London, Ontario, June 6th, 2025 – A number of panels that marks the history of the Michisaagiig Peoples, including Hiawatha First Nation – Michisaagiig of Rice Lake, in Peterborough’s Millennium Park was defaced with racist remarks sometime before Wednesday. Thankfully community minded individuals worked to clean away the markings as best they could but the fact that someone would do this remains and is considered an outrageous motion of a hate crime.
Chief Carr has been the Chief of Hiawatha for many years and has been a staunch advocate, defender and in service for her Nation. Chief Carr states “This is malicious, it is hard to witness that people out there are willingly doing this, and for what? It makes no sense except to appease their own hateful thought processes. Regardless of their actions, it will not deter us, as we are a vibrant, proud, independent healthy people. We will not allow this to unsettle us and we will make sure actions will be taken”.
Grand Chief Joel Abram states “It’s incredibly sad to see this happen in this day and age. Just when you think we have made huge strides of progress in building Nation to Nation relationships this sort of act shows that there is still a long way to go. The Indigenous Nations that make up the Association of Iroquois and Allied Indians (AIAI) are proud to stand with Chief Carr as friends, family and in unity against this sort of atrocity”
Deputy Grand Chief Stacia Loft says “When people do this they are acting out and by committing these hate crimes they are acting out in ways that only make sense to them. I am proud to have worked with Chief Carr and to have worked side by side with the Peoples of Hiawatha for many years. As their friend and Indigenous Sister I want them to know that I am appalled but stalwart in my willingness to give them my strength and support. We won’t let others win with hate and negativity”.
Knowledge Keeper, Tom Cowie worked with the City to make the Nogojiwanong Project panels possible. They are a major art project of interpretive signs that honor the 200th anniversary of the signing of Rice Lake Treaty No. 20 and the presence of the Williams Treaties First Nations in the region . AIAI wishes to let the Nation of Hiawatha know that the other member Nations are ready and willing to offer their support.