Fort York Historic Site

The Indigenous Arts Festival was a three-day event, held at the Fort York National Historic Site between June 18th-20th 2015. The festival was a free event, open to the general public featuring Indigenous art, food, music and dance. FORT YORK BARRACKS It seems counter-intuitive to host an event celebrating Indigenous Peoples at Fort York, a […]

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An Emic & Etic Cultural Experience through Dancing & Storytelling

With various cultural festivals happening around the City of Toronto this summer, which are each focused on specific cultural niches, it can be hard to choose one which is representative of Canadian culture. As a nation which celebrates multiculturalism, it is often difficult to articulate what comprises Canadian culture. There is a general understanding that Canadian culture has its roots in French and British cultures due to the enduring legacy of these cultures in law, language and customs, however the place of Indigenous culture in broader Canadian culture may be unclear due to past efforts to suppress First Nations’ cultures. The Indigenous Arts Festival was the ideal event to make clear, the significant place of Indigenous culture in Canadian culture, as it educated Canadians about Aboriginal teachings and traditions, and brought together Canada’s diverse communities in an intercultural celebration.

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Indigenous Vendors Pavillion

The festival was also an opportunity for Indigenous vendors to sell their goods to the public. There was Indigenous art, clothing, jewellery and decorations for sale. INDIGENOUS GOODS FOR SALE VENDORS PAVILLION I was particularly interested in one booth that had beautiful brightly coloured prints. Unfortunately for me, the prints were out of my price range, although […]

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Festival Glossary

Anishnaabe (Good Being) Bannock (Aboriginal bread) Blue Stone Cloud (Rod Nettagog) Elder (A term of respect for an Indigenous senior.) Forty-Niner (Humourous English songs adapted to Indigenous traditional singing styles.) Fireflower (water lily) Miigwech  (thank you) Na-Me-Res (Native Men’s Residence) Round dance (A dance where dancers hold hands in a circle and move in unison.) Shkoden […]

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Travelling to Fort York

The Fort York Historic site is conveniently accessible by streetcar, direct from Union station. Or you could drive if you want to pay for parking and pollute the environment.   Fort York Directions and Map MODERN STREETCAR EXTERIOR CLASSIC STREETCAR EXTERIOR MODERN STREETCAR INTERIOR We took one of the new streetcars to Fort York and […]

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