Hiawatha summer picnic
First Nation community tradition dating back 150 years is held along the Cobourg waterfront
An old tradition was revived by the Hiawatha community last Thursday, as families packed picnic lunches, coolers and camp chairs and headed down the road to Victoria Park in Cobourg for a day of fun and food.
The first such picnic was held 150 years ago, an event organized for the Sunday school at Hiawatha when it was still known as the Rice Lake Reserve. Albums with old newspaper articles and photos of previous picnics circulated, bringing back some fond memories.
Musician Cale Crowe of Al der vi l le First Nation entertained from the band shell while more than 150 picnickers enjoyed salad sand fried chicken, rounded off with cake and ice cream. Sack races, shoe races and other games helped wear off lunch.
The red ribbon in the pie contest went to Sheryl Loucks for her maple syrup pie. Ralph Lou c ks auctioned all six entries off and raised an astounding $180, the highest bid reaching $50.
Reminders
Keene Farmers’ Market, July 29, noon to 4 p.m., library parking lot
Hope Mill, open Tues., 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
OSM Historical Society research room, Gayle Nelson Library, Keene, open Tues ., Thurs, Sat., 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Two Small Rooms Thrift Shop, Keene library, second level, open Thurs. and Sat., noon to 3 p.m.
Weir Journals
1882 July 29, Sat.
Ten of us left Peterboro on the train this morning for the back lakes.We got to Lakefield at 9:30 and waited until three o’clock for the Cruiser. We got to Mount Julian at 4:30 and left at 5:30 and got to Eel’s Creek at seven o’clock. Mr. Or rand I left in two canoes for Mount Julian again to take up to camp the rest of the party that had to be left behind in care of Dr.Bell and his kind wife,they being camped on the Old Mount Julian place and very comfortable. They were with everything in apple pie order. We got back to our camps at ten o’clock on a pretty dark night and found the other six waiting supper. 1887 July 29, Friday
In the afternoon I cut six acres of oats. At nine o’clock I began to bind oats and in three hours I had five hundred and ten sheaves of oats bound. It was a fine moonlight night and the grain was clean. 1887 July 30 I was binding oats in the forenoon.
In the afternoon James Duffus came with his binder and we cut five acres of oats. 1889 July 26, Friday I cut hay for Duffus and I cut some barley north of the barn. 1889 July 27
In the forenoon we were all doing chores. In the afternoon the three of us finished binding and stooking the rye. Smiley and John went to town in the evening in the buggy. Rained very heavy late tonight. 1889 July 29
My head and neck is in such a fearful state with boils we had to stay at home yesterday and could not go to church. 1891 July 25, Sat.
This week Smiley Sawyer, Peter McLeer and I cut and saved 26 acres of hay and did a day and a half other
work. On Wednesday night we drawed in hay till half past two o’clock and next morning we were at it until five o’clock. Fine weather all week. Today I took some cherries to town. 1891 July 28
This morning nine of us went to the Stoney Lake.There was Mrs.Farley and her little boy Robert,and Maud Brennan and my sister Isabella and her little boy Harry and Robert Mitchell and Peter McLeer and Lovina and I. We had a splendid concert on the water tonight. Three boats fastened together. 1892 Saturday July 30
In the forenoon four of us were putting paris green on the potatoes. After dinner we finished drawing in the fall wheat. After tea the men were cutting barley with binder and stooking in field No .#9. After tea Lo vin a and Ida and
Harry Mitchell and three others went to Stoney Lake. 1893 Saturday July 29
This morning Lovina and I went to Stony Lake.At night Mr.and Mrs.Duffus and Mrs. Leahy and Mr. Leahy came up to the Lake to visit us. They arrived at our island at eleven at night. We had the island and house beautifully lit-up with Chinese lanterns, coloured-glass lanterns and bonfires. 1893 Monday July 31
This morning James Duffus and wife and William Leahy and wife and Lovina and I left our island on Stoney Lake on the Steamer Mary Ellen and came home. After we came home I cut two acres of barley north of the wood-shed. In the evening we cut and stooked the seed timothy.