Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board acknowledges our presence on ancestral Anishinaabe and Haudenosaunee Confederacy land as determined by the Dish with One Spoon treaty. The intent of this agreement is for all nations sharing this territory to do so responsibly, respectfully and sustainably in perpetuity. We respect the longstanding relationships with the local Indigenous communities, the Mississaugas of the New Credit First Nation and the Six Nations of the Grand River.

Each school in HWDSB received symbolic, beaded wampum belt to highlight their commitment to improve relationships with Indigenous people, knowledges and practices.

The Dish with One Spoon Wampum Belt represents a treaty relationship between the Haudenosaunee Confederacy and Anishinaabe with respect to sharing the land and resources therein.

At Dundas Valley Secondary School, we will use the wampum as a teaching and learning tool, agreeing to keep it visible, accessible and safe for all to use. We will continue to work with Indigenous staff and community members to broaden our understanding and use of the wampum.

HWDSB’s commitment to Indigenous education emerges from a context that has seen Indigenous knowledge historically excluded and marginalized in Canada. Ontario has committed to working with Indigenous partners in education, with a focus on closing the achievement gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous students.