John Sunday

John Sunday, or Shah-wun-dais, meaning "sultry heat," Mississauga (Ojibwa) chief, Methodist missionary (b at New York C 1795; d at Alderville, Ont 14 Dec 1875). This hardened warrior, a veteran of the War of 1812, only knew 3 words of English before his conversion to Christianity: "pint,""quart" and "whisky." After he joined the Methodists in 1826 he immediately stopped drinking and won back his self-respect and the respect of his band. An eloquent speaker in Ojibwa, he was a travelling missionary in the Lk Superior region and later in 1836 was ordained a regular minister. Elected chief of his band, the Ojibwa of the Belleville and Kingston area, he presented their land claims to the government of Upper Canada. After his return from a missionary tour of Britain in 1837 he served for 20 years at missions at Alderville, Rice Lk and Muncey. Among his Methodist brethren Shah-wun-dais was in constant demand as a speaker at church gatherings.