Freeman, V. (2010). "Toronto Has No History!"

 Freeman, V. (2010). "Toronto Has No History!" Indigeneity, Settler Colonialism, and Historical

 

A)      After reading the article, I was struck by the untapped potential of Toronto's rich urbanization history of Indigenous people. This history, if properly recognized and celebrated, could be a powerful tool to attract tourists, offering a unique perspective on the city's past. Currently, when newcomers arrive in Canada or prepare for citizenship, they are primarily exposed to the history of European settlers, a narrative that overlooks the significant contributions of Indigenous communities.

B)      “He explained that according to tradition, Toronto had been one of the stopping places of his ancestors on the Great Migration of the Anishinaabeg from the east coast.  “We stayed quite a while,’ he added, but “in 1847, we were removed from this place.” He paused before continuing somewhat bemusedly: “I’m asked to come and celebrate this city, but the city itself kind of moved us out.” (Freeman, 2010, P. 21). Here, we can get information that Indigenous people had built the city and were removed from their land. After a long time, they were called to celebrate the city, but they are the outsiders now.

“Yet historical memory is always fluctuating, contested, and precarious, especially in Toronto, a city of newcomers, where half its current residents were born outside of Canada” (Freeman, 2010, P. 31). I found it very accurate. I was a newcomer, too. Now, become Canadian. I didn’t know about this Indigenous history in Toronto. Most people I know are newcomers; they also don’t know about it. I have met some aged white Canadians. Also, they never mention it or might not even know about the rich Indigenous history of urbanization.

Reference:

Freeman, V. (2010). "Toronto Has No History!" Indigeneity, Settler Colonialism, and Historical

Memory in Canada's Largest City. Urban History Review, 38(2), 21-35,88. https://login.gbcprx01.georgebrown.ca/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-journals/toronto-has-no-history-indigeneity-settler/docview/216510498/se-2