Bringing Treaty Awareness to Niagara’s Students

Last week, Willowbank had the pleasure of hosting the @NiagaraOnTheLakeMuseum “Tiny Museum” as part of Treaties Week. Education programmer Gwen Anderson brought the mobile exhibit to schools across Niagara-on-the-Lake, culminating in a visit with about 90 Grade 7 and 8 students from St. Davids Public School.

Anderson introduced students to the area's rich Indigenous history, exploring local treaties. Students engaged with these objects, making connections between past and present, from historic Indigenous alliances to the role of music in cultural traditions.

At Willowbank, students combined lessons on Indigenous history with an interactive lesson led by the  @NiagaraGeopark, exploring the region’s unique geology.

Willowbank students also shared their knowledge of craft with the St Davids students, including demonstrations of the various types of carpentry joints that exist. The children had the chance to handle sample dovetail and finer joints in order to understand how tension holds the wood together. The children also saw stained glass creations and Willowbank students working with stone.

This intersection of heritage, culture, and place reflects Willowbank’s commitment to helping students connect deeply with the stories embedded in the landscape around them. We hope that perhaps we've created a spark and that these young people may become Willowbanker's at some point!

Willowbank is proud to host experiences like this, helping young learners understand the significance of treaties and the ongoing relationships that shape our communities today.