Ottawas

Ottawas, or Odawa, are an Indigenous people of the Great Lakes region and one of the Anishinaabe nations. The Odawa language name is often rendered as Odawa and the group is traditionally known as traders, reflecting their historical role in regional commerce. The exonym Ottawa, used by French and English speakers, derives from their name.

Traditional Odawa territory extended along the western Great Lakes and the Ottawa River system, including parts of present-day Ontario, Michigan, and Wisconsin. They lived in seasonal villages near rivers and lakes, engaging in hunting, fishing, gathering, and long-distance trade. The Odawa were known for canoe-building and for participating in expansive trade networks that linked inland communities with European traders. They were part of the Three Fires Confederacy, an alliance with the Ojibwe and Potawatomi.

Language and culture: The Odawa language is an Algonquian language closely related to Ojibwe and Potawatomi. Today, many Odawa descendants live in Canada and the United States, with ongoing efforts to revitalize the language and preserve cultural practices such as ceremonies, storytelling, crafts, and traditional governance.

History and modern presence: Early contact with French traders in the 17th century intensified trade and alliance-building in the Great Lakes region. Over the 18th and 19th centuries, changing treaty arrangements and pressures from expanding settler states led to relocation and the establishment of reserves and tribal lands in Canada and the United States. Today, Odawa communities continue to preserve their heritage, participate in governance, and contribute to regional cultural life. The name Ottawa, used for the Canadian capital and many places, reflects the historical presence of the Odawa in the region.