Honouring Our Aboriginal Roots Councillor Dave Mowat of the Alderville First Nation Diane Sule ‘Archive Angel’ of the Hastings County Historical Society Orland French President of the Hastings County Historical Society Moi Honouring Our Aboriginal Roots A celebration at the Carrying Place on September 23, 1987 of the 200,b Anniversary of the preliminary negotiations for the cession of land in central Ontario between the Mississauga Chiefs of the Bay of Quinte and Sir John Johnson. Participants included Gerry Boyce and the Rev. Maurice McLeod. The painting was by The Rev. Bowen P. Squire. Although the Chiefs attached their totems to the agreement, there were no government signatures, no defined boundaries, and no specified payments. BAY OF QUINTE CARRYING PLACE LE PORTAGE DE CAKALA LA BAIE DE QUINTE Following the peace settlement of 1783 the British sough alternative trade routes north of the new boundary. Amon these was the communication, via river and portage, b< tween Lakes Ontario and Huron. Here, at the Bay of Quir. carrying place, on 23 September 1787, preliminary neg<> atlons for cession of lands enclosing the route were h between some Mississauga chiefs and Sir John John- The purchase of a tract at Toronto and one at Matched Bay was completed the. next year and reaffirmed in le While the route was never developed, the purchase facilitate settlement at Toronto. Une fois la paix retablie en 1783, les Anglais explorcrc des voles commerciales de rechange au nord de la nouvc!' frontiers, notamment celle qui reliait les lacs Ontario c Huron par voie d’eau et par portage. Le 23 septcmt. 1787, sir John Johnson et les chefs mississaugas entamercr ici meme, au portage de la bale de Quinte, les preliminairo pour la vente de terres, a Toronto et a la baie Matchedash. encadrant la voie. L’achat se fit I'annee suivante et fut confinne en 1805. Meme si famenagement de la rr • n’eut jamais lieu, fachat des terres facilita le peuplcn de Toronto. 1 r Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada. r--wnmisslon des lieux et monuments historiques du Canada Photos by Boyce Honouring Our Aboriginal Roots On August 6. 2010, Alderville First Nation, the City of Belleville, and the Federal Government celebrated an important Milestone - the resolution of the Mississauga Specific Land Claim. News Release Communique 2-3396 CANADA, ALDERVILLE FIRST NATION AND CITY OF BELLEVILLE CELEBRATE IMPORTANT MILESTONE BELLEVILLE, ONTARIO (August 6, 2010) — Member of Parliament Rick Norlock, on behalf of the Honourable Chuck Strahl, Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development and Federal Interlocutor for Metis and Non-Status Indians, and Mayor Neil Ellis of the City of Belleville participated in a special ceremony today hosted by Chief James Marsden of the Alderville First Nation. The ceremony, held in Belleville, commemorated the First Nation's past presence in the City of Belleville, as well as the resolution of their specific claim. “Today’s event is a great opportunity to celebrate the achievement made through negotiations and collaboration to resolve this claim and to celebrate the Alderville First Nation’s longstanding presence in the area," said MP Norlock. “Canada is committed to resolving specific claims for the benefit of all Canadians and it is by working together that we can find the solutions needed to make that progress." “We are honoured to be here today as it gives us the opportunity to share a little piece of our history and we would like to thank the City of Belleville who has provided a prominent space within the Jane Forrester Park for the dedication plaque which outlines the contributions of our Grape Island ancestors and will serve as a reminder to area visitors and residents of Belleville of our connection and contributions to the Bay of Quinte area,” Some of the occupants of the nearby said Chief Marsden. waters and marshes of the Bay “We are happy the City has been able to assist with organizing today’s great event and we are pleased to host for prosperity the commemorating plaque reflecting the significant role of die First Nation here and the agreement as achieved by the First Nation and Canada," said Mayor Ellis, The Government of Canada and the Alderville First Nation resolved the Thurlow Purchase Specific Claim on March 4, 2010, The basis of the claim is that the First Nation did not receive compensation for surrendered lands and the Crown failed to protect the First Nation burial grounds from disturbance. This settlement provided the First Nation with $734,852 in financial compensation. The settlement also included the possibility for the First Nation to build a memorial plaque to commemorate their history and past burial ground in present-day Belleville. In exchange for this compensation, the First Nation provided Canada with full and final releases that ensure the claim can never be re­ opened. The First Nation and the