How can we help students fully grasp the historical and contemporary presence of Indigenous Nations in what are now urban settings?

Might our students understand Indigenous presence and influence differently if they aware of local archeological sites?

One of the most prominent historical sites in Toronto that I had previously heard of was Teiaiagon which was located at what is currently Baby Point. Teiaiagon was a Seneca village located near the Humber River in the 16th Century. Some information about the relationships between the Seneca and the Mississauga in Southern Ontario is in this article from Talking Treaties. I also found this article from Talking Treaties, focused on the overlapping histories of Toronto, helpful.

Here are links to learn more about Teiaiagon

What I did not realize that there were six other Haudenosaunee villages around the same time located on the north side of Lake Ontario. You can learn more about Teiaiagon and these other six villages through this Wikipedia Article.

One of the villages was Ganatsekwyagon which was located in present day Rouge Park (search Bead Hill on Google Maps and the marker is there, though the site is not open to the public).

Here are links to learn more about Ganatsekwyagon

Finally, if you are interested to learn more about these villages, The History and Archaeology of the Iroquois du Nord edited by Ronald F. Williamson and Robert von Bitter looks promising but I have not received my copy yet.

Bonus for aspiring Archaeologists! Click HERE to read an article by Stacy Taylor, an Anishinaabekwe archaeologist about the unique roles and responsibilities of an Indigenous archaeologist.

If you are hoping to centre the knowledge of Indigenous peoples in your teaching and bring social studies, geography, or history alive for your students, I think you will find this new short film VERY useful.

This month, the Bawaadan Collective released Missisakis: On the Indigenous History of the Tkaronto Islands. I loved watching this beautiful film and immediately thought it would be a wonderful resource to use in Junior, Intermediate, and Senior classrooms

To discuss the limitations of the land acknowledgement
To learn more about treaties and modern land rights from a Mississauga perspective
To understand the significance of the Toronto (Tkaronto) Islands to the Mississauga people and how it has been used throughout time
To introduce the concepts of land stewardship and revitalization.

The first voice you hear belongs to Darin Wynbega, who is the Traditional Knowledge and Land Use Coordinator of the Mississauga of the Credit First Nation. He is followed by Margaret Sault who is the Director of Lands, Membership and Research, also at the Mississauga of the Credit First Nation.

I have often heard about the sacredness of the Islands to the Mississauga people, and this video is a wonderful testament to this long history. I am so grateful that this video was produced.

If you are teaching in or around Toronto, I think this is a must-watch.

Here is the description text from the Bawaadan Collective, who created this video.

Moving beyond land acknowledgements, Missisakis explores the history and significance of the Toronto Islands from a Mississauga perspective. As with any short film, we present an introduction to history that spans centuries. We encourage viewers to continue to explore this history, learn from Indigenous historians who can share this history, and attend to their calls to action. We wish to express sincere veneration to the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation. Massive Miigwetch / Nya:wen to Darin Wybenga and Margaret Sault for their supreme trust and generosity. Our approach to the research, development and concept of this video was led by our combined understanding of community engagement best practices with Indigenous partners and First Nations.

Missisakis : On The Indigenous History Of The Tkaronto Islands

Written / Directed / Score

Darin Wybenga / Margaret Sault / Bawaadan Collective

Produced in partnership with - Waterfront BIA / City of Toronto Parks, Forestry and Recreation

Listen & Learn