Time: 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
International exhibition, “To Honour and Respect: Gifts from the Michi Saagiig Women to the Prince of Wales, 1860”, has opened at the Peterborough Museum and Archives. This long-term loan exhibition will be on display from April 22 to November 19, 2023.
The exhibition is of thirteen (13) quilled wiigwaasii makakoons (pronounced weeg-wah-see mah-ka-coons). These items will be visiting their ancestral lands on Michi Saagiig territory from April 22 to November 19, 2023. Michi Saagiig women gave the thirteen birch bark baskets (makakoons) to the Prince of Wales on September 7, 1860, when he stopped at Rice Lake village (now Hiawatha First Nation) as part of a cross-Canada Royal tour.
Through a partnership between Hiawatha First Nation, the Mississauga Nation, the Peterborough Museum & Archives and Royal Collection Trust, the makakoons will be on exhibition at the Peterborough Museum & Archives (PMA), 300 Hunter St. E., Peterborough.
Entitled “To Honour and Respect: Gifts from the Michi Saagiig Women to the Prince of Wales, 1860,” the exhibition will explore the cultural knowledge, love, respect, and diplomacy that went into the makakoons. The PMA is providing a safe and accessible home for the ancestral makakoons while they are in Canada.
Since 1860, the makakoons have been part of the Royal Trust Collection and housed at Osborne House on the Isle of Wight. They are on loan for exhibition by His Majesty King Charles III. The “To Honour and Respect” curators and the Planning Committee have worked closely with the Royal Collection Trust to facilitate the unique loan.
During the visit of the makakoons, there will be associated programming including workshops on quillwork, provided by Hiawatha First Nation artist Sandra Moore, and on Michi Saagiig language, provided by Curve Lake member Jonathan Taylor.
Please like and follow our Facebook page: To Honour and Respect for more information and updates about on-going activities
For further information, please contact:
- Eugene Bagagem, Communications Coordinator
Hiawatha First Nation
communications@hiawathafn.ca - Lori Beavis / Laura Peers, To Honour & Respect Curators
THRcommunityengage@gmail.com - Dustin McIlwain, Visitor Experience Coordinator
Peterborough Museum & Archives
dmcilwain@peterborough.ca
THR project Facebook page for updates and events: To Honour and Respect
