Manitou is the spiritual and fundamental life force understood by Algonquian groups of Native Americans. It is omnipresent and manifests everywhere: organisms, the environment, events, etc.Aashaa monetoo = “good spirit”, otshee monetoo = “bad spirit”. The Great Spirit, Aasha Monetoo, gave the land, when the world was created, to the Natives (in particular, the Shawnee).

The term was already widespread at the time of European contact. In 1585 when Thomas Harriot recorded the first glossary of an Algonquian language, Roanoke (Pamlico), he included the word mantóac, meaning “gods” (plural). Similar terms are found in nearly all of the Algonquian languages.

In some Algonquian traditions, the term gitche manitou is used to refer to a “great spirit” or supreme being. The term was similarly adopted by some Anishnaabe Christian groups, such as the Ojibwe, to refer to the monotheistic God of Abrahamic tradition by extension, often due to missionary syncretism. However, the term has analogues dating back before European contact, and the word uses of gitche and manitou would have been precontact.

Manitou is a former town in southwestern Manitoba, Canada. It is located within the Municipality of Pembina. The Boundary Trail Railway is based out of Manitou.

Demographics

It had a population of 775 at the time of the 2001 census. Manitou has a weekly newspaper, the Western Canadian. The community's motto is "More Than A Small Town". The community is shaped like a right-angle triangle with PTH 3 forming the base, PR 244 forming the vertical part, and Front Avenue forming the hypotenuse.

Manitou is surrounded by Mennonite communities and is right next to the largest wind farm project in Canada.

Manitou Opera House

In 2007, Winnipeg folk musician Christine Fellows recorded parts of her album Nevertheless in the Manitou Opera House, a local heritage landmark known for its unique acoustics.

Notable people

Manitou is known for having been the home of social activist Nellie McClung. Robert Ironside owned and operated businesses in the community starting in the 1880s. Thelma Forbes, a politician, was born and raised in Manitou.

The Manitou Metro-North Railroad station (pronounced Mani-tow), open part-time (one peak hour train in each direction, and two weekend trains) serves the residents of that hamlet in the southwestern corner of the Town of Philipstown in Putnam County, New York, via the Metro-North Hudson Line. It is 46 miles (74 km) from Grand Central Terminal and travel time to Grand Central is approximately one hour, 16 minutes.

Manitou is one of three stations on the Hudson Line (along with Breakneck Ridge and Appalachian Trail (Metro-North station)) that receives limited passenger service. Like these stations, it serves mainly hikers visiting nearby state parks in the Hudson Highlands. There is no elevated platform or facilities at the station, one of two on the line adjacent to a grade crossing, are limited to a small shelter with the current schedule posted inside. The station predates the merger of New York Central and Pennsylvania Railroads.

Platform and track configuration