Indigenous Toronto: Stories That Carry This Place

WINNER OF THE HERITAGE TORONTO 2022 BOOK AWARD

Rich and diverse narratives of Indigenous Toronto, past and present

Beneath many major North American cities rests a deep foundation of Indigenous history that has been colonized, paved over, and, too often, silenced. Few of its current inhabitants know that Toronto has seen twelve thousand years of uninterrupted Indigenous presence and nationhood in this region, along with a vibrant culture and history that thrives to this day.

With contributions by Indigenous Elders, scholars, journalists, artists, and historians, this unique anthology explores the poles of cultural continuity and settler colonialism that have come to define Toronto as a significant cultural hub and intersection that was also known as a Meeting Place long before European settlers arrived.

"This book is a reflection of endurance and a helpful corrective to settler fantasies. It tells a more balanced account of our communities, then and now. It offers the space for us to reclaim our ancestors’ language and legacy, rewriting ourselves back into a landscape from which non Indigenous historians have worked hard to erase us. But we are there in the skyline and throughout the GTA, along the coast and in all directions." -- from the introduction by Hayden King

Denise Bolduc is an accomplished creative director, producer, programmer, speaker and arts consultant recognized for her involvement across disciplines with local, national, and international multi-disciplinary activities. She has held a number of leadership roles such as Arts Program Officer for both the Canada Council for the Arts and the Ontario Arts Council, Artistic Director with the Harbourfront Centre and Artistic Director/Co Founder with the Aboriginal Music Project. She is a faculty instructor with the Centre for Indigenous Theatre and a consultant/mentor to numerous artists, arts leaders and organizations. Denise has also served on numerous committees and boards including Native Earth Performing Arts, imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival, the National Indigenous Arts Adminstrators/Leaders and Aboriginal Voices Radio. She is Anishnaabe from the Lake Superior territory, and a member of the Batchewana First Nation.

Mnawaate Gordon-Corbiere is Grouse clan and a member of M'Chigeeng First Nation. She is Ojibwe and Cree. Born in Toronto and raised in M'Chigeeng, in 2019 she obtained her BA in History and English from the University of Toronto. Since graduation, she has been working in the heritage sector with a focus on Indigenous history.

Media and story creator Rebeka Tabobondung is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of MUSKRATMagazine.com a leading on-line Indigenous arts and culture magazine in Canada. Rebeka is also a filmmaker, writer, poet, and Indigenous knowledge researcher. In 2015, Rebeka co-founded the Gchi Dewin Indigenous Storytellers Festival in Wasauksing First Nation, along the beautiful shores of Lake Huron where she is also an elected Councillor and community member. She currently lives in Toronto.

Widely recognized as the authority on Native music, Brian Wright-McLeod (Dakota/Anishnabe) is a Toronto-based author, artist, producer, archivist, and educator. His radio work resulted in The Encyclopedia of Native Music and the companion three-CD Soundtrack of a People [EMI Music Canada] which were the basis for the Smithsonian Institute’s Native music exhibit Up Where We Belong and the documentary film Rumble, which earned three 2018 Canadian Screen Awards. Brian has lectured internationally, worked as a music consultant for film, television, and recording projects. He served on the Juno Awards Aboriginal Music Committee and helped establish the Native American music category for the Grammy Awards. He teaches Indigenous music at Centennial College and Indigenous media at York University.