For many years, the New Canadians Centre (NCC) in Nogojiwanong-Peterborough organized and hosted Multicultural Canada Day each July 1st, bringing together thousands of area residents for a celebration of the country’s rich cultural diversity.
However, buoyed by a commitment to walk alongside Indigenous peoples, celebrate their culture and knowledge, and heal and foster relationships between Indigenous people and settlers, NCC changed the focus of the annual celebration to reflect something much deeper. The result is an event that provides the opportunity to pause and reflect on Truth and Reconciliation, while forging a path forward.
On Monday, July 1st, NCC presents “Lessons from the Land” for a fourth year, running from 9 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. at the pavilion at Nicholls Oval Park at Armour and Parkhill roads.
The family-friendly day offers a number of programs and activities where people can learn about the culture and heritage of the original stewards and caretakers of Turtle Island and Nogojiwanong.
“The New Canadians Centre is an organization that helps newcomers to Peterborough,” notes Mauricio Interiano, the community engagement officer with the centre. “When you’re new to Canada, you’re very curious to learn everything about the country. We felt it was very important to provide opportunities for clients to learn what Canada really is, and to play an important part in Truth and Reconciliation.”
A native of Honduras, Interiano came to Canada and Peterborough in August 2010. He has since acquired a bachelor’s degree in international development and sociology from Trent University, and a master’s degree in international development with a specialization in migration from the Graduate Institute of Geneva in Switzerland.
“I didn’t know much about the history and legacy of residential schools until I went to Trent University and took some courses,” Interiano points out. “It’s important that the New Canadians Centre, as a settlement organization for newcomers to Peterborough, provide opportunities to learn about Indigenous culture, history, and knowledge.”
That said, Interiano emphasizes that Lessons from the Land has something to teach all who come out, not just those new to the city and region.
Lessons from the Land opens at 9 a.m. with Janet McCue, the lead singer with Curve Lake First Nation’s Wishkiigomang Hand Drummers, joined by her sister Linda.
They will be followed by Sarah Lewis, an Anishnaabe Kwe spoken word artist and activist who served as Peterborough’s inaugural poet laureate, reciting her poetry and setting a reflective and inspirational tone for the rest of the day.
At 9:30 a.m., a guided medicine walk, hosted by Canadian Bushcraft head instructor Caleb Musgrave and Diverse Nature Collective founder Patricia Wilson, will take participants for a nature-connecting trek through Nicholls Oval Park. Participation for the two-hour walk is limited to 35 people, and advance registration is required.
Also at 9:30 a.m., “Toppling Towers” will see TRACKS Youth Program staff host a collaborative game centred around the key components of a healthy ecosystem. Young participants will learn about the connection between Indigenous knowledge and the balance of critical environments, all while engaging in a fun game as they’re encouraged to think about their responsibilities to the land.
“Cedar Bundles” also begins at 9:30 a.m., with Jaida Prince, a Kiichi Siibi Niizi Mnidoo Anishinaabe youth from Ardoch Algonquin First Nation, leading a workshop on cedar, one of the four sacred medicines of the Anishinaabe people.
Participants will have the opportunity to sample cedar tea, explore the wisdom of the medicine wheel with a focus on cedar’s role, and harvest cedar. The workshop will conclude with the crafting of cedar bundles to take home.
Following a community lunch, which will be provided by Thomas Olszewski’s Curve Lake-based Grandfather’s Kitchen, the program continues at 12:30 p.m. with “Songs & Dances From The Land – Drum Teachings” hosted by John “Meegwans” Snake, an Ojibwe-Bodewadomi (Turtle clan) from Aamjiwnaang First Nation near Sarnia.
Currently living in Peterborough with his family, Meegwans has been a singer for more than 35 years and regularly serves as a master of ceremonies at powwows across Canada and the United States, sharing the teachings he received from his father and many adopted uncles and grandfathers.
Following a closing ceremony with the McCue sisters at 1:30 p.m., attendees are invited to stay for “Red Dress Pin Beading Circle” facilitated by Lesley Snake, a member of the Dakota-Ojibwe Nations (Bear clan) and a registered band member of Manitoba’s Birdtail Sioux First Nation.
Starting at 1:45 p.m., participants will learn about the cultural significance of bead work while creating a red dress pin — a symbol that honours missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls while serving as a reminder of the ongoing impacts of colonialism on Indigenous communities. Participation for this two-hour workshop is limited to 35 people, and advance registration is required. All required materials will be supplied.
For those unable to attend the workshop, NCC has partnered with Cedarlilie Bead Shop, owned and operated by Abenaki and French-Canadian artist Dominique O’Bonsawin, to make red dress pin beading kits available.
Those interested can pick up a kit at the NCC at 221 Romaine Street after July 1st and follow O’Bonsawin’s YouTube tutorial.
VIDEO: Beaded Red Dress Pin Tutorial
Along with helping settlers learn about and reflect upon Indigenous culture and heritage, Lessons from the Land also provides an option for Indigenous people who may be uncomfortable participating in Canada Day celebrations that are “a reminder of the impact of colonialism,” according to Interiano.
“We respect that, and with a lot of respect, create space for them to present activities that are more centred to the work they do,” he explains. “Lessons from the Land has been very well received by the Indigenous people we have partnered with. They look forward to this. There’s a commitment now. They understand the importance of creating this space for all of us.”
“I like to use the term ‘cultural humility’ in relation to this event,” Interiano adds. “It’s an opportunity to be humble and to learn, approaching it with an open heart and an open mind. This is part of a journey of lifelong learning. We need to self-reflect, but also be aware of our biases and assumptions.”
On a personal level, Interiano is most excited about “being outside, connecting with the land and learning new things. I’ve gone to this event for three years and I’ve always learned something new. I appreciate the openness of Indigenous people creating space for us to learn new things about their culture, traditions, and connection to the land.”
For more information about Lessons from the Land, including a full schedule of events and registration links for the Guided Medicine Walk and Red Dress Pin Beading Circle, visit
nccpeterborough.ca/lessons-from-the-land/.
Founded in 1979, the New Canadians Centre Peterborough is a non-profit charitable organization dedicated to supporting immigrants, refugees and other newcomers in the City of Kawartha Lakes, Haliburton County, City and County of Peterborough and Northumberland County.
This branded editorial was created in partnership with the New Canadians Centre. If your organization or business is interested in a branded editorial, contact us.
