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Mulmur Citizens’ Coalition to feature Mkomose at Monora Park Pavilion

April 18, 2024   ·   0 Comments

By Constance Scrafield

Call him Dr. Andrew Judge PhD or his Spirit name, Mkomose, his focus is, in part, on Indigenous land-based practices. On Sunday, April 28, Andrew Judge is coming to the Monora Park Pavilion, to talk about how we can modify how we garden and how we approach the issue of caring for our land, through Indigenous teaching and philosophy. Mkomose has nothing specific to address about the Caledon-Dufferin area, as he goes where he has been invited to speak. He has done about 40 presentations a year, for the last 10 years, on a range of subjects.

His knowledge of the region “stems from my study of the Attawandaron, Tobacco, Petun, Wyandot peoples and their relationships with the Mississauga peoples in South Western Ontario before and after contact with Europeans. There was an extensive trade relationship and land design relationships in the region which I find fascinating and incorporate into some of the university courses I teach,” he wrote in an email to us.

While he does not seek to change anyone’s perceptions.-, he only seeks to share what he has learned through extensive study, practice and what the Ancestors have granted him permission. He told us he can only be responsible for his actions. He does the work on the land, which he presents to others.

He wrote, “My hope is that by learning the truth about Indigenous knowledge, specifically Anishinaabe land restoration and sustainability strategies, others may be inspired to implement these strategies into their daily lives.”

It is the Mono Mulmur Citizens’ Coalition, founded in 1988, also referred to as the environmental committee MC-2 [squared] that invited Andrew Judge to come and speak. MC-2 [squared], basically a volunteer-driven organization, has been the watchdog, following issues of land development in Mono, Mulmur and Dufferin County and many more concerns. They organize public events to provide information and raise awareness.

Rita and Arnold de Graaff, members of the environmental committee told the Citizen that what is behind it is the belief there are resources in this community, people skills and its land has economic abilities. They ask, as a community, how can we fit that into a bigger picture of the world; how do we act responsibility?

There are plans to start workshops to teach information by Brave Canoe, Sharon Rigby and Julie Elsdon-Height co-executive directors, who will talk about events to come.

Headwaters Nature field naturalist club, founded in 1986, also invites people to join them for walks and field trips.

Mkomose commented about his upcoming talk on April 28, “Practically speaking, if those who come to learn can plant even one plant to learn about its roots, shoots, leaves, flowers, fruits and seeds, that will be a win.

“Spring is a time when so much is offered to us as humans, and all our other relatives, that it is time to be in gratitude and reverence. To take what is offered with humility and give back for everything we may take.”

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