First nation reserve

Six Nations is in Brantford, and the Mississaugas of the Credit are near Hagersville, I believe.

Woodland Cultural Centre features a museum and was the site of a residential school. It is undergoing restoration and will reopen hopefully, in the next couple of years.

Be aware that Indigenous Peoples are wary of an outsider’s intentions, so don’t be too overt/enthusiastic.

In the summer months, Manitoulin Island would be an amazing place; it is unceded territory, got beautiful scenery, and you can book tours led by Indigenous-owned businesses.

VWDriver wrote: ↑ Six Nations is in Brantford, and the Mississaugas of the Credit are near Hagersville, I believe.

Woodland Cultural Centre features a museum and was the site of a residential school. It is undergoing restoration and will reopen hopefully, in the next couple of years.

Be aware that Indigenous Peoples are wary of an outsider’s intentions, so don’t be too overt/enthusiastic.

In the summer months, Manitoulin Island would be an amazing place; it is unceded territory, got beautiful scenery, and you can book tours led by Indigenous-owned businesses.

This

Unless you are actually heading to a museum situation etc

I say shelve this idea until summer

Then head out to a Pow Wow it’s a fun & educational event… and a good way to learn more about the First Nations as a beginner

Besides the dancing, drumming, and singing
There will be crafts
And booths with info
And ya … usually food

Over the course of a day you’ll learn a lot
And meet a lot of folks
And hear about other events or things on or off the reserve that might interest you / further your education
And maybe even build some friendships

Here’s a basic list from the 2022 Season
Use it as a starting point
Most pow wows have their own websites, facebook pages, etc

https://www.northernontario.travel/indi ... plete-list

Here is a link to such a business (I have not used them before, but will do so in the summer of '23):

Indigenous-led tours

Isn't there a First Nations Cultural Centre in downtown Toronto? I think it's by the TO Police HQ.

I went there for Open Doors a few years ago and it was really interesting. Nice building too. They had a sweat lodge and replica long house from what I recall.
Might not hurt to reach out to them and see if they can point you in the right direction. (Sorry forget the exact name/location of the place)

Although I haven’t eaten at any Toronto First Nations restaurants. I’ve never been disappointed by a meal at the ones I’ve been to.

One time at Friday night live at the ROM they had First Nations themed food hall. Never went through so many food tickets! So good I wish I had a bigger appetite.

greenbaido wrote: ↑ Does anyone know or recommend a reserve closest to Mississauga , I would like to take the family to learn a little bit of their culture and food.

Um, the closest one for you would be the Six Nations of the Grand River or the Mississaugas of the New Credit. The people of the Six Nations and New Credit have a long, interesting, and proud history, and it is certainly worth your efforts to learn more about them.

If you visit, choose a time when they extend an invitation to the public, as with the annual pow pow. Don't expect to show up unannounced at the band office to get a cultural tour! And keep in mind that relations between the Six Nations and the surrounding communities have deteriorated because of the occupation of major housing development sites and road blocks put up by the natives.

With that said, you can make a nice day trip to Brantford and drive through the reserve. Just driving through will give you an idea of the living conditions and economic status of the rez. And there are souvenir places in Ohsweken, the main town on Six Nations

Tourist sights (when open, and probably not in the winter) include the Mohawk Chapel, Woodland Cultural Centre, and Chiefswood, the home of Pauline Johnson). Check ahead before leaving as staffing and opening times are variable. You can add the Alexander Graham Bell Homestead to fill out your day.

There is a large, popular restaurant on the Rez called the Burger Barn that is known for generous portions of food that are not taxable. Been there several times and found the quality and prices to be very good. I recommend for breakfast or lunch. You can also gas up at a cheaper rate and buy under-the-counter "rollies", cheap bulk cigarettes, at one of the many "smoke shacks" located at the boundaries of the rez.

It is Mississaugas of the Credit now. Not sure when they dropped the “New”.

There is also the Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory near Belleville; I actually tried to visit during the pandemic, but many communities had barred non-residents from entering for reasons historical (the Europeans had brought many diseases and wiped out a good many of them), as well as virus-related.

greenbaido wrote: ↑ Does anyone know or recommend a reserve closest to Mississauga , I would like to take the family to learn a little bit of their culture and food.

I appreciate the intention but your post shows ignorance. I'm pretty sure you can't just "show up" to a reserve and learn about "their" food and culture. I would recommend that you start your learning by searching online first before attempting to approach anyone or any reserve.

There's an EXCELLENT course offered by the University of Alberta called Indigenous Canada for free - the course is designed by Indigenous professors - it's very well done.

https://www.coursera.org/learn/indigeno ... me/welcome

hierophant wrote: ↑ I appreciate the intention but your post shows ignorance. I'm pretty sure you can't just "show up" to a reserve and learn about "their" food and culture. I would recommend that you start your learning by searching online first before attempting to approach anyone or any reserve.

