The City of Windsor is taking the first official day of summer to celebrate the history of Indigenous peoples in the area, along with residents who have an Indigenous background.
The summer solstice, June 21, is National Indigenous Peoples Day in Canada. To commemorate it, the City is offering a variety of ways for people to recognize the contributions of Indigenous peoples in the area.
"Before Europeans arrived, the land along the Detroit River was referred to as Waawiiyaatanong by the Indigenous populations," read a media release from the City. "Due to Windsor’s unique location along the Detroit River, many different groups have called this area home, including the Haudenosaunee, Attawandaron (Neutral), and Huron (Wyandot) peoples. Today, many Indigenous people and Metis across Turtle Island call this area home. The City is thankful to be able to share our history in this area."
Windsor City Hall will be lit in orange lights Tuesday evening. Admission to the Chimczuk Museum is free on Tuesday, as the museum presents a temporary exhibition on the McKee Treaty, which was between the British and the Three Fires Confederacy and Huron, and signed at Detroit in 1790. The treaty is on loan to the museum from Library and Archives Canada.
Indigenous Storyteller Theresa Sims, a frequent presence at events across Windsor-Essex, will have a series of online features, which are available on the City's official website. Sims, from the upper Mohawk, Turtle Clan of the Six Nations Reserve, is also the City's official Indigenous Storyteller.
The City is also sponsoring Windsor Indigenous Solidarity Day, from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. at Mic Mac Park. The event is open to the public and sponsored by Can-Am Urban Native Non-Profit Homes, the University of Windsor Aboriginal Education Centre, and Ska:na Family Learning Centre. Entertainment, food, and games for children will be part of the festivities.
With June being National Indigenous Month, Tourism Windsor Essex Pelee Island (TWEPI) is also participating, by providing numerous opportunities for people to reflect on the region's Indigenous ties. A list of suggestions can be found on TWEPI's website.
