'More work to be done': Stouffville unveils land acknowledgement at town hall

Back in 2002, archeologists discovered there was a village founded by the Huron-Wendat in the 16th century in what now is Stouffville

Yorkregion.com
May 27, 2022
Simon Martin

Stouffville Town Hall got a new look May. 17. Now, when entering the doors of the town office, you will see the town’s new land acknowledgement agreement. Town staff gathered along with a delegation from the Huron-Wendat Nation to unveil the plaque.

The move was greatly appreciated by members the Huron-Wendat Nation who were on hand.

“It’s important way to show reconciliation with First Nations,” Huron-Wendat Chief William Romain said. "It’s a nice opportunity to show everyone that the Huron-Wendat have been here for many years.”

The town has come a long way in four years, Whitchurch-Stouffville Mayor Iain Lovatt said. “When I became mayor in 2018, the town didn’t have a land acknowledgment. So I actually started just reading one before council meeting,” he said.

Council agreed that it was the right thing to do but it was informal. In November, council voted unanimously in favour of adopting a town land acknowledgement to open all council, committee and staff working group meetings.

“There is much, much more work to be done. But I hope that this plaque can serve as a symbol of our town’s ongoing commitment to make the promise and challenge of truth and reconciliation real in our community.”

The acknowledgement reads: “The Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville acknowledges this land is the treaty territory of the Williams Treaty First Nations. It is also the traditional territory of other Anishinaabeg peoples, the Huron-Wendat, and the Haudenosaunee. We also recognize the contributions of all Indigenous peoples to this place and commit to a continued dialogue and greater respect for the land we have come to share. Recognition of the contributions and historic importance of Indigenous peoples must also be clearly and overtly connected to our collective commitment to make the promise of Truth and Reconciliation real in our communities.”

The 2015 report from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada outlines calls to action specifically for municipalities like Stouffville. The town has tried a few to address during this term of council, including renewing established treaty relationships based on principles of mutual recognition and respect. Lovatt mentioned the library is committing to have more educational resources on residential schools.

Stouffville is a significant area for the Huron-Wendat. Back in 2002, archeologists discovered there was a village founded by the Huron-Wendat in the 16th century in what now is Stouffville. The discovery was unearthed on seven acres of the Mantle family farm. Archeologists found 200,000 artifacts, including remnants of log houses and a walled-in settlement, pottery, tools and a piece of wrought iron.

The settlement was big, with 1,700 people and more than 50 longhouses arranged around a central plaza. The site located south of Reeves Way near Wendat Village Public School, was known initially as the Mantle archeological site and was subsequently renamed the Jean-Baptiste Laine Site in 2017.

Along with 1,700 pots on the site, the excavation done by archaeologists uncovered pieces of pipes with effigies of woodpeckers, owls and humans.

Effigies were also found on bone tools.

In the 16th century, the large settlement was formed in response to increased conflict in the region. Many smaller villages merged to form a three-hectare settlement of 1,700 people, with more than 50 longhouses arranged around a central plaza, surrounded by a palisade, a ditch and an embankment as protection. The community later moved north to join the Huron-Wendat Confederacy in the lands south of Georgian Bay. According to an exhibit, the Wendat abandoned the site after around two decades of occupation. It was believed that soil depletion and reduction of resources for clothing and shelter along with hostilities with the Haudenosaunee contributed to the abandonment of the area.

“It’s a really important site to share our culture, our knowledge. It’s one of the most important sites here in Stouffville,” Chief Romain said. “It is one of the bigger sites. There are many sites here in Ontario.”