Conferences

Went last Saturday to a daylong event on and about the Toronto Carrying Place, which drew on the fact that Samuel de Champlain and Etienne Brulé were in the vicinity (loosely defined) 400 years ago.

Almost two hundred people at 9:00 am on a sunny Saturday morning for a history event!  And all organized by keen young people at the local historical societies of Etobicoke, Swansea, and West Toronto Junction).  There was a morning panel session in which a lot of people (including Carolyn Podruchny, John Steckley, Annie Veulleux, Christian Bode, me) talked history. But they also organized a walking program along the Carrying Place that included an original music performance by Ars Musica, related dramatic monologues from Humber Shakespeare, and an enactment of the Haudenosaunee ritual one dish one spoon (suitably adapted).  Nice to see an awareness that a history event can be more than talking at you!

Same lesson from two First Nations speakers, Gary Sault of the Mississaugas of New Credit and Amy Desjarlais of the Anishnabe. They spoke, but they also drummed, chanted, and prayed.  Don't often see a non-indigenous historian trying that! Not easy, either.

Speaking of conferences, I'm looking forward to the Active History conference in London, Ont, next week, as promoted here.