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Our Events and Activities to Date

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Truth and Reconciliation Community – Bobcaygeon had our second annual Box Lunch Social aka picnic with CLFN’s Getsiinyag +55 group. The weather co-operated and we had a sunny day with pleasant temperatures. The idea was to enjoy our first event at the new garden at the Beach Park.

Malinda Gray is a PHd student and course instructor at Ontario Tech University in Oshawa. The connection between the beader and their work has been felt throughout time. We began to get a sense of that connection as we made our own keepsakes. 

“The Blanket Exercise is based on using Indigenous methodologies and the goal is to build understanding about our shared history as Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples in Canada by walking through pre-contact, treaty-making, colonization and resistance.”

On September 30th, we had programming featuring  three of Curve Lake First Nation’s creatives and artists – a welcome song from Brittany Taylor, words from artist David Beaucage Johnson whose work is featured in the “Celebrating First Nations” show and the poetry of  Peterborough’s Poet Laureate Sarah Lewis.

The month long display of art and hand made treasures “Celebrating First Peoples” is truly a celebration of beauty and meaning. At the Art Gallery at the old library from September 6th on until the end of the month.  There will be pieces from over 18 different artists/creators on display.

Lovely afternoon with CLFN’s Getsiinyag +55 folks. TRC-Bobcaygeon was delighted to host at the Pigeon Lake Yacht Club, where lunches were exchanged, songs and laughs shared while some cruised the lake on pontoon & sailboats. 

We picked a fictional work by an Indigenous author (because we love the engaging power of story-telling) and had a lively and enlightening discussion.This time we chose Starlight by Richard Wagamese.   

TRC-B hosted this event with Jack Hoggarth, Curve Lake First Nation Cultural Archivist: it was  a series of teachings on The Land We Reside In. The full series happened over 5 evenings and was held via Zoom.  

A group of us were fortunate to get out for teachings on the land with Beedahbin Peltier (indigenize.ca). We were looking at plants that we could harvest for seeds for a garden project in the Bobcaygeon Beach Park.

The Grade Six and Seven class at Bobcaygeon Public School had a class outing to experience the 215+ Children Taken Art Installation at the library in person. Members of the Truth and Reconciliation Community – Bobcaygeon and elders from CLFN were there to share stories with the kids

It is estimated that between 250 and 300 people of all ages attended the event at the library in Bobcaygeon for National Truth and Reconciliation Day.

The Truth and Reconciliation Community – Bobcaygeon has gathered with guests to talk about books by Indigenous authors such as “Five Little Indians” by Michelle Good.” We have also read other books by non-Indigenous authers such as Ibram x kendi (How to be an Antiracist) and reports such as the TRC report.

The Olde Gaol Museum in Lindsay arranged a display of  TRC-Bobcaygeon’s quilted banner for a very successful run. Visitors were able to see the quilt up close and experience the quilt stories while watching a video or reading a printed booklet.

People across the land we call Canada struggled with how to approach Canada Day this year, 2021. We set up at the library on the drive-by parade route planned to go past the long-term care facilities in Bobcaygeon. It was encouraging to see how many people in the vehicles driving past were wearing orange in solidarity. Many people dropped by to see the 215 Children Taken Art Installation to talk about what they were feeling.

The Truth and Reconciliation Community – Bobcaygeon decided to commemorate the lives of the 215 children by painting 215 river rocks with orange paint in the spirit of the “Every Child Matters” orange t-shirt campaign. The 215+ Children Taken Art Installation was installed on the stone wall at the library. Since then it has travelled to FenelonFalls and city hall in Lindsayand a few more stops inspiring conversations and actions toward reconciliation.

Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls Sub-group of TRC-Bobcaygeon – July 20, 2020 is proposing a 4 pronged strategy including relationships, research, recommendation implementation and communication.

Dr. Palmater’s lecture as part of the Pine tree Talks at Trent was also sponsored by the Frost Centre for Canadian Studies and Indigenous Studies and by the Truth and Reconciliation Community Bobcaygeon..

Our group had been following the progress of the Inquiry on Murdered and Missing Indigenous women and Girls (MMIWG) in Canada. It was a mammoth undertaking fraught with controversy and we felt that it would be important to inform ourselves on the results. Our discussion group broke the report into sizeable chunks and we met regularly over the summer months to tackle what the MMIWG had to tell us.
Bobcaygeon’s Vibrant Village Committee of IMPACT 32 facilitated the annual PADDLE PROJECT. Truth and Reconciliation Community – Bobcaygeon sought to collaborate with artist Tiffany Knott of Curve Lake First Nation.

Alice William’s workshop on the quilt made by the members of the Kawartha Truth and Reconciliation Support Group on the legacy of residential schools left a strong impact on the group that gathered to hear these stories and learn about the art of quilting.