You'd be surprised how accommodating people can be when you talk to them. I'd choose real life, face to face human interaction over an online course any day.

Also, while the OPs post outlines they are ignorant of a peoples culture and food which they are curious to learn more about, it looks like you're using ignorance to say the OP doesn't go about things the way you think is best and that's not ignorance, that's preference.

12345678910111213 wrote: ↑ You'd be surprised how accommodating people can be when you talk to them. I'd choose real life, face to face human interaction over an online course any day.

Also, while the OPs post outlines they are ignorant of a peoples culture and food which they are curious to learn more about, it looks like you're using ignorance to say the OP doesn't go about things the way you think is best and that's not ignorance, that's preference.

Ummm no. Thinking you're entitled to learn about another's culture based on YOUR preference is ignorant and a very Eurocentric way of looking at things, very self-entitled. There are so many different cultures and peoples that comprise of Indigenous Canada - expecting someone else to teach you without making the effort to even learn the basic even though people have taken the time to write and publish information is ignorant and disrespectful.

This isn't coming from me you - you only have to listen to Indigenous people speak or read articles. Your posts seems to suggest you know very little on this topic - to just assume people would be happy/willing to teach random strangers without anything in return or without any regard to what a burden that is (especially given current and history treatment of Indigenous people)...well that speaks volumes. If someone wants human interaction whilst learning about an Indigenous culture then they should find a Indigenous-owned business that offers such a service- don't expect it for free.

As with anything, unless you know what you're talking about - people really shouldn't be giving advice. If you really want to learn about Indigenous peoples then do your own research - asking for advice on RFD on what "reserve" to visit isn't research. Better question to ask is - I want to me and my family to learn about Canada's Indigenous peoples and history - what's the best way to start.

The course I linked to is an excellent way to get started to learn about the basics, including history, geography, the various Indigenous nations, cultures - I didn't suggest it was the only way.

hierophant wrote: ↑ I appreciate the intention but your post shows ignorance. I'm pretty sure you can't just "show up" to a reserve and learn about "their" food and culture. I would recommend that you start your learning by searching online first before attempting to approach anyone or any reserve.

There's an EXCELLENT course offered by the University of Alberta called Indigenous Canada for free - the course is designed by Indigenous professors - it's very well done.

https://www.coursera.org/learn/indigeno ... me/welcome

Excuse me, who are you to tell me my question shows ignorance? Did I once say I will “just show up” how do you know I haven’t already done my due diligence as well as already knowing and learned a bit about their culture already? you are the one who shows callowness with your unwarranted remarks.

hierophant wrote: ↑ Ummm no. Thinking you're entitled to learn about another's culture based on YOUR preference is ignorant and a very Eurocentric way of looking at things, very self-entitled. There are so many different cultures and peoples that comprise of Indigenous Canada - expecting someone else to teach you without making the effort to even learn the basic even though people have taken the time to write and publish information is ignorant and disrespectful.

This isn't coming from me you - you only have to listen to Indigenous people speak or read articles. Your posts seems to suggest you know very little on this topic - to just assume people would be happy/willing to teach random strangers without anything in return or without any regard to what a burden that is (especially given current and history treatment of Indigenous people)...well that speaks volumes. If someone wants human interaction whilst learning about an Indigenous culture then they should find a Indigenous-owned business that offers such a service- don't expect it for free.

As with anything, unless you know what you're talking about - people really shouldn't be giving advice. If you really want to learn about Indigenous peoples then do your own research - asking for advice on RFD on what "reserve" to visit isn't research. Better question to ask is - I want to me and my family to learn about Canada's Indigenous peoples and history - what's the best way to start.

The course I linked to is an excellent way to get started to learn about the basics, including history, geography, the various Indigenous nations, cultures - I didn't suggest it was the only way.

If you don't ask, you won't know, right? Or is ignorance the flavour of the day now?
While I think the OP could've framed the original post better, if the intent is to learn about another culture(s), you can't fault them for that.

Worst case, he reaches out to a reservation or cultural centre and then tell him "no", or ideally point him in the right direction for someone that does a tour or seminar into what he's looking for.
No different than wanting to learn about Japanese, South African, Spanish , Peruvian, etc. culture and looking into it at a cultural centre or something.
Besides if he showed up at the reserve (not saying I would do that myself without calling/emailing prior), they say, hey we don't do it or book ahead here and so on. Don't think he ever expected it to be free or demanding something at his calling.

I will say the First Nations course is good, but barely scratches the surface. There's a ton of "nations" in the country, but does a great job as an introduction. If he's looking for something to do with the family, the online course might be a might too much especially if there are young kids.

IceBlueShoes wrote: ↑ If you don't ask, you won't know, right? Or is ignorance the flavour of the day now?
While I think the OP could've framed the original post better, if the intent is to learn about another culture(s), you can't fault them for that.

