Exploring Indigenous Histories
A Run Series with Dr. Brian Rice
Join us for a run in our multi-part run series, "Exploring Indigenous Histories," featuring special guest Dr. Brian Rice, a professor at the University of Manitoba.
This series offers the opportunity to connect with the land and learn about the rich and complex Indigenous histories of Treaty 1 territory, specifically within the Winnipeg area.
Dr. Rice will share his expertise, enriching our understanding of the places we run. His work has focused on providing a foundation for understanding the historical narratives that have shaped Indigenous communities.
Each run will be held at a historically significant location commonly used as a training and playground for runners in the area. These group runs will provide the opportunities for runners to engage in a different way with the landscapes that hold centuries of Indigenous stories.
Each run will first feature a guided run at an easy pace, where attendees can expect to stop frequently to learn some of the stories of the land. Following one loop under Dr. Rice’s guidance, we invite runners to run as many additional loops as they’d like at their own pace.
Through this series, we aim to continue our work toward reconciliation by providing community-based, experiential learning. Actively engaging with the Indigenous history of the trails we run, teaches us about the enduring presence and contributions of Indigenous peoples in Manitoba and helps us recognize the layers of history embedded in these familiar landscapes.
Come run, learn, and reflect with us as we journey together on the traditional lands of the Anishinaabeg, Ininiwak, Anisininewuk, Dakota Oyate, and Red River Métis. By highlighting the historical significance of the locations to Indigenous peoples, it helps to ensure that these histories are not forgotten.
The locations
St. Norbert Single Track: St Norbert is located at the confluence of the Red and La Salle Rivers, and was a vital meeting place and transportation route for Indigenous peoples for millennia. Its strategic location made it a significant site for trade, travel, and seasonal encampments, long before European settlement. For the Métis, St. Norbert holds particular importance as a historic settlement and a key location during the Red River Resistance.
Whittier Park: Situated along the banks of the Red River, Whittier Park is part of a landscape that was central to the Red River Settlement, a vibrant Métis community that developed in the early 19th century. Whittier Park is well-known as the home of the Festival du Voyageur, which also celebrates the history of Métis. This area was a hub of economic and social activity, reflecting the dynamic intercultural relations that characterized the region. It also lies within the traditional territory of the Anishinaabeg and Ininiwak peoples, who used the river systems for sustenance and travel for centuries.
West-central Winnipeg This run explores the layered histories of western Winnipeg, which is layered with Indigenous and Métis history, and early Red River Settlement development. This run will focus on the shift in land of land use and colonial history as the area shifted from traditional territories used for hunting and trade to an urban center.