In this blog, honouring the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation (also known as Orange Shirt Day), Catherine reflects upon her experience learning about Indigenous history and culture and leading her colleagues in the iHub to learn about the importance of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation during a recent social event.
Catherine Dume, Community Coordinator, Masters of Arts, Political Science
My Relation to this Land
I am a Jamaican Haitian, Canadian Citizen settler on this land. I came to Canada at the age of eight, in 2010, just days before the massive earthquake hit the island of Haiti, also referred to as Ayiti, the Indigenous Taino name of the island. Since that moment, Canada to me has been a place of opportunities, good healthcare and good schools that fostered my curious mind. Even though I am not related to any Indigenous groups in North America, I have reflected on my relationship with this land since I first came to Canada.
This is the type of deep reflection that the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation, also known as Orange Shirt Day, calls for. A day to reflect on our relationship with the land; learn about the history of Indigenous peoples across Turtle Island; recognize the horror of the residential school system, and to celebrate the beautiful culture that has been preserved by community elders.
Learning Indigenous History
When my parents told me that we were moving to Canada, all I knew about the country was it snowed quite a bit, moose and polar bears lived here, and the people lived in igloos. Suffice to say I did not have a real understanding of Canada and knew even less about the Indigenous peoples who lived here.
Fortunately, I had the pleasure to spend my formative years living along the St. Lawrence River in Quebec, the site of the first European and Indigenous fur trade in Canada. I went on field trips to the Plains of Abraham – the site of the biggest European-Indigenous battle in Canada during the French Indian War. I was surrounded by historical architecture: cannons, statues, forts, prisons and castles, all of which were reminders of colonialism’s dominance in the present. Even though I had very little knowledge about Indigenous peoples, it was through participating in activities and visiting museums and landmarks that taught me about Indigenous history and culture.
Appreciating Indigenous Cultures
It wasn’t until I visited the Hôtel-Musée Premières Nations in Wendake, Quebec City where I had the opportunity to connect with Indigenous cultures, but specifically the history, arts and culture of the Wendat peoples.
The main floor of the hotel is the Huron-Wendat Museum where I followed the Huron-Wendat people’s history from the past to the present. Outside of the museum, we visited the Long House, where we sat by a crackling fire surrounded by fur pelts.
One of the memorable parts of the hotel was the La Traite Restaurant where they served full platters of rich, cultural delicacies from the Huron-Wendat nation. Although I had tried many cultural dishes, I’d never had food from the Huron-Wendat nation, or from any other first nation. I was very excited to get a chance to try different dishes, many of which included raw seal, elk burgers and a three sisters platter, along with a mixture of freshly gathered fruits, nuts, plants, quail eggs, cheese and various other meats.
Although I was only there for two days, I had a rich experience, filled with food, culture, and history that I otherwise would not have received from a textbook. Little did I know that I would later have the opportunity to take this experience and apply my learning to celebrate the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation.
Innovation Hub Celebrates Orange Shirt Day
As the Innovation Hub’s Community Coordinator, I had the honour of hosting an Orange Shirt Day event. The event was a chance to incorporate everything I’ve learned thus far about history and culture and to encourage others to learn more.
The event allowed participants to learn about why we wear orange, and the history of residential schools. We held space to read the stories of survivors and connect with art and music from Indigenous artists. At the end, after being immersed in Indigenous culture, our team members created tiny orange shirts where they wrote about their learnings and reflections. Today we have them on display in our workspace.
Overall, my experience with Indigenous history and culture has been a journey – and one that continues. I am grateful for the opportunity I’ve had to deepen my knowledge and intend to continue learning.
Resources
If you ever visit Quebec, I strongly recommend doing a tour of the Huron-Wendat Museum. But there are many things you can do here at U of T and in Toronto to connect with Indigenous communities.
- U of T Events: https://edio.utsc.utoronto.ca/programs-events/national-indigenous-history-month
- Events happening in Toronto: https://www.toronto.ca/explore-enjoy/festivals-events/indigenous-events-awards/
- Visit The Native Canadian Centre of Toronto: https://ncct.on.ca/
- Participate in the First Story Toronto App & Bus Tour: http://ncct.on.ca/first-story-toronto-app-bus-tour/
- Attend a Pow Wow in Ontario: https://northernontario.travel/indigenous/pow-wows-ontario-complete-list
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