Robinson Huron 1850 Treaty Gathering

By Steven McCoy

When you stand on the shore banks of the St. Mary’s River today, a place known to Anishinaabe people as Bawating, there’s nothing telling the visitor about the significance or the history of this sacred area and what it means to Anishinaabe people. Bawating is an Ojibway term translated into English meaning ‘the place of the rapids’ and Anishinaabe teachings say this is where creation took place; it is the place where life began! Anishinaabe people from all over Turtle Island used to travel for days to gather at Bawating and have continued to do so for millennia.

Bawating is also the place where the 21 Lake Huron First Nation Ogimaak came together and entered the Robinson Huron Treaty on September 9, 1850, with the settler governments. This was a very significant moment in time when two nations entered an historic partnership based on a resource sharing agreement, known as the Robinson Huron Treaty, that led to the development of current day Canada. Yet, when you stand on the shore banks of the St. Mary’s River today there are no monuments, there are no plaques, and there are no statues commemorating the historic events that took place here. The true history and stories of Bawating are now being told through the lens of Anishinaabe people and in 2016, the first ever Robinson Huron Treaty Gathering took place in Bawating on the shore banks of the St. Mary’s River.

The Robinson Huron Treaty Litigation Management Committee wanted to find more effective ways to communicate to the First Nation communities, members, and the public about the importance of the Treaty and what the annuities case means for members and communities within the Treaty area. In response, a Sacred Council Fire was lit, and First Nation leaders, spiritual guides and pipe carriers gathered around and proceeded with a pipe ceremony to ask for guidance and clarity from the ancestral spirits. As the pipes made their way around the sacred fire, those in attendance called upon their ancestors and asked how to proceed in a good way. From that ceremony, a decision was made to start an annual gathering to commemorate the signing of the Robinson Huron Treaty on the same anniversary date and to hold the first gathering at the same spot where the Treaty was signed.

The true history and stories of Bawating are now being told through the lens of Anishinaabe people and in 2016, the first ever Robinson Huron Treaty Gathering took place in Bawating on the shore banks of the St. Mary’s River.

The first Robinson Huron Treaty Gathering was created as a way for the Litigation Management Committee to unite all 21 Lake Huron First Nation communities who make up the Treaty area and exert their sovereignty while gathering strength and guidance from the ancestors through ceremony to help the Litigation Management Committee endure the long court case that lay ahead. The gathering was also part of the communications strategy for the Litigation Committee to help raise awareness among both Indigenous and non-Indigenous people about the annuities case and the Robinson Huron Treaty. In addition, the gatherings were meant to be an educational experience by sharing important information such as what agreements are contained in the Treaty and how the relationship between the Government of Canada and First Nations is supposed to look today.

The first gathering, began in a unique way that was as beautiful as it was powerful for all those in attendance. The day started as the sun rose over the horizon only to be greeted by a misty fog that enveloped everything in sight, reducing visibility so much that one could barely see across the small stretch of the St. Mary’s River that separates Canada from the United States. As the morning sun slowly rose in the eastern sky, a small caravan of vehicles carrying various event organizers, community leaders and First Nation Ogimaak made its way across the International Bridge from the Canadian side and convened on the southern banks of the St. Mary’s River on the soil of the United States of America. After a small pipe ceremony was conducted along the banks of the river in the misty haze, the small group of about two dozen people piled into a 24-foot-long canoe to make the journey across the river. The group pushed off the banks of the river and started their journey into the misty morning fog while U.S. Coast Guard ships floated in the background in an present yet respectful manner. The presence of authorities from various agencies, such as members of the U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. and Canadian Border agents and members of the Ontario Provincial Police didn’t damper the spirits of the group; quite the opposite in fact and as they made their way across the river, the group was in good spirits as laughter filled the air while their big canoe led the way, zigging and zagging through the foggy morning mist.

The journey across the river kicked off the 2016 gathering as an exertion of Anishinaabe rights to cross the international border unhindered and as the group guided their boats onto the northern shores of the St. Mary’s River on the Canadian side, they were greeted by numerous dancers dressed in full regalia while drummers filled the air with the beats and rhythms of Mother Earth’s heart.

As the sun rose higher in the sky and the fog dissipated into the afternoon heat, the grounds of Whitefish Island started to swell with attendees from all over the province and beyond, many more than the organizers anticipated, all of them eager to participate in the gathering. The event also attracted members of the press from major news agencies such as APTN and CBC. In addition, the Assembly of First Nations National Ogimaa at the time, Perry Belgrade, also made an appearance much to the surprise of those in attendance and took to the stage to say some words of support and encouragement.

The first gathering was a huge success in the big turnout of attendees, national media coverage and the knowledge that was shared. Not long after the first gatherings’ sacred fire went out, the Litigation Management Committee, in conjunction with First Nation leaders and spiritual advisors went back into the lodge to begin planning for the 2017 gathering and beyond. Location selection became the topic of discussion surrounding the second gathering as the council of organizers wanted it to be accessible by as many people in the Treaty area as possible, so the Atikameksheng First Nation was chosen as the 2017 host for the gathering. Being close to the City of Sudbury, Atikameksheng First Nation offered the organizers plenty of resources to accommodate all the attendees such as hotel rooms, especially for Elders, who required special care and protection from the elements.

