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Sleeping Giant (Ontario)
Encyclopedia
The Sleeping Giant is a formation of mesa
s and sills
on Sibley Peninsula
which resembles a giant lying on its back when viewed from the West to North-Northwest section of Thunder Bay
, Ontario
, Canada
. As one moves southward along the shoreline toward Squaw Bay the Sleeping Giant starts to separate into its various sections. Most distinctly in the view from the cliffs at Squaw Bay the Giant appears to have an "Adam's Apple
". The formation is part of Sleeping Giant Provincial Park
. Its dramatic steep cliffs are among the highest in Ontario (250 m). The southernmost point is known as Thunder Cape, depicted by many early Canadian artists such as William Armstrong
.
An Ojibway legend identifies the giant as Nanabijou
, who was turned to stone when the secret location of a rich silver mine now known as Silver Islet
was disclosed to white men.
, with a total of 177,305 votes, beating the Bay of Fundy
, and Niagara Falls
by almost 90 000 votes.
Ultimately it was not selected by the panel of judges, Ra McGuire, Roberta Jamieson and Roy MacGregor, who decided their vote by geographic and poetic criteria.
Mesa
A mesa or table mountain is an elevated area of land with a flat top and sides that are usually steep cliffs. It takes its name from its characteristic table-top shape....
s and sills
Sill (geology)
In geology, a sill is a tabular sheet intrusion that has intruded between older layers of sedimentary rock, beds of volcanic lava or tuff, or even along the direction of foliation in metamorphic rock. The term sill is synonymous with concordant intrusive sheet...
on Sibley Peninsula
Sibley Peninsula
The Sibley Peninsula is a long and wide peninsula in Ontario, Canada on Lake Superior. It projects into the lake from its north shore, and separates Thunder Bay to the west from Black Bay to the east....
which resembles a giant lying on its back when viewed from the West to North-Northwest section of Thunder Bay
Thunder Bay
-In Canada:Thunder Bay is the name of three places in the province of Ontario, Canada along Lake Superior:*Thunder Bay District, Ontario, a district in Northwestern Ontario*Thunder Bay, a city in Thunder Bay District*Thunder Bay, Unorganized, Ontario...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. As one moves southward along the shoreline toward Squaw Bay the Sleeping Giant starts to separate into its various sections. Most distinctly in the view from the cliffs at Squaw Bay the Giant appears to have an "Adam's Apple
Adam's apple
The laryngeal prominence—commonly known as the Adam's Apple—is a feature of the human neck. This lump, or protrusion, is formed by the angle of the thyroid cartilage surrounding the larynx...
". The formation is part of Sleeping Giant Provincial Park
Sleeping Giant Provincial Park
Sleeping Giant Provincial Park, established in 1944 as Sibley Provincial Park and renamed in 1988, is a park located on the Sibley Peninsula in Northwestern Ontario, east of Thunder Bay. The nearest communities are Pass Lake, located at the northern entrance to the park, and Dorion, located NW,...
. Its dramatic steep cliffs are among the highest in Ontario (250 m). The southernmost point is known as Thunder Cape, depicted by many early Canadian artists such as William Armstrong
William Armstrong (artist)
William Armstrong was a Canadian artist and one of the early professional artists of Toronto. A number of his watercolour landscapes of the Great Lakes may be found in collections such as the Art Gallery of Ontario, the National Gallery of Canada, and the Thunder Bay Historical Museum...
.
An Ojibway legend identifies the giant as Nanabijou
Nanabozho
In Anishinaabe mythology, particularly among the Ojibwa, Nanabozho is a spirit, and figures prominently in their storytelling, including the story of the world's creation. Nanabozho is the Ojibwe trickster figure and culture hero...
, who was turned to stone when the secret location of a rich silver mine now known as Silver Islet
Silver Islet, Ontario
Silver Islet refers to both a small rocky island and a small town site located at the tip of the Sibley Peninsula in northwestern Ontario. It was the first silver mine in Ontario....
was disclosed to white men.
Seven Wonders of Canada
It was voted number one for a list of Seven Wonders of CanadaSeven Wonders of Canada
The Seven Wonders of Canada was a 2007 competition sponsored by CBC Television's The National and CBC Radio One's Sounds Like Canada. They sought to determine Canada's "seven wonders" by receiving nominations from viewers, and then from on-line voting of the short list. After the vote, a panel of...
, with a total of 177,305 votes, beating the Bay of Fundy
Bay of Fundy
The Bay of Fundy is a bay on the Atlantic coast of North America, on the northeast end of the Gulf of Maine between the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, with a small portion touching the U.S. state of Maine...
, and Niagara Falls
Niagara Falls
The Niagara Falls, located on the Niagara River draining Lake Erie into Lake Ontario, is the collective name for the Horseshoe Falls and the adjacent American Falls along with the comparatively small Bridal Veil Falls, which combined form the highest flow rate of any waterfalls in the world and has...
by almost 90 000 votes.
Ultimately it was not selected by the panel of judges, Ra McGuire, Roberta Jamieson and Roy MacGregor, who decided their vote by geographic and poetic criteria.
See also
- NanabozhoNanabozhoIn Anishinaabe mythology, particularly among the Ojibwa, Nanabozho is a spirit, and figures prominently in their storytelling, including the story of the world's creation. Nanabozho is the Ojibwe trickster figure and culture hero...
- North American PalladiumNorth American PalladiumNorth American Palladium Ltd. , founded in 1968 as Madeleine Mines Ltd., is a mining company with headquarters located at Toronto, Canada. Renamed to its current title in June 1993, the company primarily mines and explores for palladium but also for gold. Platinum, silver, nickel, and copper are...
- Sibley PeninsulaSibley PeninsulaThe Sibley Peninsula is a long and wide peninsula in Ontario, Canada on Lake Superior. It projects into the lake from its north shore, and separates Thunder Bay to the west from Black Bay to the east....
- Silver Islet, OntarioSilver Islet, OntarioSilver Islet refers to both a small rocky island and a small town site located at the tip of the Sibley Peninsula in northwestern Ontario. It was the first silver mine in Ontario....
- Sleeping Giant Provincial ParkSleeping Giant Provincial ParkSleeping Giant Provincial Park, established in 1944 as Sibley Provincial Park and renamed in 1988, is a park located on the Sibley Peninsula in Northwestern Ontario, east of Thunder Bay. The nearest communities are Pass Lake, located at the northern entrance to the park, and Dorion, located NW,...