ASINABKA GENERAL INFORMATION
VISION
The Legacy Vision of William Commanda for the Sacred Chaudiere Site and the Indigenous Centre at Victoria Island
Learning from A Kindergarten Dropout - THE BOOK
Asinabka
2003 CIRCLE VISION
The Vision for Asinabka
PROPOSAL FOR DEVELOPMENT OF A SPECIAL NATIONAL HISTORIC CENTRE AT THE SACRED CHAUDIÈRE FALLS, OTTAWA, CANADA
Elder William Commanda’s vision for the development of a healing and peace building centre on the traditional spiritual meeting grounds of the Anicinabe people, with the lands to be held in trust by Algonquin elders.
The vision calls for a fully inclusive City Park, Historic Interpretative Site, Conference Centre and Aboriginal Centre at the Sacred Site of Asinabka/Chaudière Falls, Chaudière and Victoria Islands, within the Nation’s Capital.
BACKGROUND
Since the arrival of Samuel de Champlain in this area in 1613, the area around the Chaudière Falls has been acknowledged as a sacred meeting place of great importance to indigenous peoples, having been used as such for easily five thousand years. Indeed, it is one of the earliest sites of human occupation in this country. Later, it served as a significant meeting place with the earliest settlers, the French and the English. Today the world finds a home on its shores. This special area holds singular sacred, archaeological and historic value, and has been the site of cultural convergence, political evolution, and internationally influential industrial development and innovation over the past centuries.
The Ottawa River Heritage Designation History celebrates this remarkable heritage of the watershed, and the heart of the story lies here in Ottawa/Hull, at the meeting place of three rivers, with the mighty Ottawa, the heritage river of the Algonquins, connecting with the Gatineau from the Province of Quebec and the Rideau from the Province of Ontario.
Elder William Commanda, a trilingual 93 year old Algonquin from Quebec, honoured by the University of Ottawa with the presentation of an Honorary Doctorate Degree, and in June 2006, presented with the Key to the City of Ottawa, a remarkable, internationally recognized man with a passionate interest in the environment, this country and all its citizens, and founder of the Circle of All Nations, holds a broad vision for the entire area focused on two themes that predominate in his work: Respect for the Mother Earth and Racial Harmony and Peace-building. Today, the environmental crisis and war are our greatest national preoccupations and challenges.
THE ACTIVITY
Dr. Commanda’s bold four-fold vision calls for
1) Freeing the Chaudière Falls, 2) Creating a City Park and Historic Interpretive Centre 3) Building a Peace Building Meeting Site, and 4) Building an Aboriginal Centre
DETAILS
- It is a vision of potentially significant international influence for symbolic reconciliation with Nature, both water and land, by undamming the sacred Chaudière Falls to the extent possible, and returning it to its former magnificence; planting the Chaudière Island with trees and creating an educational eco-city park in the heart of the country, expressive of both of its history, and its future, offering a modern day reclaimed green sanctuary and pow wow grounds to offset concrete urban sprawl; it also calls for developing a historic interpretative centre to commemorate the history of settlement – pre and post contact: ceremony, ancient trade routes,exchange of goods, logging, hydro electric power, industrial development, inventions etc.
- Consistent with the ancient history as meeting place, and current need for creative meeting spaces designed to serve as collaborative think tanks for reflective contemplation on global and local issues during this UN Decade for Culture of Peace, for international cross-cultural exchange and training, the remaining portion of the vision calls for a Tipi Village pod-style conference hotel on the western portion of Victoria Island, fully accessible within the core area of the capital city.
- Finally, for almost four decades, the Eastern portion of Victoria Island has been designated the site for an Aboriginal Centre; over the past eight years, Elder Commanda has worked to develop a vision for the Centre; Aboriginal Architect Douglas Cardinal, with support from Canadian Heritage, developed the conceptual architectural plans to the Level B; Elder Commanda negotiated a draft Memorandum to Cabinet with a consultant for the National Capital Commission,and at the Circle of All Nations International Gathering of August 2006, the NCC expressed full support for this proposal.
