CTV OTTAWA

Cultural ambassadors from Mādahòkì Farm were on the set of CTV Morning Live to talk about the exciting activities happening during March Break.

CITY NEWS 101.1

Derick Fage fills in for Sam and speaks with Trina about all the exciting things happening at the Farm this spring.

THE OTTAWA CITIZEN| Still planning your March break? For those staying closer to home, this March break trip list will help with scheduling fun things to do with the family throughout the week. Whether it is seeing a hockey game, visiting a local museum or grabbing a bite to eat, Canada’s capital offers a wide array of unique destinations and events to explore as spring approaches.

Growing up in Toronto, my knowledge of Indigenous communities was limited to a few days of history class. In textbooks, the descriptions of the past were suspect, haloed with a now-familiar “White savior” rhetoric.

Trudy Metcalfe-Coe, the head chef at Mādahòkì Farm, says that while politicians, dignitaries and the like are welcome at Friday’s celebratory dinner, they won’t be the guests of honour.

A small herd of Ojibway Spirit Horses found a home at Mādahòkì Farm, an Indigenous experiences attraction in Ottawa. The CBC’s Hallie Cotnam dropped by and met up Trina Mather-Simard.

In a colourful skirt adorned with stylized horses, Trina Mather-Simard clutched the beaded halter of a gentle mare that was more interested in munching grass than meeting visitors.

Madahòkì, which means “to share the land”, is intended to be a safe space where Indigenous communities can reconnect with the land through both healing and wellness programs and social enterprise opportunities.

The Mādahòkì Farm sits on about 65 hectares of traditional Algonquin land in what is known as the city of Ottawa’s Greenbelt area in the west end.

Mādahòkì is the Algonquin word for “share the land”

Indigenous Experiences began leasing the land earlier this month.

The organization’s executive director says the project is all about connecting to the land.