Aaniin everyone,
November 1–7 is Treaties Recognition Week in Ontario. This week provides an opportunity to for us to learn more about the treaties that shape the land we live on, the relationships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples, and the responsibilities we all share.
Have you ever heard the phrase “We are all Treaty People.” What does that actually mean?
Treaties are agreements made between Indigenous Nations and the Crown. They established relationships, rights, responsibilities, and understandings about how people would live together and share the land.
It is important to understand that treaties were not just transactions involving land. Indigenous Nations entered into these agreements with their own understandings, laws, traditions, and responsibilities. There were often significant differences in how Indigenous Nations and colonial representatives understood the agreements, including what sharing the land meant.
Ontario is covered by 46 historic and present-day treaties, signed between 1781 and 1930. These agreements continue to influence relationships between Indigenous Nations, governments, and communities today.
Why does this matter today? Well, treaties are not just historical documents. They are ongoing relationships.
They speak to commitments that were made between Nations, including responsibilities around sharing land and resources, living together, and respecting one another’s rights. Understanding treaties means recognizing that these commitments did not end generations ago.
For Indigenous communities, treaty rights and relationships continue to affect decisions about land, natural resources, governance, culture, and self-determination. For non-Indigenous people, learning about treaties means understanding that we also have responsibilities within these relationships.
This is where reconciliation goes beyond acknowledging history. We need to understand the agreements that continue to shape our communities and consider how we honour the commitments and responsibilities connected to them.
Here in Peterborough/Nogojiwanong, we are on the traditional territory of the Michi Saagiig Anishinaabeg, within the territory covered by the Williams Treaties.
The Williams Treaties were signed in 1923 between the Crown and seven First Nations, including Curve Lake First Nation and Hiawatha First Nation. Understanding the history and ongoing implications of these agreements is an important part of understanding the place where we live and work.
I encourage everyone to take a little time this week to learn about the treaties connected to our own communities. You might be surprised by how much you didn’t know!
📚 A few places to start:
- Association of Municipalities of Ontario – Treaties Recognition Week
- Government of Ontario – Treaties Recognition Week
- We Are All Treaty People – University of Toronto learning resources
As we continue our work toward Truth and Reconciliation, I think it’s important to remember that we are not only learning about something that happened in the past. We are learning about relationships that we are part of today.
We are all Treaty People, and we all have a role in understanding and honouring those relationships.
Thanks for taking a moment to learn together. 🧡
Miigwetch!
