Â鶹ÒùÔº

Ancient pictograph vandalism at Bon Echo Provincial Park reveals ongoing disregard for Indigenous history

about two hours west of Ottawa and north of Kingston, Ont.

For the Anishinaabe, these pictographs——hold profound cultural significance and meaning. They constitute the largest collection of pictographs in southeastern Ontario, on the shores of Mazinaw Lake, or The share historical and cultural connections, each with distinct languages, traditions and territories within the broader Algonquian language family.

The placement of over is imbued with deep purpose and symbolism.

Grand Council Chief Reg Niganobe of the Anishinabek Nation condemned the vandalism, saying:

"."

As a mixed settler and Anishinaabe historian, I teach about this pictograph site, among three other , which the Anishinaabe have to their lands. Some pictographs were used by the Anishinaabe to represent .

The recent damage inflicted upon the site is heartbreaking . It is also a historic pattern that points to the urgent need to generate solutions to protect this site.

History of vandalism

While the Anishinaabe have known and cherished the land now claimed by Ontario's parks system as part of Bon Echo Park for generations, the arrival of settlers marked a significant turning point.

. Land in the current park eventually was bought by , catering primarily to the affluent.

Subsequently, the inn was bought by , a journalist and notable figure and artistic movements, with her husband, Howard. With her influence, the Bon Echo Inn was re-imagined to be a home for artists, including members of the Group of Seven.

Denison was an admirer of American poet Walt Whitman. , quotation carved on ." I argue that this was the very first form of graffiti—and vandalism—that physically altered this sacred site.

To the , and this carving beside the pictographs demonstrates a lack of respect for Indigenous history.

Eventually, Denison's son, Merrill Dension, to the Ontario government which then created .

Unpacking stories

Since stories about the park without unpacking its problematic history, it's unsurprising if recent vandals believed there would be no consequences for their actions or these would also go unpunished.

In 2019, representatives gathered with Pikwakanagan First Nation officials when the Mazinaw pictographs .

Yet there is much work to do to of metaphors of the land shaped by individualism, anthropocentrism and colonialism.

My recent co-authored research chapter "Toward Indigenous Place-Based Metaphors for Environmental History Education," in is concerned with land-based education in the watershed regions of Lake Ontario, traditionally shared territory between Haudenosaunee and Anishinaabe.

Unless a profound transformation occurs, vandalism etched into the very foundation of Bon Echo Park will continue to persist.

Working together, proper cultural protocol

The Anishinabek Nation said it will be seeking to discuss with parks leadership and the province how to ."

It also recommends "further protection efforts be examined to ensure that this type of vandalism does not happen again."

I offer three suggestions for consideration towards rectifying this situation, which will require further consultations with Indigenous nations:

1. Protective perimeter: Erect a protective barrier that prevents boats from directly approaching the pictographs unless prior permission is granted from the local First Nations.
2. Remove all graffiti: Erase the graffiti, including the defacement bearing Whitman's name, which serves as an invitation for others to follow suit. There have been .
3. Restore stewardship: By entrusting the stewardship of the park to the local Anishinaabek nations, we these invaluable heritage sites.

Stewardship models

Many models for restoring Indigenous stewardship in parks now exist:

• . The community of Curve Lake are the primary caretakers of the site and members work in the welcome center educating visitors about Kinomagewapkong .

• The partnership to jointly operate Mississagi Provincial Park between .
• The province made a 2015 agreement with ; Tidewater Provincial Park is operated under agreement ; is involved in conservation activities and long-term planning of Quetico Provincial Park.

Such models ensure Indigenous representation is a constant presence. All visitors can then learn about the sacred nature of these places from the descendants of the original stewards. To safeguard Indigenous history, we must invest the necessary resources to protect sacred sites for the benefit of future generations.

I have fond memories of paddling by the pictographs and also hiking to the top of Mazinaw Rock before this recent vandalism. Bon Echo will undoubtedly remain a summer paradise for camping, hiking and canoeing, but its deeper spiritual, cultural and Anishinaabe connections can only endure if we actively commit to their protection.