Indigenous Voices on Treaties - Ange Loft

Summary

Ange Loft discusses the 'Talking Trees' project, which explores the complex relationship between Indigenous and European nations through treaties and trade. The project highlights the significance of numbers and figures in understanding land deals and settlements. Loft emphasizes the importance of relationship building and maintenance, as seen in the Treaty of Niagara, where gifts and meetings were crucial for maintaining peace and fostering kinship between the English and Mohawk people.

Takeaways

• 🌳 Ange Loft is the Associate Artistic Director of Jumblies Theatre and has been involved in community art projects in Ontario and Kahnawake.
• 🗣️ The Talking Trees project took two to three years of research and involved conversations with academics, historians, and artists about their relationship to treaties in Toronto.
• 🔢 Loft highlights the importance of understanding the relationship between historical land deals and contemporary figures to grasp the significance of treaties.
• 📜 The Treaty of Niagara is emphasized as a significant moment where the English sought to build friendships and trade relationships with Indigenous peoples by exchanging goods and maintaining ongoing relationships.
• 🐾 The treaty stipulated specific amounts of goods for trade, such as beavers for collars or knives, reflecting the value placed on these items by Indigenous nations.
• 🎁 Gift-giving was a crucial aspect of building and maintaining relationships, ensuring peace and fostering kinship between the English and Indigenous peoples.
• 🤝 The Mohawk people, Loft's community, played a significant role as dealmakers in these early relationships, with deep connections including marriages and familial ties.
• 📉 After 1812, the British shifted their approach, and the commitment to maintaining friendships and ongoing relationships with Indigenous peoples declined as they were no longer seen as necessary.
• ⚖️ Loft suggests that the principles of relationship building and commitment to ongoing negotiation, as seen in the Treaty of Niagara, should be revisited in modern treaty discussions.
• 🌐 The script underscores the importance of understanding historical treaties and their implications for contemporary society, emphasizing the need for continued dialogue and respect.

Q & A

Who is Ange Loft and what is her role at Jumblies Theatre?

Ange Loft is from Kahnawake Mohawk Territory and has been living in Toronto for about nine years. She is the Associate Artistic Director of Jumblies Theatre.

What is the Talking Trees project that Ange Loft mentioned?

The Talking Trees project is an initiative that took around two to three years to research and was a collaboration between Jumblies Theatre and First Story Toronto. It involved speaking to various individuals about their personal relationship to treaty in Toronto.

What was Ange Loft's interest in the relationship between numbers and land treaties?

Ange Loft was interested in how presenting the size of Indigenous territories and the monetary settlements in relatable terms, such as comparing the size of territories to familiar landmarks or the number of houses that could be bought with the settlement amount, can provide a new perspective and make these historical agreements more understandable and impactful to people.

What is the significance of the Treaty of Niagara as discussed by Ange Loft?

The Treaty of Niagara is significant because it represents a moment where the English understood the importance of building and maintaining relationships with Indigenous peoples. It emphasized the need for regular meetings, gift-giving, and ongoing commitment to these relationships.

How did the Treaty of Niagara establish trade relations between European traders and Indigenous nations?

The Treaty of Niagara established trade relations by specifying that European traders could only trade with nations present at the treaty and for certain amounts. It detailed the exchange rates for goods such as beavers for items like collars, nightgowns, wristbands, and knives.

What was the role of the Mohawk people in the Treaty of Niagara according to Ange Loft?

The Mohawk people, Ange Loft's own people, played a significant role in the Treaty of Niagara. They were viewed as equals by the English and were considered dealmakers. The Mohawk people were highly included in the treaty negotiations and kinship-making processes, which led to marriages and the birth of children from these relationships.

Why were gifts important in the context of the Treaty of Niagara?

Gifts were important in the Treaty of Niagara as they served as a means to ensure peace and prevent attacks. They symbolized the intention to maintain friendly relations and were a part of the process of building and maintaining trust between the Indigenous nations and the European traders.

How did the Treaty of Niagara reflect the idea of 'polishing the chain'?

The Treaty of Niagara reflected the idea of 'polishing the chain' through the ongoing commitment to maintaining and strengthening relationships. This involved regular meetings, gift-giving, and the continuous reading and revisiting of agreements to ensure they remained bright, strong, and robust.

Why did the British stop maintaining the relationship-building practices after 1812 as mentioned by Ange Loft?

According to Ange Loft, the British stopped maintaining the relationship-building practices after 1812 because Indigenous peoples were no longer needed by the British at that time. This shift marked a departure from the earlier emphasis on maintaining friendships and ongoing negotiations.

What does Ange Loft suggest is necessary for moving forward in negotiations with Indigenous peoples?

Ange Loft suggests that to move forward in negotiations with Indigenous peoples, there is a need to return to the idea of maintaining friendships and the practices of relationship-building that were emphasized during the Treaty of Niagara, such as regular meetings, gift-giving, and ongoing commitment to agreements.