City of Belleville worked together to identify a location for the monument. Today’s celebration helps to reconcile the past with the present and creates common ground for a shared future. In addition, the settlement was negotiated in less than two years. The Alderville First Nation was historically located on the north shore of Lake Ontario, but is now located 21 kilometres southeast of Peterborough, Ontario. CanadS Photos by Boyce Honouring Our Aboriginal Roots Chief James Marsden and Councillor Dave Mowat of the Alderville Nation and Mayor Neil Ellis of Belleville officiated at the Ceremony and exchanged gifts on August 6, 2010. An elder from Northern Ontario (at left ) also participated. Photos by Boyce Honouring Our Aboriginal Roots Alderville First Nation Dancers and Drummers participated in the ceremony and Alderville representatives gave presents of wild rice and sweet grass to all present. The Thurlow Purchase 1016 At ffM cone i Jio.i of trid American Revolution (1783) the British imperial Government , wee torewo td resettle its I oyailft refugees caught in the new United States. Some df this Loyalist and Mohawk influx occurred north around the Bay of Quinta, In Mlsilssauga (Amehinaebeg) Nation Territory. Tills territory had been occupied by th . Mohawk (Irdquote) prior to the Mississauga moving into the region after the mid 17“ century territorial struggles between the two. The British purchase of Mississauga lands after 1783, throughout the Lake Ontario frontier. Included r&ii&rviitlort^ set aside for Mississauga fishing and hunting grounds, or In the case of this section Of tna Moira River, tor 'the Indian Burying Ground.* The Moira was also important in the exercise df the First Nation traditional economy and cultural independence. However, because of settler pressure and encroachment, by 1811 the 428 acres encompassing this particular reserve, which takes up the core of modern day Belleville, was negotiated for purchase from the Mississauga. With tne intervention df the War of 1812, the purchase was not resolved by written agreement until 1818. History has shown that in fact, the transaction was never fully resolved for over 100 years. This plaque reflects the final settlement of that Original purchase for these historic lands along the Moira River, with the people of the Aidorvlile First Nation, the descendants of the Miseieaaugae of this area. Erected in conjunction with the City df Belleville, the Miaeiaaaugas of Alderville First Nation i. ■ - Mayor Neil Ellis, Chief James Marsden and MP Rick Norlock unveiled the monument to mark the occasion. Photos by Boyce 2 o.o^ ****'i' * Honouring Our Aboriginal Roots May 1985 and 1986... The Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte celebrated the landing of their Loyalist ancestors on the shores of the Bay of Quinte on May22, 1784 The Mohawk Choir with Andrew Maracle Senior Chief Earl Hill (at right) led the Mohawks in the Landing Ceremony 2o.p7 Photos by Boyce Honouring Our Aboriginal Roots Re-enacting the 1784 landing in the mid-1980s 2o.o% Photos by Boyce Honouring Our Aboriginal Roots The Mohawks of Tyendinaga remembered the 1784 landing in these ceremonies in the mid 1980s. Chief Earl Hill The monument on the shore of the Bay of Quinte commemorating the landing of 1784 j Photos by Boyce Honouring Our Aboriginal Roots More views of the re-enactments of 1985 and 1986 r Quj^ IM dtlVe ^Offlfl^ssociatv® Women have always played a Major role in Mohawk Life. ,fc-^z ^y ,ze Hbmens Assocs^ H«nK U.11 The Mohawk Youth Choir at a Landing Ceremony in the •VwilttW e, mid-1980s and art work by students at Kentc Mohawk School 7o.rtfx> A Photos by Boyce Honouring Our Aboriginal Roots Brant Maracle, Chief Earl Hill and Leslie Claus joined in celebrating the presentation of this stone to Brant’s esteemed parents - Andrew Maracle Senior and Lillian Maracle - at this ceremony at Maracle Mohawk Centre. 3<Ml Photos by Boyce Honouring Our Aboriginal Roots On October 28,2010, the Renaissance Society of St. Theresa Catholic Secondary School sponsored a conference “Honouring Our Aboriginal Roots. Aboriginal leaders and special guests attended. Students from the school prepared attractive displays. Representatives of the Assembly of First Nations and the Congress of Aboriginal People Councillor Dave Mowat of the Alderville First Nation, ‘Archive Angel’ Diane Sule and Orland French, president of the Hastings County Historical Society Councillor Dave Mowat of the Alderville First Nation with a display featuring himself and others at the Thurlow Treaty ceremony in Belleville on August 6,2010 7 d. 12 I Photos by Boyce Honouring Our Aboriginal Roots On October 28,2010, the Renaissance Society of St. Theresa Catholic Secondary School sponsored a conference “Honouring Our Aboriginal Roots. Aboriginal leaders and special guests attended. Students from the school prepared attractive displays. Crafts were popular.