- The entire site will be a great attraction for Aboriginal peoples, citizens of the cities of Ottawa and Gatineau, the country at large, children, new Canadians and international tourists.
- Though damaged over the years, the sacred Chaudière site of the Algonquin Peoples remains a beautiful natural and national treasure waiting to be recognized and honoured.
- Elder Commanda’s vision also offers a unique opportunity to Correct Mistakes of History and Look Towards the Future.
- It is recognized that this work spans many federal departments, jurisdictions and responsibility centres. It needs a collective and collaborative national will and leadership to create the momentum for its successful realization.
TIMEFRAME
The timing is propitious for the bestowing a lasting national and indeed international legacy commemorative of the UN Decade for a Culture of Peace, in anticipation of two key dates: 2010, when the world comes to Canada for the Olympics, and 4 June, 2013, the four hundredth year anniversary of the arrival of Champlain in this area (June being also the time Heritage Rivers Day is celebrated). UPDATE: Now projected for 2017.
ACTION REQUESTED
Widespread endorsement of this fully inclusive proposal through the establishment of a multidisciplinary task force to develop the implementation plan for the Sacred Site. Send your message of support to pm@pm.gc.ca and circleofallnations@sympatico.ca or info@asinabka.com.
CIRCLE OF NATIONS | PEACE BUILDING CENTRE FOR ALL NATIONS, TO SHARE THE VALUES AND IDEOLOGY OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLES |
Spiritual/Ceremonial Centre | Peace building ‘Think Tank’ |
Cultural Revival – Arts, Crafts | Cultural Sharing |
Language Centre | Racial Harmony |
Elders’ Gathering Place | Meeting Rooms |
Healing Centre/Meeting Centre | Conference Centre |
Archives/Library/Historic Research | Auditorium/Concert Hall |
Medicines/Gardens/Greenhouse | Accommodations |
Traditional Knowledge/Ideology | United Nations Meeting Space |
Youth Developmental Centre | Restaurant/Gift Store |
Children’s Developmental Centre | Museum/Gallery |
Research/Planning/Education | Children’s/Youth Museum |
ASINABKA BROCHURE
THE NEW BILLBOARDS FOR VICTORIA ISLAND
BILINGUAL MAP BROCHURE OF THE ASINABKA INDIGENOUS CENTRE PROPOSAL
The vision calls for a fully inclusive City Park,Historic Interpretative Site, Conference Centre and Aboriginal Centre at the Sacred Site of Asinabka/Chaudière Falls, Chaudière and Victoria Islands, within the Nation’s Capital
2010 COMPREHENSIVE VISION FOR ASINABKA
A CIRCLE OF ALL NATIONS REPORT PRESENTED BY WILLIAM COMMANDA, OC Algonquin Elder FEBRUARY 14, 2010
2010 SUMMARY OF THE VISION FOR ASINABKA
A CIRCLE OF ALL NATIONS REPORT PRESENTED BY WILLIAM COMMANDA, OC Algonquin Elder FEBRUARY 14, 2010
NOTE: All materials on the Circle of All Nations and Asinabka websites, with the exception of those documents credited to specific individuals, have, since 1997, been authored by Romola V. Thumbadoo, PhD, Coordinator of the Circle of All Nations, under the names of Thumbadoo and Trebilcock, in collaboration with William Commanda, Hon. Phd (University of Ottawa and l’Université de Québec en l’Outaouais), Officer of the Order of Canada, till August 3, 2011, and alone since this date. Please acknowledge the use of any material in writing.
When you use any ideas or materials from this website or other linked sites, please reference the URL of the Article and the Date of Access to ensure proper Intellectual Ownership regulations are respected and that all Circle of All Nations, Asinabka, William Commanda Legacy and Romola V. Thumbadoo materials are acknowledged consistent with copyright regulations. This will also help us ensure that William Commanda’s Legacy is acknowledged into posterity. Thank you very much.
All original materials on these websites are © Circle of All Nations; all rights reserved.
Contact Romola V. Thumbadoo at circleofallnations@sympatico.ca as required.