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From the deck of a boat on the
waters of Thunder Bay you can view many points of interest.
Among them is the natural spectacle known as The Peeping
Squaw (Chippewa Park). Heading towards the Sleeping
Giant and looking westward, an oddity presents itself
as the boat passes Pie Island.
For only a short distance you can see what appears to
be a woman peeping out behind the plateau that gives
the Island its name. As you pass the figure appears
to vanish, as if she had gone into hiding again. Legend
explains the origin of this effect.
Resenting the invasion of the white man upon the territories
of his people, Nanabijou, (Native Spirit of the Deep
Sea Water) attempted to scare them away. With his giant
Thunder Bird, he swept up and down the shores of the
Great Lake creating terrible thunderstorms around the
white man's camps.
Nanabijou spent more and more time away from his temple
on the mountain, and soon his wife became tired of her
husband never being with her. Passing the many long
hours and days away, she would hunt, she was known to
be a great huntress. It was while his wife was on one
of these hunting trips, that Nanabijou returned, hungry
and tired to find his home cold and the table empty.
He was already filled with rage at the white man and
angry he went to find his wife. When he found her he
chastised her for leaving their home and she rebuffed
him for leaving her, in a fit of rage he raised his
hand and struck her down.
As his anger subsided he bcame remorseful and went in
search of her, but Manitou, the greatest of all the
Native Gods had turned her to stone placing her on Pie
Island so that Nanabijou would not harm her again. It
is there she can be still be seen peeping out at all
that approach in the hope that it is her beloved husband.
If one day Nanabijou should come again and the Manitou
forgives him, legend states she will disappear and if
she does, she will never leave his side again.
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