Summary
Hamilton is home to many First Nations people from across Turtle Island (North America), and we recognize that we must do more to learn about the rich history of this land so we can better understand our roles as residents, neighbours, partners, and stewards.
Delta United Church is located in the City of Hamilton, in the province of Ontario. Hamilton is situated upon the traditional territories of the Erie, Neutral, Huron-Wendat, Haudenosaunee, Mississaugas and Anishinaabe First Nations, governed by the Dish With One Spoon Treaty of 1701 — an agreement between the Haudenosaunee and Anishinaabek to share and protect the resources around the Great Lakes.
The ‘dish’ is the land and all its bounty. There is just one dish, and we are all responsible to replenish it, so it doesn’t become empty. Likewise, there is just one spoon, so that we each take what we need and then pass the spoon to the next person. And it’s a spoon, not a knife, because we need to share and to resolve conflicts in a non-violent manner.
In 1764, the Treaty was extended to settlers as part of the Treaty of Niagara, and, to this day, we are all Treaty People living on Treaty Land. We have a responsibility to understand the Treaty and to make sure everyone shares equally in our common wealth. It is our intention to live in the spirit of reconciliation.