OPIRG York is situated on lands deeply rooted in the histories, cultures, and present-day identities of several Indigenous nations. At different times, this land has been stewarded and defended by communities of the Huron-Wendat, the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, and the Anishinabek Nation. We acknowledge the current treaty holders, the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation, and the principles which underpin the Dish with One Spoon Wampum Belt Covenant, an agreement to peaceably share and care for the Great Lakes region.

Aware of the legacies of dispossession, colonialism and the struggles of Indigenous nations to disentangle themselves from our colonial present, we take seriously our responsibility in both histories of oppression and to contemporary struggles for emancipation.

At OPIRG York, we believe that land acknowledgements are a start. It helps us recognize that

“[i]t’s one thing to say, “Hey, we’re on the territory of the Mississaugas or the Anishinaabek and the Haudenosaunee.” It’s another thing to say, “We’re on the territory of the Anishinaabek and the Haudenosaunee and here’s what that compels me to do.” – Hayden King, Toronto Metropolitan University

It is in this spirit that we offer resources that provide a critical look at the history of Tkaronto and an outline of the communities and institutions that today make up the city’s vibrant and growing Indigenous community.

As a public interest research group, we are committed to direct our members and the wider community to resources that may help you learn more about Indigenous Toronto. Below are some resources – both academic and popular – that may be of interest to you.

BOOKS

• Bolduc, Denise et al. Indigenous Toronto: Stories That Carry This Place. Ed. Denise Bolduc et al. Toronto: Coach House Books, 2021. Find it at a York University library here.
• A Treaty Guide for Torontonians, Jumblies Press and Toronto Biennial of Art in partnership with Art Metropole: https://artmetropole.com/shop/14892
• Sanderson, F., & Howard-Bobiwash, H. (1997). The meeting place: aboriginal life in Toronto. Native Canadian Centre of Toronto.

ARTICLES

• Freeman, Victoria. “Toronto Has No History! Indigeneity, Settler Colonialism and Historical Memory in Canada’s Largest City,”  Urban History Review, 38, no.2 (Spring 2010), 21-35.
• Heather Howard-Bobiwash. “Women’s Class Strategies as Activism in Native Community Building in Toronto, 1950-1975.” American Indian Quarterly, vol. 27, no. 3/4, 2003, pp. 566–82. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/4138963. Accessed 18 Oct. 2022.
• Lytwyn, Victor, P. “A Dish with One Spoon: The Shared Hunting Grounds Agreement in the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Valley Region,” in David H. Pentland, ed., Papers of the 28th Algonquian Conference (1997).
• Simpson, Leanne. “Looking after Gdoo-naaganinaa: Precolonial Nishnaabeg Diplomatic and Treaty Relationships,” Wicazo Sa Review vol. 23, no.2 (2008).

Below is a list of some institutions and initiatives that are reinscribing Indigenous presence, culture and history in metropolitan Toronto.

Photo credit: Ogimaa Mikana: Reclaiming/Renaming
https://ogimaamikana.tumblr.com/post/140825126626/if-you-want-to-learn-something-first-you-must

• Indigenous Students’ Association at York: https://www.facebook.com/IndigenousSAY/

The Indigenous Students’ Association at York (ISAY) is a student run group under the York Federation of Students. ISAY’s mandate is to advocate for Indigenous students, create cultural programming, social events and community outreach. ISAY has hosted events like Rattle Making, Metis Culture Workshop, Inuit Storytelling, First Nations Teachings, Afro-Indigenous Open Mic Night, 2S Sharing Circle, MMIW Pin Bead Workshop and more.

• imagineNATIVE: https://imaginenative.org/
  imagineNATIVE promotes Indigenous-made media by developing platforms for artists to assert their voices, express their perspectives, and share their cultures.

• Indigenous Schools and Programming in Toronto: https://www.tdsb.on.ca/Community/Indigenous-Education/Schools
  

• The Ogimaa Mikana Project: https://ogimaamikana.tumblr.com/
  The Ogimaa Mikana Project is an effort to restore Anishinaabemowin place-names to the streets, avenues, roads, paths, and trails of Gichi Kiiwenging (Toronto) – transforming a landscape that often obscures or makes invisible the presence of Indigenous peoples. Starting with a small section of Queen St., re-naming it Ogimaa Mikana (Leader’s Trail) in tribute to all the strong women leaders of the Idle No More movement, the project hopes to expand throughout downtown and beyond.

• Talking Treaties at Jumblies Theatre: http://www.jumbliestheatre.org/jumblies/talking-treaties-history-project
  Rooted in oral history and community collaboration, Talking Treaties is a multi-year Jumblies collaborative project that artfully shares Indigenous history and awareness of the place now called Toronto. Launched in 2015, Talking Treaties is directed by Ange Loft, in collaboration with Victoria Freeman and others. Talking Treaties has many branches and has engaged thousands of participants in generating symbols, poetry, improvised maps and performative explorations.

Photo credit: Ogimaa Mikana: Reclaiming/Renaming
https://ogimaamikana.tumblr.com/post/42289863656/formerly-queen-st-west-and-mccaul-st