Wampum belt exchange marks 200th anniversary of signing of Treaty 22

During a ceremony marking the 200th anniversary of the signing of Treaty 22, Oakville Mayor Rob Burton announced his intention to have a permanent monument erected in Oakville to acknowledge the treaty lands.

“It is my hope that we can create a permanent monument of this exchange in Town that honours this exchange and the ongoing relationship we have with the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation,” said Mayor Burton.

The announcement came during a wampum belt exchange, a ceremony in which Mayor Burton and Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation Chief Stacey LaForme acknowledged the anniversary of the signing of Treaty 22, which encompasses the lands at 12 Mile Creek and 16 Mile Creek in Oakville.

The wampum belt exchange has traditionally marked events, alliances and kinship between different peoples. The ceremony, held at Oakville Museum’s Erchless Estate, was attended by MP and secretary to the minister of indigenous affairs Pam Damoff, as well as members of the First Nation community and those close to the truth and reconciliation work in Halton and was lead by Elder Garry Sault and indigenous knowledge guide, Stephen Paquette. It featured traditional First Nation elements to signify the relationship the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation have with the municipality, including a smudging and pipe ceremony as well as traditional drumming.

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