Finding enough rooms for all the attendees and dignitaries to stay in became a bit of an issue for the council of organizers as the 2018 gathering was co-hosted by Wasauksing and Shawanaga First Nations and held in Shawanaga. Shawanaga First Nation is on the eastern coast of Lake Huron, farther from the luxuries and resources provided by a major city centre which posed some challenges for event organizers such as finding enough accommodations and being able to feed the hundreds of attendees in an area that just doubled in population size due to the gathering.

The same issues presented themselves for the 2019 gathering as it was held on the unceded territory of Wiikwemkoong First Nation, which is also located on Manitoulin Island, but is on the western side. Challenges with accommodations and food put the organizers to the test in their attempts to keep everyone housed and fed for the duration of the 2018 and 2019 gatherings.

Despite these challenges, the events continued to gain momentum since the inaugural gathering took place in 2016. The organizers came away feeling successful in achieving their goal of bringing people together to commemorate the signing of the Robinson Huron Treaty while raising awareness amongst attendees and the public about the importance of honouring the Treaties while strengthening our relationships with one another.

Then COVID-19 broke out across the globe and the 2020 gathering had to be postponed, much to the dismay of the council of organizers. The absence of the gathering in 2020 was noticeable amongst the communities, members, leaders and organizers which slowed the momentum achieved from the previous gatherings. When the council convened and went back into ceremony to ask those ancestral spirits for guidance and vision, it became clear that the gatherings must continue. The decision was made to go ahead with a 2021 gathering and return to the inaugural host community of Batchewana First Nation and the territory of Bawating.

The priority of the 2021 gathering was to share good energies, knowledge, and recharge for the upcoming season, which was especially important after a one-year hiatus. The council of organizers wanted to include more culture and ceremony for the 2021 gathering so an entire day was dedicated to celebrating and engaging in traditional cultural events and ceremonies. All 21 Lake Huron First Nation Ogimaak were asked to bring one log for the sacred council fire, a log that has been blessed and specifically chosen for the purpose of being used in ceremony throughout the gathering in the Teaching Lodge.

The idea of constructing a Teaching Lodge for the 2021 gathering came from ceremony. All of creation was represented in the gathering process and in the construction work that took place in the building of the Teaching Lodge. Volunteers and event organizers spent the day before the 2021 gathering, much of it in the pouring rain, assembling the Teaching Lodge. When finished, the Lodge stretched alongside the Sault Canal at an impressive length of 100 feet with a width of 24 feet while standing at a height of approximately 12 feet at the highest point in the curved roof of the lodge.

The saplings used for the construction of the Teaching Lodge were all gathered from the original reserve lands of Batchewana First Nation located about 30 minutes outside of Sault Ste. Marie. All the work was completed by volunteers who participated in ceremonies throughout the area and were ever-present in the planning and organizing of the 2021 gathering. The rains that poured down on the organizers as they constructed the Teaching Lodge did not dampen their spirits as everyone seemed to enjoy the warm September rain as it fell from the skies cleansing the grounds around the site. The work that took place beforehand resulted in a Teaching Lodge that was built from a place of spirituality and anyone who was present throughout the day of ceremony could feel and see the power and presence of those spirits as they appeared in different forms throughout the day.

The morning of Thursday, September 9, 2021 started with the sun rising slowly over the city skyline of Sault Ste. Marie, its reflection shimmering off the fast-moving waters of the St. Mary’s River. In the western sky, low to mid lying clouds with fluffy tops stretched high into the heavens as they floated slowly along with the morning breeze. The clouds provided the perfect canvas as a reflective backdrop for the rising sun to paint them with a distinctive pink hue. As the Sunrise Ceremony commenced, a flock of geese flying in a perfect V-shaped formation appeared from the western sky, honking loudly so everyone present had their attention as they flew over the eastern section of the Teaching Lodge, so low that you could almost reach up and touch their tail feathers mid-flight.

As the day progressed and the ceremonies continued, various speakers, Elders and leaders took turns sharing knowledge as the fire keepers kept the sacred fire burning, carrying their messages to the spirits in the wisps of smoke that emanated from the flames. In the afternoon, the spirits continued to answer those calls as various birds such as hawks and eagles appeared high in the sky directly above the Teaching Lodge, circling around with their wings spread out catching the afternoon winds, along with the attention of the participants gathered in and around the Teaching Lodge. The day of ceremony was truly a memorable moment for all of those who were present and was a great start to the 2021 Treaty Gathering.

On Friday the organizers had virtual live streaming of the gathering available for those who could not attend, except for sacred moments such as Pipe Ceremonies and Sunrise Ceremonies. Due to COVID-19 restrictions many speakers, such as National Chief Roseanne Archibald, gave their remarks on a large screen via Zoom to an audience gathered inside the Machine Shop event hall. The speakers reminded us of the original intent and spirit of the Treaty and encouraged everyone to find their voice and call upon the Governments of Canada to honour the original intent of the Treaty when the Ogimaak and leaders convened on the banks of the St. Mary’s River back in 1850 and entered into a relationship together.

In 2021, as attendees, leaders, organizers and community members gathered again on the banks of the St. Mary’s River, there were still no monuments to see, no plaques to read and no statues to admire that celebrate the Anishinaabe history of Bawating or commemorate the signing of the Robinson Huron Treaty. Yet, through sacred ceremony and prayer, we know the spirits of our ancestors will be ever present, guiding our actions that help strengthen our relationships as we move forward together into the future.