On November 14th SEDRD students and University guests took part in the Aboriginal Experiences Field Trip, organized by Rural Planning and Development professor Dr. Sheri Longboat [1]. With visits to the Kanata Village, the Mohawk Institute Residential School and Woodland Museum, the trip provided an opportunity to experience, in a few hours, the history and culture of the Six Nations (Haudenosaunee) of the Grand River. 
Above Photo - Students learn about the life in the Longhouse.
Above Photo - Which Items are from Six Nations culture?
The Kanata Village [2] guide highlighted he was there to share culture, not the pain, suffering or the political issues that emerge when we talk about First Nations. While these are extremely important, they are not the centre of Six Nations – the culture is the heart of the people. Highlights of this visit included a tour of a Haudenosaunee longhouse, cultural teachings and story-telling, and playing “the Creator’s game”, known to most as Lacrosse, but considered a medicine for the Six Nations people.
Above Photo: Students learn about the Creators game at Kanata.
At the Woodland Cultural Centre [3], the dark reality experienced by those who attended the Mohawk Institute Residential School was presented by the knowledgeable and welcoming Staff. The virtual tour of this building, that operated from 1831 to 1970, along with the stories of survivors, opened the necessary discussion on the dark side of federal assimilation policy, as well as the hope for present and future generations.
This hope was central to the conversations during the Woodland Museum [4] tour which provided trip participants more information on traditional governance and social structures of the Six Nations. Their traditions and artifacts were born and continue to exist in dynamic relationships. They are, as expressed in the words of the Museum guide, beautiful, resilient and a source of hope for reconciliation.
Above Photo: Wampum Belts at the Woodland Museum.