Kaaren Dannenman’s workshop “Gifts from the Moose” incorporates some of the teachings she shares with students in her trappers courses. People who attended this workshop came away with a deeper respect for our relationship to the web of life.
Truth and Reconciliation Community Bobcaygeon hosted an Introduction to Anishinaabemowin (speaking the native language) with DJ Fife at the Bobcaygeon Library on Saturday May 4, 2019.
 We sponsored the Drew Hayden Taylor play ‘Cottagers and Indians’ October 22, 2018 at Curve Lake First Nation and October 23,24,25, 2018 at Lakeview Arts Barn theatre. This event was open to the public for evening showings and for students special interactive matinees in conjunction with educational events at Gamiing Nature Centre.
During our planning for bringing Drew Hayden Taylor’s play Cottagers and Indians to CLFN and the Arts Barn plus the workshops and matinees for the schools, we decided that we needed a logo. Read the story of its creation.
Mishkodeh were clearings created by selective burning of the underbrush to create unique ecosystems…These places were developed and nurtured by the Mississauga Anishinaabe people for generations… What we now recognize as the old Boyd property in the heart of Bobcaygeon is likely an ancient mishkodeh site.

Truth and Reconciliation Bobcaygeon presented four community outreach opportunities at Kawartha Settlers’ Village this summer.

~On August 3rd, 2021, which was the 215th day of the year, Curve Lake First Nation and Hiawatha First Nation held a sunrise ceremony and a commemorative walk in downtown Peterborough. TRC Bobcaygeon members attended.

~ writing letters to support various Indigenous led initiatives and to protest abuses of power and other transgressions that impact communities across Canada.

~ hosted public lectures in Bobcaygeon Library from January 2016 to March 2018 on Indigenous history, Indigenous World View, treaties and residential schools in keeping with the recommendations of the Truth and ReconciliationCommission Report.

~ hosted talk by Curve Lake First Nation educator Shelley Knott Fife. April 2018 at Bobcaygeon Library.

~ hosted an art show and talk at Bobcaygeon Library featuring Freddy Taylor, residential school survivor and artist in residence at Whetung Ojibwa Centre, Curve Lake First Nation. April, 2017

~ hosted two workshops on reconciliation led by a member of TRC Bobcaygeon, who is a teacher and was completing a masters degree at Trent University. Focus was on Insights from Canada’s TRC Commission and the Language of Reconciliation. Summer 2017.

~ Settlers’ Day at the Kawartha Settlers’ Village, Bobcaygeon. June 10, 2018 and June 12, 2016. Display of educational materials, art works honouring First Nations peoples.

~ Canada Day parade participants, July 1, 2016, Bobcaygeon. Built and walked beside large float depicting two canoeists holding a Two Row Wampum belt signifying treaties, overlooked by a giant Thunderbird.

~ summer film night series at Kawartha Settlers’ Village from 2016 to 2017 featuring films and speakers from regional First Nations communities. Focus of events have been the documentary film “Oshkigmong –a Place Where I Belong” the story of the Michi Saagiig, the Missisauga of Curve Lake First Nation, and the “Secret Path”.

~Discussions were lead by Anne Taylor, Curve Lake First Nation Cultural Centre Archivist and film producer, Doug Williams, Elder and Knowledge Keeper, Curve Lake First Nation and Dave Mowat, historian, Alderville First Nation resident and community consultation specialist for the Mississaugas of Scugog Island First Nation.

~ participated in Community Wild Rice Workshop, where James Whetung of Curve Lake First Nation demonstrated how to honour, harvest, process and prepare Manomiin (wild rice) at Gamiing Nature Centre. September 2016.

~ organized a public awareness event in Bobcaygeon: Day of Solidarity with Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. October, 2016

~ hosted a screening and talk of Curve Lake First Nation’s new film ‘Andaada Aki: Michi Saagig Treaties’featuring Curve Lake Elder Doug Williams and Trent University lecturer Phil Abbott. February 2018 at Bobcaygeon Library

~ published articles in local news magazine the Kawartha Promoter on subjects such as residential schools, wild rice, Curve Lake First Nations events and our own initiatives.

Other Local Events and

Activites of Interest

Bobcaygeon Public School Water Walk 

Under the leadership of Curve Lake First Nation elder Dorothy Taylor, the grades seven and eight students planned a ceremonial walk honouring the water.

Panel Presentation on Manoomin On Monday November 2 at the Peterborough Library auditorium hundreds of people gathered to hear a panel presentation on Manomin and its role in reconciling these (bad) feelings. The focus of the evening was attempting to understand how ‘reconciliation’ fits into the context of living respectfully with Treaty relationships.