The O:se Kenhionhata:tie or “Landback Camp” started in Victoria Park, Kitchener and as of October 21, 2020 has moved to Waterloo Park in Waterloo, ON.
For hundreds of years, our people gathered as many nations in what is now Victoria Park, Kitchener. We gathered in this area to meet under great peace and diplomacy to talk, trade, hunt and feast together. We gathered for ceremony. We came together bringing our children and those of marriageable age would find partners and create new, great kinships between our peoples. First Chonnonton, Anishinaabe, Haudenosaunee, and Huron nations found our peace and way under the great treaty of the Dish With One Spoon Wampum. We came together here under this long standing agreement that we conducted our relationship on this land.
Today, both cities charge us large amounts of money to gather in our traditional places. We are now obliged to obtain permits and seek permission to gather on our traditional land that we have used for thousands of years.
The demands of the O:se Kenhionhata:tie camp are:
- We demand that all fees be waived for the Indigenous communities to host events in public spaces.
- We demand that land in Victoria Park, and Waterloo Park, be given back to the Indigenous Peoples. These spaces will be used for gathering and ceremonial purposes.
- We demand that the cities create paid positions, at all levels, for Indigenous Peoples to be able to engage with the First Nations, Metis, and Inuit peoples living on this territory.
- We demand that the cities create Indigenous Advisory Committees (paid) that will work with the Mayors and City Councillors in helping to address topics such as racial injustice, the lack of access to Indigenous services and community spaces, and addressing the TRC’s 94 Calls to Actions.
They intend to occupy these lands until the demands are fulfilled.
