To HOnour and respect @ Peterborough museum and archives

Back in November 2023, I had the honour of being invited to photograph the To Honour and Respect Exhibition Closing Event at the Peterborough Museum and Archives. This exceptional exhibition, a collaboration between co-curators Laura Peers and Lori Beavis, Royal Collection Trust, the City of Peterborough, Hiawatha First Nation, and Mississauga First Nation saw the return home (for a 7 month visit) of 13 quilled birchbark baskets, or makakoon. These baskets were gifted to Albert Edward, Prince of Wales by the Michi Saagiig Nishnaabeg women during his visit to Rice Lake Village in 1860. The makakoon now reside at Osbourne House on the Isle of Wight, as part of the Royal Collection.

Among many things, this visit home created an opportunity for people to reconnect with ancestors, to share knowledge about the significance of the makakoon as gifts, and to honor the intentions of their makers.

If you are interested in learning more about the baskets, their makers, and the work that went into making this exhibit a reality, please visit www.tohonourandrespect.ca.

Additional Resources

For more information about the To Honour and Respect Exhibition, please visit www.tohonourandrespect.ca

To learn more about the people and history of Hiawatha First Nation, please visit www.hiawathafirstnation.com

For more information about Royal Collection Trust and the work that they do, please visit www.rct.uk