Worst case, he reaches out to a reservation or cultural centre and then tell him "no", or ideally point him in the right direction for someone that does a tour or seminar into what he's looking for.
No different than wanting to learn about Japanese, South African, Spanish , Peruvian, etc. culture and looking into it at a cultural centre or something.
Besides if he showed up at the reserve (not saying I would do that myself without calling/emailing prior), they say, hey we don't do it or book ahead here and so on. Don't think he ever expected it to be free or demanding something at his calling.

I will say the First Nations course is good, but barely scratches the surface. There's a ton of "nations" in the country, but does a great job as an introduction. If he's looking for something to do with the family, the online course might be a might too much especially if there are young kids.

Yep valid points. To be clear I wasn't faulting OP for wanting learning about other cultures. It wasn't clear based on OP's posts if he/she was planning to just show up (it seemed like it - unless it's stated we can't know what they're thinking or what they know - people need to provide better information in their posts if they want relevant information - makes little sense to get angry otherwise), which is why I cautioned against just showing up. I shouldn't have used the word ignorant without knowing if OP was going to just show up - my bad.

However, given the highly contentious nature, I don't think direct comparisons can be made about learning other cultures (a lot of Indigenous culture was erased) so going to someone and asking them may be problematic - again this is what I've directly heard from Indigenous people time and time again so this isn't secret knowledge.

At any rate, there was no ill-intent on my part - I am sharing a perspective that may not have been considered. I'm not Indigenous but I've had my fair share people making really ignorant comments and assumptions about my culture - just because someone's intentions are good doesn't mean it's not annoying and tiresome - it is important to take into consideration how others may perceive something when we're trying to learn about them or a culture vs. just our preference and what we want out of it.

About the online course - once again, I was just letting others know about it as people may not be aware in case they're interested. I didn't state it was a substitute for anything.

I’m with @hierophant on this
The OP did make it sound like they were just going to show up on the “reserve” unannounced … and out of curiosity

Which is why I suggested starting out by attending a Pow Wow
An event where there is an intended outreach to the rest of the population
In regards to education & learning

Besides …

Reserve … is such a bad term
It makes one think of other areas of our country that have -ERVES in their name

Conservation areas, Preservation Areas, Wildlife Reserves

The word reserve … makes me cringe
As if folks would drive thru to see the Indigenous individual in their Natural Habitat
In the same way one might drive thru some if these other -ERVES areas to see Bison or other endangered species
Such as Yellowstone, Parc Omega, or a Parc Safari / African Lion Safari

Thinking about the whole idea of Reserves … what they were meant to do
What they’ve become
And how people think about them
Needs to change drastically !!!

They are peoples communities
They deserve more respect … as do the people who call them home

hierophant wrote: ↑ Ummm no. Thinking you're entitled to learn about another's culture based on YOUR preference is ignorant and a very Eurocentric way of looking at things, very self-entitled. There are so many different cultures and peoples that comprise of Indigenous Canada - expecting someone else to teach you without making the effort to even learn the basic even though people have taken the time to write and publish information is ignorant and disrespectful.

This isn't coming from me you - you only have to listen to Indigenous people speak or read articles. Your posts seems to suggest you know very little on this topic - to just assume people would be happy/willing to teach random strangers without anything in return or without any regard to what a burden that is (especially given current and history treatment of Indigenous people)...well that speaks volumes. If someone wants human interaction whilst learning about an Indigenous culture then they should find a Indigenous-owned business that offers such a service- don't expect it for free.

As with anything, unless you know what you're talking about - people really shouldn't be giving advice. If you really want to learn about Indigenous peoples then do your own research - asking for advice on RFD on what "reserve" to visit isn't research. Better question to ask is - I want to me and my family to learn about Canada's Indigenous peoples and history - what's the best way to start.

The course I linked to is an excellent way to get started to learn about the basics, including history, geography, the various Indigenous nations, cultures - I didn't suggest it was the only way.

You sure jump to a lot of conclusions and fill in a lot of banks. Just because you carry a big chip on your shoulder and love categorizing everyone into stereotype, doesn't mean everyone else has to. You're the one who comes across as extremely entitled using ethnic slurs and looking down on people who have different opinions than yourself.

If you still are making up your mind just have a look at the Six Nations Tourism website.
https://www.sixnationstourism.ca/

It's details what Six Nations offers in the way of the tourist experience and if you have any questions you can just give them a shout either by phone or email.

https://www.sixnationstourism.ca/contact-us/

nielboy wrote: ↑ If you still are making up your mind just have a look at the Six Nations Tourism website.
https://www.sixnationstourism.ca/

It's details what Six Nations offers in the way of the tourist experience and if you have any questions you can just give them a shout either by phone or email.

https://www.sixnationstourism.ca/contact-us/

The splash page literally says “a place to see” and they have spa and weekend retreat packages.

@hierophant perhaps you were being a little harsh on OP considering they have all sorts of packages. Including kayak tours with history lessons. Bingo, spa, fitness facilities and overnight stays.