with the students’ help, opens in 1883

Legal challenges regarding the Shingwauk Trust begin over the attempted sale by the Algoma Diocese of a southeast piece of the Shingwauk site to a private business and an attempt by AUC to prevent it by a counter purchase

A girls wing is added to the Shingwauk site and the separate Wawanosh Home site is closed.

Shingwauk Hall, the existing main brick building is built on the Shingwauk site to replace the original stone building

Sir James Dunn Secondary and Anna McCrea Primary Schools are constructed on 22 acres of the Shingwauk site by the Sault Ste.Marie Board of Education to implement new integrated classroom policies of the Federal Government. Shingwauk Indian Residential School main building is gradually turned into a dormitory and offices for support of Indigenous students.

Five acres of the Shingwauk site added to Anna McCrea for an expanded playground for area and Shingwauk students.

Beginning as a broad citizens' movement in the 1950s, the Algoma College Association was incorporated by letters patent of the Province of Ontario in 1964

Algoma University College (AUC) gains affiliation with Laurentian University

AUC offers first classes in portable buildings on the Cambrian College Campus (now Sault College of Applied Arts and Technology)

The Keewatinung Anishinabek Institute, an initiative of local and regional Indigenous students, graduates and community members, including Shingwauk Alumni and Shingwauk (Pine) Family descendants, opens as a local centre for Indigenous culture, research and education. The Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development closes the historic Shingwauk Indian Residential School. 

After a year of meetings and cross-cultural collaboration the Keewatinung Institute (KI) and Algoma University College (AUC) and agree to jointly seek permission to share the use of Shingwauk Hall and site. The local Indigenous Community, Garden River First Nation and the Anglican Diocese of Algoma agree with the initiative. With the agreement of the parties, and especially indigenous use, Indian Affairs MinisterJean Chretien approves the transfer of the Shingwauk site back to the Diocese to lease to College to share with the Institute.

Principles of Association are agreed upon by AUC and the Institute. AUC accepts the Thunderbird as designed by Canadian Sculptress Dora DePedery-Hunt and explained by Keewatinung Institute Director Rolland Nadjiwon

A local “Native People’s Group” is formed to with a view to restoring the Indigenous presence to AUC and the campus. The downward spiral leads to an Ontario Human Rights Commission of Inquiry which is quickly followed by a Provincial Royal Commission into AUC Governance, and shortly thereafter by Trusteeship and possible closure.

Under pressure from AUC to consolidate its security on the site, the Anglican Diocese sells 34 acres of the Shingwauk site including the Hall to AUC, upon which AUC evicts the Institute from the site. Institute members with local Indigenous and some AUC support object to the lockout raising serious concerns in the College and local communities.

 Native People’s Group becomes the Shingwauk Project with a vision of long-term cross-cultural education and development of the Shingwauk site as intended and mandated by the Founders

AUC accepts the Thunderbird Flag as a gift from the Anishinabek community, AUC Students’ Council and the Shingwauk Project

AUC governance is restored, a new Principal hired, and the Trusteeship is lifted

First Indian Residential School Reunion in North America, “Shingwauk Reunion ’81,” held at the Shingwauk site by the Shingwauk Project and Partners with 400 attending

University of Sudbury and Laurentian University approve POLI 3185 granting AUC the option of Aboriginal course content across the curriculum rather than concentrated in one Department of Native Studies 

AUC Cross-Cultural Policy ratified by Senate. The Board sets up committee to study implications of applying for independent charter

Board ratifies the Cross-Cultural Policy and increases its Indigenous composition to three Anishinaabek representatives

Shingwauk Reunion ’91 is held on the theme of Shingwauk’s Vision and the development of the Shingwauk site’s Future as a First Nations / Canadian Education and Research Centre with First Nations requesting a name change to Shingwauk University, and AUC Senate and Board supporting the resolutions

Full-time Ojibway language professor hired

Lawsuit is settled in part; as Shingwauk Education Trust gains title of 20 acres of land plus $772,000 for loss of 34 acres AUC Campus

Formal independence charter application for Shingwauk University sent to Minister of Education and Training; charter application not granted

Aboriginal University Education Needs Assessment completed; program planning for a BA in Aboriginal Studies

Third Shingwauk Reunion; Formalization of Children of Shingwauk Alumni Association and “Declaration of Shingwauk Reunion 1996”

Introduction of a Certificate in Interdisciplinary Aboriginal Studies

The Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples (RCAP) issues its report with a call for the establishment of an Aboriginal University as one of its recommendations, and the Aboriginal Healing Foundation is established

AUC Senate and Board call for establishment of Shingwauk University Development Task Force

Introduction of a 3-year BA in Anishinaabemowin

First meeting, Shingwauk University Development Task Force 2001 Establishment of Joint Working Group with Shingwauk Education Trust 2001 Introduction of 4-year BA in Community Economic and Social Development (Northern and Aboriginal focus)

Mamaweswen Training Institute offers a University Access Program in partnership with AUC to an initial class of 10 students

The Shingwauk site is used as a pilot for Alternative Dispute Resolution through the Children of Shingwauk Alumni Association by Indian Residential School Resolution Canada. Founding of the National Residential School Survivors Society, housed first at SET and later at Batchewana First Nation.

Shingwauk Education Trust, Shingwauk Kinoomaage Gamig and AUC sign the Covenant, agreeing to work together on a foundation of mutual respect in pursuit of their goals to provide quality education to Anishinaabe students and to students of all cultural backgrounds

AUC, the Children of Shingwauk Alumni Association, and the National Residential School Survivors Society formalize their partnership and shared responsibility of support for the Shingwauk Project Archives.

Two weeks after the National Apology, with many Indigenous accomplishments and several decades of Cross-Cultural development and support, the Ontario granted a Special Mission Charter to Algoma University

The Prime Minister of Canada apologizes to Indigenous people on behalf of Canada. The National Apology is received in Ottawa by CSAA Founding Member, AUC Alumnus and National Residential School Survivors Society President Michael Cachagee on behalf of all the Indian, Inuit and Metis Survivors of Canada

The Anglican Diocese of Algoma returns a house situated on trust land and no longer used by the Diocese to Shingwauk Education Trust

Shingwauk Kinoomaage Gamig receives accreditation through the World Indigenous Nations Higher Education Consortium (WINHEC)

Shingwauk Education Trust receives federal SIFF funding as well as provincial funding to construct a $12 million building on SET land, the Discovery Centre

Shingwauk Kinoomaage Gamig establishes its own Board of Governors, separate from the Board of the Shingwauk Education Trust

Shingwauk Kinoomaage Gamig receives operating funding from the Ontario Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Development (MAESD)

Addendum to the Covenant signed by Shingwauk Kinoomaage Gamig and Algoma University

Algoma University, Shingwauk Kinoomaage Gamig and their Shingwauk Partners enjoy the good fortune of bringing old and new meanings and methods together into a single inclusive approach of “sharing healing and learning” based upon “the way of the circle.” The circle and the fire that keeps it informs the way forward in education. It is a gift from the hearts of the children who went to the School over many generations, and who came when  “Called to Action” by Shingwauk Alumnus and Elder Dan Pine Sr. to save the School at Shingwauk Reunion ’81.  They put it back on track to complete its new and sixth phase of development as a post-modern University -  Kinoomaage Gamig with a truly inclusive and universal vision. With the gifts it is given, it will soon enter its seventh phase of development, the Seventh Fire and the time and place of the Bear.