Curators Lori Beavis and Laura Peers had just laid out the 13 showcases when peers flocked into the Peterborough museum to hear the announcement of the next exhibit that’ll house items originally gifted to the Prince of Wales by Rice Lake’s first people.
In 1860, the Michi Saagiig people met the young Prince of Wales during the throne’s official tour of Canada. 12 women presented the Prince with 13 birch bark baskets known as “makakoons,” roughly the size of footballs– Each woven with dyed porcupine quills into intricate patterned pieces.
The Prince took the makakoons back to Britain after his journey through the lower half of Canada, and were safely preserved by the Royal Collection Trust since 1806. As of this Saturday April 22nd, these baskets will return for a visit to the original land they were gifted on after 100 years.
The newly established exhibit, “To Honour and Respect,” offers attendees an opportunity to understand the symbolistic values gifted items, like the makakoons, mean for receivers.
Items that are gifted between Indigenous peoples often mean something past the act itself. In this case, it’s speculated that these items were given in a diplomatic attempt to which the Prince had little context of.
The Chief of Hiawatha First Nation, Laurie Carr explains these gifts were likely elevated to represent something larger than the gift itself, “These makakoons gifted to the prince would’ve been significant of that Nation-to-Nation relationship.” Meaning they likely represented an attempt to mend the failing relationship between Canada’s settled people, Indigenous people, and The Crown.
Until November, these items will be in their original home grounds for the public to hear the full story woven into these makakoons.
(Written by: Noah Lorusso)
