On May 26, around 40 Pontiac residents gathered at the Bert Kennedy Centre in Quyon for a two-hour presentation on Anishinaabe Algonquin history and its effect on the current issues of our society.

Hosted by the Friends of Chats Falls, the presentation centred mostly on long-time systemic issues affecting Indigenous Canadian’s quality of life to this very day, including the implementation of status cards, the impact of residential schools on community development and a reflection on the Indian Act of 1876 and its archaic laws that remain in effect.

With countless historical tales from the perspective of a true Anishinaabe band member, spectators crowded the room listening attentively with a look of curiosity and intrigue, occasionally asking questions.

The session was initially intended to be led by Kitigan Zibi Education Sector Director Anita Tenasco, who couldn’t make it due to an unforeseen circumstance. Instead, it was presented by Maniwaki resident with 20 years of experience as Kitigan Zibi Health and Social Services Director Lionel Whiteduck.

At the start of the presentation, Friends of Chats Falls board member Deborah Powell gave Whiteduck a small pouch of tobacco symbolizing their appreciation of his presence.

According to Whiteduck, the purpose of the presentation was to drive discussion among locals on a subject of interest that is either hazy or not completely understood by most people.

“It’s a sharing of things,” he said. “When you have lots of time you can share a lot more because the people here have just as much to share about these issues.”

With such constant tension going on in society, a lengthy discussion on history and how it shapes the modern world was a good way of showing that people, groups and cultures in all walks of life deal with very similar issues at the end of the day and that co-existence is imperative, Whiteduck said.

“It’s very important in the sense that it allows us to come to the realization that we are all humans,” said Whiteduck. “We have different needs. There are things that you may feel are owed to you that I may feel but it doesn’t make us an enemy. It’s a question of sharing and coming to an understanding to be able to live together because ultimately that’s what it’s all about.”

For Friends of Chats Falls President Maude-Emanuelle Lambert, the presentation was a great opportunity for local residents to learn about the history of Indigenous people in the region from a different perspective than they’re used to seeing from most history teachers, books and documentaries.

“Something that happens too often is that we see the history of Indigenous people and the valley of the Outaouais River in history books and that’s it,” said Lambert. “And I believe there’s a growing will among people to learn from those communities that live just two hours away and that lived on the Outaouais valley territory long before my ancestors or your ancestors established themselves here.”

“It’s not something we learn in school,” she added. “An entire reform of education programs is needed because it’s very high level [knowledge]. I was looking at what my daughter was learning this year in third grade and I thought ‘Wow, this is unbelievable.’”

Following the presentation, Whiteduck was hopeful that attendees would go home understanding the importance of sharing their newly acquired knowledge with others in their communities.

“The dialogue has got to keep going,” he said. “For too many years there was no dialogue. None. There was zero. It’s only in the last so many years that the schools are finally starting to open up, inviting people to come and talk. It doesn’t mean that what we say is cast in stone but it’s a sharing of ideas and hopefully of one person’s reality.”

With a packed house in the organization’s first event of the new season, Lambert felt fortunate about the amount of people who took the time out of their weekend to show up for the presentation and said they plan on hosting another similar type of discussion sometime this fall.

“For a sunny Sunday in May we’re lucky that the room was full,” said Lambert. “I think we had around 40 people here, so I think it’s quite a success.”

For their next event, the organization is planning on hosting a canoe ride on the Ottawa River in July on a date that has yet to be determined as the quality of the river’s water will be assessed for safety purposes.

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